stillhere

Berta, I just received the below response from a Iris about Nehmer. It seems as usual they are telling many of us different things?? I just don't get it? From Iris: We have received a response back from our Roanoke Regional Office, advising your claim for CAD is being handled as a Nehmer Case. You will be advised when the claim has been completed. We appreciate your continued patience as we process your claims. One other thing they are still messing with calling it a CAD claim? By the way I have still not received anything from the RO in writing!

I have had a form 9 in and waiting at my RO to be certified to the BVA since June of 09 and has not moved. After the RO decides to send it to the BVA I am told it will be 2-3 years before I will be able to testify. I asked for a live meeting and will be in Washington at the BVA whenever they want me. I am close by so it is no big deal to me. I have no first hand knowledge but have heard the video is the way to go to get it done faster and is just as potent in getting the vets case across. So I would say you will do fine. Have you discussed with your VSO the opportunity to get this advanced because of your serious health concerns? Good luck to you!

Sounds like a pretty through exam but who knows these days. Mine was about the same but way shorter less than an hour. If you already have the DX from the VA and you have provided the required stressor from Nam then it is just up to the rater to decide how it is effecting your live today and that is that. If you want, go to the rating criteria for mental health and get a feel for where you might fall. Good luck to you!

Maybe it is just me or should I say what I have gone through that makes me feel these new PTSD guidelines actually do not help the vets at all. In my case I was going through rehab at the VA and had a counselor who just kept saying well I don't see how we can help and kept asking me just how do you think we can help?? Well I lost it and was asked to leave and then about a month later I was called in for a mental visit with a shrink. We just sat there and I went over my life and Nam and my stressors to a point and then he looked at me and said "you have PTSD" well that gave me the label and I have done a lot of soul searching since. I filed about 6 months later had a C&P and just told the guy how I felt and left the meeting kind of drained but still really thought I would get 10-30% when it came back 50% I really had to do some reflection and talk to the wife. I did not think I was that bad but I guess we are the last to know. My point is getting the DX and rating for PTSD is not a cure and make you feel OK now I have an excuse for what I do. I try everyday some good days and some bad days but I feel I am doing better. Go to your C&P and be honest and get treated to help you handle this beast!!

I worked for a firm for 8 years last I worked and before then worked by myself as a subcontractor. Self medication kept me civil most of the time but with 9/11 and and the wars I just could not handle work or everyday stress. I was out on a limb and some still am. Therapy helps but I am not sure were I am leaning toward and my future has never really looked more cloudy now. Anyhow after loosing business and going off on people I was asked (forced to retire) of course this is after telling them I had been seeing a therapist for the past two years. They pretty much decided they did not need me around any more.

I personally have only talked about what I did in my service one time with my son for a class paper. He and a neighbor kid used me for their project. They way I look at it I only talk to those that served with me and then not much cause they know what happened. The ones that talk I can't hear what they are saying but that is another story. OH I guess I did tell my shrink a few things, does that count?

What happened? I will only be around tomorrow late and then gone for a week. Good luck on your appeal!

Yes the scars are rated during the process. In my last award there was a question asked by the rater point blank to the examiner about my scars length and such.

Your problem is two fold one sounds like you don't feel the VSO is doing the proper job and second you have a condition that does not help in completing projects. I know what you are going through to a point I have so many unfinished things I have started and not finished I sometimes get overwhelmed and just do nothing! (not good) Trying to handle your own claim is going to be hard but you can do it if you really work at it.You can come to sites like this one and a couple of others and pretty much get some good advice about what to do or you can try any of the many service organizations in your area and see how they can help. One other thing is to try one of the associations for bi polar I am pretty sure they have volunteers that come in and work with those that suffer with this disease. The big thing is like I said don't give up and reach out for help and you will find it!! Good luck on your claim!

There are many articles supporting the fact that War is bad for your ears. It is the most granted disability by the VA. The trouble with the record keeping and the sick bay reports are that they are usually not there even if you did go. When a vet musters out these days there is a battery of tests preformed and quite a few problems are found and noted. Back when the Vietnam vets were getting out either for early outs for school or at there date of fulfillment of their service that was not done. The raters have a tendency to require paper work to get anything and if your physical is not there then you have to show support some other way. In some cases NOT having a physical report can help you because the VA also will use the reports that are there to be iron clad and will deny all the way to the BVA. If you believe in your claim in your heart and mind stay with it and you eventually will win it will just be a long haul.

I am with you Berta, I think we all need to be very careful when we do get our awards and go over them good. As many like to say when the government is involved no one knows what to expect!

If you just had a C&P did they do a stress test for your heart? If they did there should be a reading there for your mets and for your LVE they will use the one that gives you the best rating. I question how you could do a walking stress test if you have trouble with balance? All I can offer you as far as the suffering and losed career is I am deeply sorry for you and I know that will not get you anywhere, but thought I would mention it. The other thing your mistake for not filing for IHD was just that a mistake, how were you or any of the many vets that did not file and all those that died! As you can see this particular issue really gets my dander up! I hope I can control myself on the 25th!

This seems to be rather new at the VA since the back log has grown they have told their staff not to look for more trouble than you can solve. Case in point my first claim I came here and had already filed (bad mistake) and after reading thought I was cooked! But the C&P I had was very good and the doc asked me questions while doing the exam. Quite honestly I think he was leading me to other issues I qualified for. I had filed for DM2 and heart pain (angina) When my award came he had put me in for PN and ED so instead of having just 10% I had 40% and only denied on my heart. I think with all the cost going around now they are not doing that. I mentioned Acid reflux and anemia last time I was in and had not filed for it. The VA sent me a letter awarding me 100%+ housebound and point blank asked me do you want to now file for acid reflux and anemia. I said OK because I had heard they can cause death so I wanted to cover the bases. Not sure if they will go back and look at my whole claim or not, but I am at the point that no matter what they do I am 100% so I don't care. Great day today and God those innocent folks and the brave folks on the PA plane! Our nation WILL stand tall and lest we forget THAT is why we are in Afghan, so that nothing like that again will happen in the USA! Off the soap box with teary eyes!!

