cloudcroft

So, to accept the "pre-existing" finding or to fight it, that's the first decision for her. -- John D.

Josephine, If this opinion sticks as accepted fact from the VA's viewpoint, as it seems it will, then the only option you have is to claim said pre-existing "anxiety" was aggravated by military sevice. IIRC, getting IMOs to refute this hasn't worked out for you so you may just have to accept this "pre-existing" view. At least the term "personality disorder" wasn't used, but you need to be sure they aren't still diagnosing you as having that. Another poster here (Cherie33) has said that she got rated 10% for a personality disorder (PD) when she was discharged -- but I don't know HOW that came about as a PD is supposed to be non-compensable -- so maybe you should talk to her if you haven't already. -- John D.

I think the VA will be sending you a NOD shortly... -- John D.

Yes. PM sent. -- John D.

IMO, the fact that you are gainfully employed -- regardless of you working in spite of your disability/symptoms -- will not sway the VA towards rating you higher or look into TDIU for you. Not at all. You would at the very least need to be working only marginally for this to have any chance of success, or, not be working at all -- due to your SCed disabilities. This is the same boat many vets find themselves in, and yes, it's a position between a rock and a hard place for them. But if you DO end up getting TDIU down the road, and if you DO get SSDI now, BOTH of those as income would be substantially more $$ than TDIU-only vets get each month, especially those TDIU vets who are not collecting any military retirement. So maybe down the road, you will have better financial security but now and for a while ahead, until you win a claim of two, it's probably going to be a rough road. Sorry for not having better news but I beieve that's just how it is right now for you. -- John D.

But of course, NOT for Chapter 61 military retirees no matter what or how high their rating is. -- John D.

And the "saved" money is probably going to be given (foreign aid, etc.) to sorry, unappreciative, corrupt, anti-American Iraqis. What an insult to ALL Americans, who I believe should come first, not last. -- John D.

tssnave. I just saw there were responses here... Thanks for the reply. I don't recall seeing much posted about this issue. I believe that most life-insurance policies won't pay for any suicide case the first 2 years of the poloicy. I do not have PTSD but dysthymia...and IMO, dysthymia with at least 2 PTSD features. cowgirl, Thanks...even I do not have a checklist. I should be more considerate of people that may be left behind (if I die) so things are easier on them. No excuse for me, either, I just don't care about lots of things I SHOULD care about, and I can say that it's not because I don't KNOW any better. I do. I just can't really get myself to care about getting all my affairs in order, as if I am going to live forever or something. -- John D.

...and other veteran forums. -- John D.

It's up to us older vets to tell them, whenever we have the opportunity. -- John D.

Do the video conference. It's a last chance to make your case and IMO, it's more personal and effective when you interact with the BVA judge, and although via video, it's still face-to-face like an in-person (traveling) board hearing but of course, without the long-distance travel. If you have a VSO, he/she will (should) be included in the conference (3-way) but don't count on him/her to make your case, especially if they seem unprepared, disinterested and/or just aren't saying much or the stuff you want heard for the record...YOU do it. Good luck, -- John D.

Youre welcome. Hope I was right! Let us know when you get a decision on your TDIU claim...amd how the C&Ps went (and WHAT they were for if they were not related to said TDIU claim...although one C&P may be related to your NOD issue). Sometimes vets get C&Ps out of the blue for whatever, or, get a C&P for something they didn't even ask for...who knows. Anyway, let us know, -- John D.

tssnave, Thanks again, but I was talking about the people in this thread who had asked for the checklist rather than referring to any unknown lurkers. I was just saying that I appreciate people who say thanks to those who respond. After all, none of us HAVE to respond. Besides, we already know this stuff. Nowadays, words like "please" and "thank you" are pretty rare. Like manners in general. As for me, I do try to show my appreciation for people helping me the very rare times I ever ask a question or in the many other forums I've posted in and the thousands of responses I have done over many years online. That's probably because I am more personally aware of how valuable knowledge is (to me it's like $$)...but most people aren't -- they value only the concrete and not the abstract -- so that may explain why they take it for granted and don't even bother to acknowledge answers let alone say thanks to the responder. I sure don't. So sometimes, it just irritates me...so I mention it every once in a while when the issue comes up. Regards, -- John D. buickx, I think you may have me mixed up with another poster re: a death related to AO (since I personlly have no AO-related illnesses that I am aware of...yet) but since you brought that up, I DO wonder if death-by-suicide can be related to one's SCed VA disability. If so, this would be something to put on the Death Certificate...but I don't know if the doctor could do that or even know that at the time. -- John D.

chongo, 1. Doctors can't give or take away anything...the raters at the VARO do that. 2. Sounds like you are P&T for some disability rated at 80%, but your are NOT TDIU...which makes sense because you have filed a claim for TDIU but it is still in progress with no decision yet, and the C&Ps are probably related to the TTDIU claim...if I am making sense of what you said. Flatbroke, Glad you got both exams on the same day. -- John D.

tssnave, Thanks for your thanks...I thought maybe I had wasted my time/effort posting. -- John D.

