just a guy

Hi Berta and John, I have neglected to say this because I am embarrassed. This is a site full of heroes and I am not. I was injured pre-war due to hyponatremia. It was in training. I am working. Berta, I'm not sure what exactly that I am looking. I'm 50% for depression/anxiety. I understand that due to pyramiding that TBI would most likely cancel that out. I think I am trying to increase my rating with TBI because I am not currently rated for the cognitive and psychosocial dysfunction. I think my doctors saw it early on that I was different than I was before I got hurt. I tried for a long time to deny it, but now am so overwhelmed I do finally admit that I have changed, for the worse.

Hi Vync, I appreciate your quick response, but I assure you that I did not miss anything. The event that precipitated everything was swelling in the brain. There was excess water in the brain. That caused damage. Resulted in the seizures. And now all of the secondaries. But is water in the brain considered an "external force"? It caused damage. It was not organic (i.e. I was not born with cerebral edema). So it could meet the definition. I'm just not sure. Thanks, J-A-G

Hi everyone, I have a question that has been bothering me for awhile. Do I have a TBI? I have damage to my brain. I have documented structural damage, encephalopathy, and cognitive dysfunction. That is a fact. It is evident in MRIs, EEGs and neuropsych testing (from DoD, VA and IMEs) all show it definitively. The problem is that the definition of TBI seems...squishy, to say the least. According to CFR 38 I have all the dysfunctions of TBI. But I don't have a VA/DoD document that says TBI. I was not in a blast. I did not hit my head. I was not punched, hit, or shaken. I had swelling in the brain (an external force?) from excess water in there (cerebral edema). This was an acute event. Afterwards, I had seizures and was in a coma for 36 hours. I am VA rated for many of the post TBI secondaries. I have seizures, memory loss, depression, anxiety, migraines, etc. But VA considers the seizures as primary and everything else as secondary to the seizures. But at a C&P the doc said "you do not have TBI." My DoD medical records and even VA records definitely show damage to my brain. Dr Bash says in an IMO I had a TBI. So what is the official definition of a TBI? Who gets to decide if it is a TBI or just damage to the brain...and what the hell is the difference? VA says my depression anxiety and migraines come secondary to my seizures. Can I argue that everything, including the seizures, come secondary to TBI? And if I can argue that how do I make the case to VA? Thanks, J-A-G

Good advice. Thanks asknod

Asknod, I appreciate that. However, one point of correction. The two holes are actual holes. They are not photocopies of holes. The "received" stamps are the actual stamps. None of this is photocopies. These are the real deal. Makes me nervous as hell. What happened to my file? what happened to my claim? If they don't know its missing how screwed am I?

Thank you both. Good advice. Berta, there was no I-8 or 646. Just my docs, including MSRs. I'll update the forum as I learn more. Thank you, j-a-g

Hi, This is weird and I'm not sure what to make of it, or even where to post this. I had a DRO review in June 2013 in Roanoke, VA. I am pending a BVA board. Date TBD. No # yet. I received an enormous package addressed to me via US mail from the Roanoke office. This package includes about 800 pages of documents relating to my claims. Many of them have receipt stamps on the front or back from the receiving VA office. Some have the two holes at the top as though they were in some VA c-file. They appear to be originals and not photocopies. What am I to do with this, and what if anything does it mean? Was this some kind of VA internal mistake and they were not supposed to go to me? As usual, no one at Roanoke will answer my calls or emails. Thanks, j-a-g

To which I respond: 1. ouch 2. poop Thank you, sir.

Hi Carlie, I requested a copy of my transcript. I have NOT received it. I did get an enormous copy of my c-file with copies of everything I have ever submitted. That was unexpected. But there was nothing else included in there. Thank you, Carlie! James

Hi, I am a new member of HadIt. I've watched anonymously for years. I have an old claim that has been plodding through the system since 2008. There are 12 issues I am pursuing. In July, 2013 I had a face to face with a DRO. In September, 2013 (2 months later) I received a SOC from the DRO for one issue (entitlement date for depression/anxiety) that denied that claim. I subsequently filed a Form 9 for that issue. I have checked and double checked the SOC and it is only for the one issue. No mention of the other 11. I have not received a SOC for the other 11 issues. E-benefits shows that everything is awaiting processing for the VBA. I submitted an IRIS. I also called the 1-800 number and spoke to someone there. I also emailed the Director of Benefits at my VSO (co-located at the Regional Office with the DRO). The IRIS, the 1-800 number and the Director of Benefits are all saying that a Form 9 has been received for everything and that my file is awaiting processing for the VBA. I have been waiting a year thinking I was waiting for a SOC and decision on the other 11 issues. I thought maybe the DRO thought the effective date was perhaps clear-cut in her mind and so she quickly denied it while everything else needed a more thorough review. Is it possible I am still waiting for a DRO decision and SOC for the other 11 issues? Or is IRIS, the 1-800 number and the Director of Benefits from the VSO all correct in that my file is awaiting transfer to the VBA? I feel jipped if the DRO only reviewed and decided on one issue and then passed me off, ignoring the other 11 issues, and now my claim is moving to the VBA. Is there any chance the DRO may still be reviewing/deciding the other 11 issues and when the DRO is complete it will process to the VBA? Thanks, j-a-g