Holllie Greene

...just my two cents: a telephone call does seem odd like Seminoles pointed out.
With all the scams these days you never know.  I received a robo-call from the IRS saying they were on their way over to arrest me,  of course it is BS.  The IRS does business by mail.
 

If you didn't get an envelope how did you find out what they are proposing to reduce?  This seems very odd.  St. Pete is so screwed up but I at least get the envelopes.  I have never heard of this being done over a phone call. 
 

NO PRE SERVICE PROBLEMS... THEN ENLISTMENT EXAM PASSES WITHOUT A PROBLEM..... THEN IN SERVICE PROBLEM..... THAT IN ITSELF CREATES A NEXUS.... DONT BE FOOLED THAT IT DOESNT.... BY DEFINITION IF YOU HAD ALL EXAMS PRIOR TO SERVICE THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THAT IN IT SELF IS A NEXUS BETWEEN .... DONT GIVE UP AND FIGHT IT..... IF NO ONE CAN SAY ITS BEFORE THAN YOU HAVE WIN AT BVA AND CVAC. DONT LISTEN TO VSO JUST GO ALL THE WAY TO COURT. THE CVAC HAS STATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO PROVE THAT NO PROBLEM WAS AGGRAVATED DURING SERVICE. NOT THAT IT WAS CREATED B4 OR AFTER BUT THAT THE GOV HAS TO PROVE NO INCREASE DURING.. THAT IN ITSELF IS THE NEXUS WHEN THEY BOTH AGREE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS AND IT WAS EXISTING IN SERVICE.
 

Hy Everyone,
I got a call this past Monday letting  me know that my disability rate is been reduced. Im currently at 90%. 
70% PTSD
20% TMj
30% Migranes
20% Degenerative Disk disorder.
I was told that my anxiety is reduced to 50%, Im wondering that is my PTSD. Migraines rate is been reduced from 30% to 0. Since Monday I have been trying to contact my VSO with no luck, left lots of voicemails and nothing back yet. Im from Florida and all I know is my VSO number is 017. I got a package today with Disability Benefits Questionnaires to be filled out by Doctors. Before this happened I had appointments with my psychiatrist and Neurology but one is on September and the other one in November. The letter said to send documents back as soon as possible but I dont how much time I have before they dropped my compensation. I have been trying to contact my VSO with no luck yet. Every time I call goes straight to voicemail and always leave a message no answers yet. Can anyone is been in this situation before? I have no Idea what to do. Help please.
Ernest E. Marquez.

You can appeal the reduction and they can't reduce while its pending. Just fill out the papers they sent, and get copies of your most recent doctors notes from release of information and send it. While the appeal is pending you can continue to send in notes from your later appointments. 
If you are on MyHEalthVet you can even download them under 'Blue Button'. 
 
 

The VA once proposed to reduce my benefits for PTSD and Migraines.  I had an appeal in the works at that time so nothing happened.  You need to appeal this decision.  As brokensoilder said they cannot reduce while an appeal is pending.  As Buck said you need to request a DRO hearing and if you can afford it get an IMO.  Also get the DBQ's filled out by any civilian doctors treating you.  Most doctors do not like to do them but if you tell them the reason why they might reconsider if they refuse you the first time.  If you are receiving treatment at civilian doctors and not the VA they may try to say you have not received treatment for your disability.  You can refute this with medical records.  
Do not worry about you being reduced once you get your appeal in.  Fight they bums.  They are anticipating you will roll over and take the reduction.
Also, how old are your ratings?  If they have been in force for five years or more you have some protection.  They need to prove that your conditions have gotten better.

And then there's that intractable problem with the AWOL VSO rep... Mighty convenient. 

IT IS A TOTAL LIE. Do not believe anything the VA puts out concerning new anything because it is all designed to benefit the government, NOT THE VETERAN. 
AS IT STATES, you give up all rights to retropay, past effective date, and I don’t remember what all, but I do remember thinking you would be insane if the claim had been in the process for any length of time. If you had filed a claim say one year ago, and are willing to give that up, then go for it. If you had a NEHMER claim filed that could go back 50 years and are willing to give up that date, then go for it. 
You are giving up all retro everything for an immediate resolution today, and if you don’t care about your dependents losing their due benefits and compensation, or a claim that’s been there for several years, you can do it, but you can’t reopen that claim. You probably give up any secondary connection, or any right to future presumptive conditions as well. 
I don’t know these things, but that is the way I take it from what I remember. Everytime the VA changes something, the veteran gets screwed, and if nothing else, I have learned this. They have lied, cheated, manipulated, hidden evidence, hidden brain damage, tropical diseases, and dozens and dozens of secondary conditions all acquired in LD, to deprive me of benefits for FORTY SEVEN YEARS so far. I can show you most of the evidence they documented themselves, proving 100% what I claim, but they still deny SC.
Evidence doesn’t matter if they are not in the mood to accept it, so before you sign your life away, think if the benefit is to award you due benefits, or are you losing benefits! Only you know what is important to your family. After FORTY SEVEN YEARS OF DECEPTION, I am doubtful of anything being done intentionally by the VA to benefit the veteran, just the opposite. 

