Dale Jr. 8

If you have been out of work for 2 years have you applied for Soc. Sec. Disability? If you haven't applied I would suggest you did. I have some experience in this area. If you need help sent me a message. DJ8 :)

CAVMSG, You always file for a NOD after a reconsideration request because if they take over 1 year to decide your recon. then you will lose your filing date without the NOD. If you lose your original filing date then all backpay will be lost and you would have to start with a new claim. The VA doesn't recognize a reconsideration request as an NOD. I have read of several people on here who didn't file a NOD and were denied their recon request(that VA took over a year to decide)and then lost their filing date because they didn't get their NOD in before theyear to file the NOD was up. DJ8

When I went to the ALJ he told me that my VA disability will not automatically make get SSDI. He said that they will look at the VA records but just because VA says you are 100% doesn't mean that you are by SSA's standards. I ended up winning my claim and I only had 50% from the VA.. I am now trying to get TDIU from the VA. I won my SSDI claim on only Serv. Conn. conditions. The first go round the RO denied it. I am waiting on a DRO review. DJ8

Fog, John is right it would have been easier if you had filed with in that year. I was awarded 30% by the VA on my first claim and I filed it 6 years after I was didcharged. I guess I am one of the lucky ones. A win can be done if you keep with it. DJ8

fishes, If they will not let you renew you have a good case for applying for TDIU. I see that you are 80% already and 70% for PTSD so you meet the more than 40% on one disability and 70% or more on combined disabilities. DJ8

Ron, I think so. I have never had a rexam for anything. DJ8

Chuck 75, The info isn't very encouraging to me since the original claim took 14 months. I have been battling for 6 years now so another year or so won't matter much I suppose. Maybe NC is quicker than GA. Somehow I think all RO's run the same speed SLOW!!!! Thanks DJ8

JIM MAC I got out in 1997. I was hoping that it would be quicker than the original claim since the rater made 3 mistakes in the rating. 2 of them would have given me TDIU. I guess that why they made the mistake. Yhanks for the info. DJ8

Stupid question, but I was wondering if anyone has had experience with the waiting times for a DRO review? Are they quicker than the original claim? I know that most answers are based on the RO's backlog and if more info is neededfrom me. Thanks DJ8

Cherie33, Keep your chin up. There are better days to come. My wife has panic attacks and although I have never had to experience one I kind of experience them through her. It sucks. Sounds like the TDIU claim will be a winner if Voc Rehab said it isn't feasible to work. I have had success with talking to the director's office of my VAMC when I have had a problem with a department or a patient rep. They have resolved my issues every time. Good luck to you. Tomorrow will be a better day than today. DJ8 :)

Jaz, That comment gave me a good chuckle. I haven't laughed like that in a while. Thanks DJ8

Jbasser has a good point. I would opt for the private sector if you have ins. A private doc is more likly to give you med opinions before a VA clinic doc. As far as VA goes, med. records are med records no matter where they originate from. If you are planning on seeking some secondaries for your sc then VA will most likely send you for a C&P exam anyhow. DJ8

The only things that I can find ratable on the ankle is decreases ROM and anklyosis. They are found in 38CFR 4.71a schedule of ratings musculoskeletal system. I have the same problem as you and mine is rated under the limited ROM catagory. DJ 8

Take Joshephine's advice and get a copy of the C&P report. That way you will be able to compare that to the rating decision to see if they may have "over looked anything" during the rating process. DJ 8

I would think so as long as the current MRI shows L4-L5 radiocupathy. DJ 8

Christopher, I was just reviewing my Admin. Law Judge's (ALJ) decision and in it it states that I can not work in a substantial gainful activity. It also goes on to say that my impairments cause significant impairment on my ability to perform basic work activities. I can not perform any past relevant work, and my job skills do not transfer to other occupations within the functional capacity that I have. The judge also had a vocational expert via satellite link report that there were no jobs for me in the national economy. The whole key to getting SSDI is to not even work the part time job. I might have been able to work a couple hours a day but that would not have provided much for my family. I think what the C&P doc put in the report will help you immensly with VA but not so much with Soc. Sec. The Law Judge made it a point to tell me that what ever VA has awarded me doesn't have any impact on the Soc. Sec. He did use all the VA doctor reports that I had in making his decision. If I can help you let me know. Good Luck DJ8

