flores97

Thank you jfrei

I filed my NOD on November 6 2015, ebenefits updated with my new rating yesterday and the actual rating decision was made on January 20, last month, out of Winston Salem Regional. Don't hesitate to go to the RO or send an Iris Inquiry to check the status as well, Good luck.

Thank you, Buck, you and everyone else have helped more than you realize! I will always try to contribute as much as I can to Veterans that need help on this forum as well.

I submitted an FDC, or Fully Developed Claim, but he actually didn't do the in-person examination on me because I couldn't make the trip. He did a phone interview and reviewed my treatment records, which were very extensive, and he did a great IMO on 3 different conditions from that. I couldn't travel due to my SC disabilities, I actually tried to make it, on the bus, got one state away and had to depart the bus due to my lupus flaring up. Dr Ellis has a great reputation, and it only took a couple of weeks after the phone interview to receive the IMO.

Thank you Saxman!!

Speaking of memory issues, I left out the founder of Hadit without whom many more Veterans would be left behind, thank you Tbird!!!

I wanted to update everyone on the great news I received yesterday when ebenefits updated. I received, as a result of the NOD I filed in November of 2015, 100% schedular rating for my SC lupus, p&t with no future examinations scheduled. My other ratings remain-50% for MDD/Memory Loss, 20% for fibromyalgia, and 10% for gerd/hiatal hernia. I was also awarded inferred housebound. I want to thank alot of members on this site, like Broncovet, Buck52, Ms Berta, Asknod, Gastone, and many others for your invaluable knowledge and help. My children thank you as well, as I have one in college currently and one about to start in fall semester, and the Chapter 35 benefits will be a blessing. I ask going to continue to contribute as much as I can to any veteran that needs help, I will do my best to provide it. Thank you Hadit!

That's great Nick 2021, and welcome to hadit. Dr Ellis is one of the best IMO doctors in my opinion, and he's very thorough and honest as well. Good luck with your claims, I had very good results with my IMO from Dr Ellis and they listed his IMO as evidence considered. Again, best of luck to you.

Green, how have you been? I hope you receive a speedy response, and I wouldn't be surprised if you receive your cfile very soon, be sure to make copies. I hope they locate your missing medical records as well, have you tried contacting the facilities in Alaska that you had the treatment at?

That's great, RAN, best of luck to you. Dolfanbls I wish you the best on your claims as well

Pctinc2001, I recommend calling the largest law firm you see listed or advertised in the phone book, and asking them if they know of a firm in your area that specialises in Veterans Disability. That's how I found my attorney, and she is excellent. As far as a doctor that writes IMO's, your attorney might know of some good physicians. If you have trouble finding one, there are doctors you can mail your records to that will write you an IMO based off of your records, if you have a difficult time locating one in your area.

Thank you, L, I was surprised it happened so quickly after I submitted the letter from Voc Rehab that found me to be permanently unemployable. I filed the nod back in Nov 2015, and submitted the letter sometime in early December. But I did have tons of treatment records from the VA hospitals in my area, I go to three different locations for treatment.

R3dneck, thanks for the info, mine was a DRO decision this time, so not at the BVA, but I appreciate the help. It's still a good number to have. Buck, thank you for the encouragement, I'm going to wait until next week and give them a call back. At least the rating decision has been made, I just wish I knew if it was p&t so I could let my daughter in college know something, but it shouldn't be too much longer. I'll keep everyone updated

Was the exam done at a VAMC, or by a contractor like QTC? It's difficult to tell without seeing the exam notes, but if the exam was done at a va facility you should be able to pull the exam records up on myhealthevet blue button after three days. Good luck to you

Called my RO today and none of the numbers I tried answered, but I also spoke to Peggy and the gentleman I talked to said it looks like the holdup is attorneys fees. He said its probable my DRO didn't realize I had an attorney, and if that's the case, that's great news. I was considering attempting to drive to my RO, but with my lupus condition currently flared up there's no way I can handle the four hour round trip, so I'll continue to wait and keep everyone updated.

