Gastone -
Thanks for the info. I was a young whippersnapper know it all. However I never really understood the depths of red tape that the VA ties around our necks and games they play with our ratings. I just took what they offered at face value and went on with my life. Went to college, got married, had kids, jobs...you get the picture. However now I'm a little more mature and see that the VA may not have decided my cases fairly, or they may not have had the correct information. Years ago I used some DAV officers, but looking back they were overwhelmed and didn't have time to review my case the way I should have.
So now I guess you can say I'm taking back the power of my case with the help of sites like this. I've talked to many vets over the years, yet not one recommended this site to me. Also, when I first got rated, none of this information was readily available. So thank you guys for arming me with this valuable information.
In fact, I visited with a local VA rep and he informed that the VA seems to have miscalculated the bilateral factor in 1998 and may have missed bumping me up to 50% from 40%.