Tinchord, I echo all the other posts. 1st and foremost get the needed help. The claim stuff can come later. As with ther others I am here to help in any way I can. The members on Hadit have helped me immensely. They have helped me navigate the VA system seemingly with ease. You can send me a message anytime and I will reply the same day. I am on this site at least 3 times a day. DJ8

Will, Here in NC shortly means a few weeks. I always quantify VA wait time by looking at how long my SSDI took. It took me 33 months to get SSDI. ALL 3 of my VA claims took less than 8 months from start to finish. I currently have an appeal with a DRO in for IU and a couple of low % they gave me. My case is weird. I got SSDI based on only 2 of my SC conditions. I didn't get it awarded on any NSC stuff. The RO denied IU. I think that I just got an inexperienced rater. It is far harder to win an SSDI claim than it is too get VA disability. Good Luck to you. DJ 8

LOA, I believe if you can find out who made the C&P appts for you, you should be able to get them to reschedule the one that they say you "No Showed" for. Since you say you will retire in Aug that seems like plenty of time to get it done. You may also have some luck by calling the Director's office at the VAMC where they did your other C&P. I have had alot of success in getting issues resolved by calling the director's office. If you have no luck here definately get an appt to see a Physciatrist before you retire. I wonder how they gave you prozac without seeing a Physciatrist? Here in NC my PC doc can not write any scripts for the Physc. stuff. It has to be done by a Physc. Dr. I have been navigating the VA system since 2003. I was discharged it 1997 after 13 years. I should have gotten out on a medical disch but I got railroaded. I then mistakenly waited until 2003 to file a claim since I got seps pay and I thought a certain amount of time had to go by for it to considered to be spent. What a mistake. After I got awarded 30% I had to payback every dime of the seps pay before VA would pay me. If I can help with anything further jusr send me a message. Best of luck and thank you for your service DJ 8 USMC

Ruby, I just got a complete 2nd copy of my file. I only wanted a few pages but since they were going to charge me $10.00 for the copy I told them to send the whole thing. It only took about 5 days from the time I sent the check until I had the copy at my door. I live in NC and the Winston-Salem RO is pretty good about things like this and answering IRIS's. On the other hand they are like most other RO's when it comes to ratings. You can expect only 10% on your 1st claim for an SC cond. It has taken me 6 years to go from first applying to 60%. I have an appeal in currently for TDIU which I should win, it is just a matter of time.

Armand, John999 is very knowledgable about alot of things. I also have saw where other moderators/elders have given the same answer to other people that had the same question as you. DJ 8

Paco, Welcome to HADIT. My father gets a pension from a previous employer and he also gets SSDI and there is no offset. DJ 8

CG, You are entitled to travel pay if you are 30% or more. If you are less that 30% then you are only entitled to travel for treatment for an SC condition. In your case since you have 60% you are entitled to travel each time you go to the VAMC. You have to go to the pay window and give them your ID card and they will print out a paper and you sign it and take it to another window to get your money. In my VAMC at Fayetteville NC the travel window is next to the pharmacy. You get 11 cents a mile currently. There is a deductible of $3.00 each way. I live 100 miles away so I get $22 minus the $3.00 each way which equals $6.00 and the total for me is $22 minus $6 which equals $16. I have never had enough appts to not have to pay the deductible. One month I had 3 appts so I had to still pay the deductible. Travel is always worth while. It usually covers my gas up and back. If they up it to 28 cents they I will feel like I won the lottery. They will probably up the deductible to go along with the mileage change. DJ 8

No, I haven't saw the info yet. I have an appt. next week at the VAMC and it will be interesting to see if the rate has been changed. I have always thought that the 11 cents a mile was very low. If they are going to pay you mileage than they should at least pay what DOD pays. DJ 8

bm6546, Ron is right. It also means that the process is speeding up. Once they tell you that a decision has been made it usually only takes a week to 10 days to get the award letter. DJ 8