Hi,
I read your post three times (paulcolrain) and it makes sense, it is logical to me.  You make an excellent point about how illness/injuries did not exist before service...if illness/injuries did in fact exist we would not have been accepted into our respective branches of service in the first place.
Now after service we have to battle again with an agency that is supposed to help.  Crazy situation.
Never Give Up.  Never Give Up.  Never Give Up.

Hi,
Call again.

File a VAF 3288 for your claims file. You will find them immediately after each rating decision in the .pdf. We call it a confirmed rating decision but the label at the top calls it a rating decision. It shows the date, the POA and the exact diagnostic code from the VASRD.

Happy Fourth of July 2018 everyone!

Hi Kelly,
Many thanks for your advice, I appreciate it!

Thank you Buck, its great advice that I will follow.  This entire situation has been a fiasco from the start.  My take-away is (and this is just my opinion) if your service-connected disabilities get worse a Veteran should think about the consequences if things go south.  I mean really devote some deep thinking.  This NOD has me in all sorts of places trying to right a wrong.  It is difficult to keep a positive attitude but then I think of the Veterans who are in much worse situations than myself and also Berta's statement of how she does not give in to negativity sets me thinking of what is right instead of what is wrong.

I am confused.  A few days ago I spoke to a person at a VARO who said if I die from something other than service-connected my husband gets zero, zilch, squat.  Hmmmmmm, it seems the rules change willy-nilly...I have been rated 100% P & T for over 10 years, MS is static, and I am 56 years of age.
Can a fellow Veteran shed a light on this?
Thank you.

Hi Kelly,
Many thanks for your advice, I appreciate it!

I am running behind on a bunch of things and this is the first opportunity I have had to wish Ms. Tbird best wishes on her upcoming move.  Buck is right...take it easy and don't push it.
Stay safe and careful.
H          

Berta,
I admire your strength and perseverance.  I am so sorry for the loss of your husband at the hands of the VA.
You are strong and an example for all of us.
H

Hi Tbird, Asknod, and Oceanbound,
I hit the trifecta tonight with you all.  Thank you for the information.
I consider this excellent information an early 25th Anniversary gift.  25 years next week.
...the rep from the VARO confirmed I have had the chapter 35 DEA benefits for over 10 years.
Again, thank you for your time and effort, I appreciate it very much. 
H

Hi Tbird, Asknod, and Oceanbound,
I hit the trifecta tonight with you all.  Thank you for the information.
I consider this excellent information an early 25th Anniversary gift.  25 years next week.
...the rep from the VARO confirmed I have had the chapter 35 DEA benefits for over 10 years.
Again, thank you for your time and effort, I appreciate it very much. 
H

Hi Tbird, Asknod, and Oceanbound,
I hit the trifecta tonight with you all.  Thank you for the information.
I consider this excellent information an early 25th Anniversary gift.  25 years next week.
...the rep from the VARO confirmed I have had the chapter 35 DEA benefits for over 10 years.
Again, thank you for your time and effort, I appreciate it very much. 
H

Hi Vync,
this morning I was searching through my paperwork from the VA and I found a statement with words to the effect I am housebound, which is true.  I apologize for the long wait for the answer to your question.  
H

Hi Pwrslm,
...makes me wonder how the rating people get their jobs in the first place.  Thank you for your response.
H

Hi,
Thank you all for your advice, insight, encouragement, and understanding.  I very much appreciate it.  Vync, the county VSO said I had SMC S but I can't find it anywhere.  Carlie Cash was so correct in her statement to you.  Broncovet, I am 100% P & T since 2003 with a static disability (f*&^$%ing MS only gets worse---remember Anneta Funicello?  She was splashed all over National Enquier in her final days---I am not in that condition as she had primary progressive MS and I have gone from relapsing remitting to secondary progressive MS plus the docs say every MS case is different.
As tired and frustrated as I am by the current situation it may be time to look for a lawyer.
Again, I appreciate you all's support my fellow Veterans.
Enjoy the rest of the day.
H             

Congratulations!!!