Absolutely, and I'm certain being in tight shared quarters aboard a ship didn't help any, you are entitled to a rating for your condition. I hope you get the rating that you deserve, if you ever need any assistance everyone on this forum will do our best to help. There are also ways to get the c&p exam thrown out, but the quickest way to overcome a negative exam where the examiner mark less likely is to obtain a positive exam to overcome it. If the VA orders another exam after you provide the positive DBQ, they are developing to deny and that is absolutely not allowed. Best of luck to you!

Seminoles, I understand your frustration, I meant to provide your urologist with copies of the evidence so he can honestly state that he reviewed your service treatment records. I have incontinence as well, but I suspect mine is due to my five children rather than lupus. I also never exhibited symptoms until about ten years after service for the incontinence, so I'm not putting in a claim for it. You DID experience incontinence during AD, and regardless if it's from childbirth or not, you had your child while on AD and are entitled to service connection. Do you have frequent UTIs as well, I was Army myself but if you were frequently on a ship I can imagine that aggravating your condition. Best of luck to you, I would get that done asap, before they make the decision.

She sounds like a typical hard nosed examiner, I highly recommend printing out that DBQ and getting your urologist or pcp to complete it if they're willing. Make sure you provide copies of your evidence, especially the annual where you complained about the symptoms.

Since the doc said less likely than not service connected, I would print out another DBQ and see if your urologist will complete it for you. It's possible that the rater will take into consideration your positive evidence, but...if your urologist is willing to complete the DBQ and marks more likely than not service connected, it would/should cancel out the negative opinion. Nine times out of ten the rater is going to go with the c&p examiners opinion. It's good that the examiner did indicate you exhibited symptoms in service, and was truthful on it impacting your ability to work. If you can have another doctor complete a positive DBQ for you, make sure to ask them to indicate in comments section at the end of the form that they DID review your service treatment records, it would significantly increase your chances of being approved. Best of luck to you

Seminoles, I would go online, google VA Disability Benefits Questionnaire, when you find the site (on VA.gov) where the different DBQ'S are listed, find the one for bladder incontinence, check the rating schedule for incontinence if you don't see one listed as it may be rated under something else with the bladder. Once you find it and print it out, ask your doctor, preferably a urologist, to complete it for you. Provide evidence to prove you had it during ad to the doc. If you can't find a doctor to complete it for you, an Independent Medical Opinion would be the best option. Good luck to you

R3dneck, you took the words right out of my mouth, lol. I will be calling the RO tomorrow, it'll have been 23 days since the decision tomorrow and time to find out where the hiccup is.

Actually it's David Shulkin, not Shulkins, darn spellchecker

Email the new VA secretary, David Shulkins. Google David Shulkins email address and it will pop up. Nine years is absolutely ridiculous and I guarantee if you email the VA Secretary you WILL get a response from your RO. I would email him today, be as detailed as possible and be SURE to include your claim/ssn, phone number, which RO has your claim, and include your hardship situation. If you can't locate his email, let me know and I will provide it to you. Good luck!!

Congratulations killemall, I agree with Ms Berta, request tdiu and send in your approval for Ssdi, that will make a huge difference. You should have no problems being approved, especially since you are now receiving Ssdi for the same issues you are SC for through VA.

I have a question, has anyone had it take several weeks after a rating decision was made just to be authorized and closed out in the system? I spoke to Peggy today and the gentleman I spoke to said he couldn't understand why, when the rating decision was made on Jan 20th, twenty days later there is still no notification letter in the system and the decision is awaiting authorization. I wasnt certain if the rating decision is authorized and then the notification letter is prepared, or if the notification packet is prepared while it's awaiting authorization. I wouldn't be concerned if the appeals coach at my RO hadn't called me and informed me the decision was complete and that a letter was being sent out. I do know that my RO is participating in a town hall/benefits clinic in a town on the opposite side of the state, that's taking place today and tomorrow as well, and I thought possibly the preparations for that might have slowed down claims. Thanks in advance for any input.