Get a copy of the C&P. A delay -- if any -- is well-worth the value received. -- John D.

How about these websites (some have overlapping info) re: what to do BEFORE and AFTER a veteran dies? http://www.mrfa.org/Before.After.htm http://www.mrfa.org/Death.Info.htm A couple more: http://www.webcitynet.com/post330/what.html http://9thinfdivsociety.org/vetinfo/after.html This one is for people in general, what to do after they die, but some VA info is included: http://www.cobar.org/index.cfm/ID/0/subID/...n-Someone-Dies/ Remember, http://www.dogpile.com is your friend...go fetch and you shall retrieve. [edit] -- John D.

Let's put it this way... If you have no more evidence to send in and you want the VARO to NOT wait the 60 days and to get started NOW on the decision process without further delay, then check the box and waive the 60-day period. Of course, that would be the situation if we lived in Perfect. But in Reality, where most of us live, the VA is so backlogged and bogged-down, they most likely won't get to it within 60 days anyway -- probably not even close -- whether you check the box or not...but go ahead and check the box anyway and send it in. You might get lucky. -- John D.

Danang_1969, As goofycow said, you can't go by the GAF alone...be careful about taking it out of context. But looking only at your GAF, a GAF of 40 is really pretty low...it would seem to support a rating of 70% anyway, all else being equal, but don't get your hopes up on getting rated 100% with ONE GAF of 40. Besides, you have some 45s, too, and who knows how many other GAFS (even if only 1-2) to look at here and there in your records because IIRC, you're supposed to get a GAF assigned EVERY TIME you see a mental-health caregiver (M.D. or D.O. shrink, Ph.D., MSW, etc.) so you might have a bunch of them. Still, IMO your GAF of 40 seems to be WAY too low for a ratng of only 30%. This is one reason I distrust the accuracy and validity of GAFs in general. -- John D.

Well, the concept of "well-grounded" still applies even if the name has changed: A vet's claim has to be reasonable, so it does have to meet certain basic criteria, as Wings pointed out. Or it's dead right from the start. But I'm glad that the Claim Wars are over for me, unless something else comes up such as an AO-related illness as I get older. :P "The Golden Years." Yeah, right. -- John D. EDIT: Some vets file an "unreasonable" claim, get denied, and fight it all the way to the CVA and still get denied. That was pretty much x-number of wasted years and hope doing so. Just be at least 51% sure you can win it. :D -- JD

Wings, Sorry...didn't realize that the term "well-grounded" is no longer used. It WAS used back when my claim was decided at the BVA level (April 2005). -- John D.

Wings, I don't think a vet MUST be well-versed on VA regs...it would be GREAT if we all were but few vets can do that because of a mental disorder, being on meds for same, not being academically inclined, or whatever. I know I sure can't. Besides, it's supposed to be up to the VARO, BVA and CVA -- not to mention VSOs/SOs -- to know that stuff. Yes, I know we shouldn't leave that to chance, expecting that those people are savvy re: the regs, but they are SUPPOSED to be and vets can't be expectd to be Title 38 experts. I agree, however, that a vet should TRY to know the regs that particularly apply to his/her claim because as we all know, no one should care more about a claim than the vet who filed it. But lots of vets have to rely on others to know the "book learning" stuff. And as we somtimes see here, some vets can't even write coherent posts...they'll definitely need help writng statements to the VA and such. But a vet can at least make sure he/she has all the evidence possible for a positive decision on their claim, rather than sketchy evidence that is likely to get denials and a long drawn-out appeals process. True, even seemingly "slam-dunk" claims can be denied, but the more persuasive and convincing evidence you have RIGHT UP FRONT, the sooner one's claim should be favorably decided. cowgirl, Good luck... -- John D.

Yes, get all the info and written doceumentation of the incident (letters from the guys you mentioned) while you still can. If there are any other guys you can also get to write letters -- "buddy letters" - do so and have them be very detailed (not vague) with specifics about the stressor event. Good thing they are still alive...once they pass, there'd be NO WAY to get any buddy letters. Also, be sure you have clear and legible COPIES of these letters for your records because it's not a question of IF the VA will lose them, it's just a question of WHEN. ;-) Yes, do not quit. -- John D.

Larry is right...a low GAF is your "friend." Your problem seems to be getting things SCed or soemthing like that, but once you do, a low GAF will help get you a higher disability rating. Maybe December for you will be "take a low GAF out to dinner" month. ;-) -- John D.

rentalguy1, Reading Flatbroke's words, my guess is that it will only take ONE 3-hour drive to have him appear at his worst physically and mentally...he doesn't need to do TWO 3-hour drives to "accomplish" that. :D -- John D.