Quick question? Anyone EVER heard of something the government does works? Kind of like SOME of their employess!

Well seems like there are many avenues to get to the same place. At my MC they actually schedule you for an Agent orange exam and then march you down to the compensation office and help you will out a claim form using the AO exam to base the claims on. I did not do this myself. I just put in a claim and then sent then what they asked for and away we go. Anyhow this guy has been laboring this for a long time and I tell him what to do and he doesn't and then calls or emails. I guess I will have to just send in a claim for him and when they send all the questions to his house he will be set.

While I few of you may know I planned to attend this hearing and was hoping to be either able to read a statement or at least ask I question. The answer below is from the chairmen's office. Dear Mr. XXXXX: Thank you for contacting the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The Committee is holding a hearing, rather than a meeting, on September 23, 2010, on VA's presumptive decision- making process. At Committee hearings, questions are limited to Members of the Committee. The hearing is open to the public, and you may watch it in person, space providing, or through the Committee's website at www.veterans.senate.gov. After the hearing, should you still have a question please feel free to submit it at the Committee's website. Sincerely, Jennifer McCarthy Director of Correspondence Committee on Veterans' Affairs Now I plan on answering this back but thought maybe someone else might want to add something too.

A vet who is a vet of Vietnam I am trying to help. If we send in his formal/informal for benefits associated to Agent orange exposure. Will the VA take that claim and send him for an Agent Orange registry exam and then files for all they file related to AO and also any secondary?? This vet has had Dm2 and heart by passes and PN and who knows what else. I know when I went for my Agent Orange exam they just put on the report what I should apply.

A C&P is more than just to see if you have a disease but to give advice to the rater on just how bad it is. If you have like me a heart condition, well they don't give me a 100% the highest rating (wish they did) no they sent me to a C&P and from that rated me at 60%. Now when I put in for increase and gave them my records they still had this 61 year old vet do a stress test (that almost killed me) and from that rated me at 100% because it had gotten worse. Hope you understand a little better now.

OK just talked to a young staffer for the committee and she said there will be times for questions and answers portion. Also because I where a hearing aid they want me there early so the can get me seated up close and they offer a hearing aid loop and hearing amplifiers. One of the things that might really get pushed at this meeting could well be the vets that had literally one boot on ground or only there for 1 day or even less than an hour. A time limit very well could come out of these meetings. I am sure Webb will make these a very big push to credit his actions. He has already said that he believes the exposure to AO should only be for combat and certain support groups that were in the heavier sprayed areas. I could be wrong but I do think there will be some changes in the areas of time spent in country and location. I will be out of town from the 16th - 21st so limited web involvement but please send any questions you may want to ask to me by PM on this board and I will see if I can get some answers and post them the next day. I hope and pray we vets come out of this OK!!

Thanks Berta, I have the feeling that once all the dust settles after the initial claims going through we vets will be back to the same old stuff of trying to explain our point to a concrete wall. What they VA will do is almost like in our state when they start a new scratcher lotto game there is always a top winner the first couple of weeks and then nothing because they have already hooked us in! We all know that each and every one of our RO's work differently and yet are all supposed to follow the same rules. Remember there is always the poor vet or even a DIC spouse who will get awarded wrong and supposedly have to pay it back. If the VA makes a mistake with any of these new rules new trainees I feel they should be made to stand. I don't want to read of some RO awarding a nehmer of 50,000 and the recipient is required to repay it when they did nothing wrong. Any now time is moving along and I am hoping that the question on the 23rd will be in line with what this means to thousands of vets and not how much it is going to cost!

The VA funding fee is waived if you are a disabled veteran. You do not have to be 100% I have not paid a VA funding fee when I was 30% and again when I was 60%. Just tell your loan writer or the settlement company that you are a disabled veteran and they will not charged the funding fee. If you have any questions about this go to www.va.gov and click on VA home loans.

Yeah same here I am actually going to my private cardio doc tomorrow I had my son over last night to watch the game and he noticed I was having some heavy breathing from walking from the couch to the kitchen. He is an RT at one of the local hospital ER's and said dad please go get it checked. Just hope this does not xxxx up my SSDI claim that is in now!

Test #1 One stroke up Test #2 One stroke down hahaha!

OK sorry. I have only been doing this since 2003 but I will share what I did and worked for me. On my first claim for DM2 and PN and ED and heart pain. I just wrote on the letter of support form (which I think is the form your talking about) that I had these dx's and problems and how they effected me and that I wanted to file a formal claim for compensation. Only took like maybe 6 months total and I was grated 40% with SMC K for my ED. That will get your ball rolling. Now if you want me to post my letter I guess I could without the personal stuff but you really want it I feel to sound like it is from the actual vet. I could be wrong if so someone will come along and offer another way I am sure.

One thing I think you need to know. In regards to your medical records coming from evets if they do great! Make a copy and keep that copy for yourself then use the other copy to deal with sending anything needed for claims in when you have to. I word of caution though when I first send away for my records back in 02 they told me they could not find them and then A while later told me since I had filed a claim in 1983 that they were at my RO. Then I had to contact the RO to get a copy and took another 2-3 months. Yours might go smooth but thought you should know what can happen. One other thing depending on what gets where the fastest. If you put in any kind of claim all your records will be requested by the RO so you might run into the fact they the RO gets them before you but hang in it will get sorted out just takes a while. Good luck on your claim! By the way are you using a VSO for hrlp with your claim??