Hardtyme

I thank you for your honest opinion.

Supposing a veteran (me) has a total of cumulative disability of 92% disability most of which are related to strains/arthritis. with failed shoulder replacement plus a knee replacement, renal failure & hypertension. Will the VA be somewhat lenient and feel that with all the associated aches and pain that they'll inch up the disability to 95-100%?

I have a similar problem, I fell down a second story stairs and hyperextended my fingers, chipped fracture to left ring finger which was the only residual pain so I consulted with a Doctor (in the hall) and he ordered an X-Ray of that finger to which I am service connected. The X-Ray is the only evidence I have that I fell and now that I am up in years of course arthritis has entered ito the picture. I have pain in both hands which worsens during cold weather. Recent X-Rays at the VA Hospital reflect trauma to fingers. I had a friend who witnessed the event and he wrote me a Buddy Letter and he subsequently passed away. That and the X-Ray is the only military documentation I have other than a note on my separation physical. The thing that I failed to do is to have a military physician create a note in my medical records-that is paramount! Now I have to run around and find an MD who will substantiate that the injuries to my fingers was most likely when I fell down the stairs.

I have had hypertension since 1983, SC'd since 1985. That's over thirty years-I was placed on a CPAP machine in 2006 after being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and after about 6 years of CPAP usage the blood pressure returned to normal although other damage was done-heart, renal CAD etc. All SC'd. But now when I'm called in for an exam and the BP is normal can they reduce it to zero? At present I am 10%.

I have bilateral hearing loss and bilateral Tinnitus, should that be listed as individual disabilities or bilateral? Bilateral would give more percentage of disability. Mine is 0% hearing both ears and 10% Tinnitus-both ears.

I took a look at Ebenefits this evening and found that my case was closed and that I was awarded 30% for Renal Insufficiency S/C based on the lab reports I sent the RO and Doctors notes. They did accept both and as aforementioned, the case is now closed. Packet/envelope to follow.

May I ask what a Development Letter is please? Never mind, I researched it myself.

Checking the Ebenefits site, I find this: Preparation for notification Attention: Development Letter SentDevelopment Letter Sent So it's apparently int he mail and should have some word this coming week.

Dr Nolan when asked who will do the surgery said, "I will do the surgery." Post surgery I had some problems with "clunking" of the shoulder joint on movement and pain and I went back in on my own to see what was wrong and a PA saw me and took me to Dr Nolan whereupon she said it was normal. Went back to the PA's office and she said. "It's not normal but don't tell her I said that." Time passes a few more months and I see a new Dr in charge of Ortho because Nolan is gone into private practice. The new Dr said that there was problem but to take it easy. I went into myhealthvet and find that Nolan did not do the surgery, she was the attending and a rookie resident did the surgery. Months passed and I went in for my annual f/u with my provider and I complained of pain on movement, trouble sleeping on the left side so she sent me to an outside Orthopod who said the surgery failed and he wanted to do a reverse shoulder replacement and I declined. Sooner or later I am going to file a claim on the shoulder-probably sooner because I have had increasing pain and recently I was rear ended in an auto accident and the shoulder is more painful than before. I figured I'd answer my own question in the hopes that it will help others who have had a failed total shoulder arthroplasty

I attended the QTC exam, nice MD, polite and professional. He agreed that the HTN is responsible for the CKD. We'll see what happens.

I received a phone call from QTC this morning setting me up for an exam for the CKD/HTN. I thought that since the VA did lab work on the CKD that that would suffice as well as my Nephrologist but off to the QTC I go. I'm not sure what they'll do except take some blood work, maybe a few questions from the examiner.. An ideas as to how I may prepare?

Thanks for your reply broncovet, you are correct, I will need a Nexus and that is what I am going to ask my Nephrologist for when I see him in October of this year. I appreciate your answer! Good advise.

I sent in all the treatment notes for my PMD and Nephrologist who state CKD secondary to hypertension with a cover letter stating that I am claiming CKD as secondary to HTN. Ebenefits however has changed the date of decision from Aug-Dec 2018 to Jan-Apr 2019. It really doesn't matter if there is a delay because I'm 100% IU. They aren't asking for any more information from me or other agencies/individuals but if they should I feel that I can obtain a letter from my Nephrologist. I'll keep you posted as time wears on...

I filed and sent all the notes from the Nephrologist that said it was HTN related or CHD related (I am 10% heart, 10% HTN). They do not want any more info from me but they did ask for the VA notes which again states Stage 3 Renal Insufficiency. The Ebenefits site says they'll make a decision between 8 Aug-18 Oct. It will be interesting to find out what they say. I'll post the results here.

Even IF one can obtain space A for 100% TDIU or other veterans groups, good luck because even for retired military personnel there are very few flights since the Obama years. Maybe they'll pick up but so far due to his cuts the military has very few flights to anywhere.

I was diagnosed with hypertension before I separated form the military and over the years I've developed chronic kidney disease (CKD) with eGFR of 54 sometimes int he 40's. And, I am wanting to get this CKD or renal insufficiency service-connected. I'm 10% on the hypertension already but don't know what the final outcome will be whether they'll combine the disabilities or rate each separate. So, I am wondering if I need a nexus letter from a physician or will the VA accept the doctor's notes from a nephrologist that says Diagnosis "Hypertensive chronic kidney disease with stage 2 through stage 4 chronic kidney disease, or unspecified chronic kidney disease. All the VA doctor's notes have the lab eGFR's at or near what the Nephrologist's office obtained. So do I need a Nexus letter? i guess it would help but sometimes doctors just don't want to prepare a letter.

Folks, I'm 74 years old and not Housebound nor on A&A and I am 100& IU at 70%SC. Here is a listing of the SC disabilities: Bilat: Lt Shoulder 20%, Rt Shoulder 10%, Rt Knee 10%, Lt Knee 10%.. Other disabilities SC are: Impotence 20%, Hypertension 10%, Degen arthritis spine 10%, Tinnitus 10%. CAD 10% Rt Ankle 10% All of which I am awarded 70% SC items I can claim are Renal Insufficiency Secondary to hypertension 60%, Lt Ankle 10% (new) And even with the new ones I can claim it's 90%-maybe 92% unless the degenerative arthritis of the spine and the right ankle has worsened. I probably won't try to obtain "new" SC but have notified RO that I intend to file on the Secondary Renal Insufficiency. I hope this clears things up somewhat. Thanks.

Thank you Buck! A former moderator I believe of this board led me to believe otherwise.

i too am thinking about using the Ellis Clinic $500 for 4 claims and $100 for each claim thereafter. If he has to take an X-Ray is the cost of that in addition to the $100 per claim?

I have received conflicting reports regarding 100% IU (70% SC) and then some years later a 60% SC is awarded. What does that make the person at 70% on IU? Is he awarded more money or reach a higher award of some kind? 70+60 doesn't equal 130% but is the IU considered 100% and then the 60% added to the 100% IU??? This is perplexing to me and probably a lot of other veterans.

Broncovet, I'm going to ebenefits and file now. I have a;; the lab results and the VA has all the other data nad I'll use a VSO Representative on OKC. Thank you for listening and for the answers!

I’m already 100% IU so the one month wait is negligible -right? I can’t receive anymore than 100%.

Thanks Brocovet for being upfront! I do need to get Sc'd on the renal but I'm waiting for a repeat lab test in May and then I'll take the sC step along with about 6 other defects to be sc'd. Dunno why they want another repeat lab test because it's an ongoing problem over many years. I just wanted an idea on the percentages.

I have a quick question, I've had hypertension for over 30 years and now my GFR is 46 which is Stage 3. I am not SC'd on the renal failure but am going to have to file in case something happens. The way I read the Stage 3 is as far as SC is concerned equals 60% unless Creatinine, BUN, Albumin or protein are spilling-if they are, it's 80%. Am I correct?

Never mind the reply, I searched the internet and found that once a disability has been on the books for twenty years it is permanent even though it may have resolved as in my case the hypertension.