[Am I actually service-connected for this or is this a CUE?]

1 hour ago, pacmanx1 said:

 

It simply means that at one time in the past that you filed a claim for SINUSITIS, and it was denied.  "NOT SERVICE CONNECTED, NOT INCURRED/CAUSED BY SERVICE STATIC DISABILITY".  If you want to have this condition/disability be service connected, you are going to have to file a new claim or re-open a claim for SINUSITIS.  

In order to have a CUE claim you will have to have proof by medical evidence that you were treated for sinusitis and that it became chronic and treatment records to support your claim.

Thanks @pacmanx1

[Am I actually service-connected for this or is this a CUE?]

I've got a question concerning my ratings code sheet. The info enclosed below is depicted on all three of my Ratings Code Sheet (Original - 2013; IU - 2019 & PTSD RFE 2020). Does this mean that I'm service-connected for Sinusitis at 0% or is this just a VARO mistake (maybe a CUE)? Is there any additional action that I should or could take? Thanks in advance.

[Duplicate PTSD C&P Exams in November 2020]

On 11/15/2020 at 2:43 PM, IGottaKnow said:

I warn y'all that there's a lotta dates on this one but by the end hopefully y'all understand once I'm done. I have duplicate PTSD C&P Exams scheduled for 11/10/2020 (which I just had) and 11/16/2020. The C&P Exam on 11/10 indicated it was an "Initial PTSD" as that's what the paperwork indicated when I got it from LHI. The upcoming C&P Exam on 11/16/2020 is being done by the VA via VideoConnect. I initially contacted LHI and asked them if they would clarify/verify the PTSD Exam (whether Initial or Review). I literally found out on the day of the 11/10 PTSD would be a "Review Exam" while at the C&P Exam shortly after I sat down with the Examiner.

The day after I was scheduled for the LHI PTSD C&P Exam I get a call from the VA indicating that they were calling to schedule my routine future exam. I was like you're joking right. I told the VA Rep that I have an "Initial PTSD C&P" Exam with LHI scheduled for 11/10/2020. The VA Rep says that she can't see this in her system and that I would have to attend this routine future exam. It gets scheduled on 11/16/2020. As a CYA effort -- I then do an IRIS Request and I also call the White House Veterans Hotline to have a documentation trail should the VA come back later and tries to delete the above referenced info. I called the (800) 827-1000 number requesting to speak to the Waco VARO to get some clarity on the above, but to no avail. 

Here are a few other thing to note:

• I have held the 70% PTSD rating since 07/23/2010. The rating codesheet for this at that time was listed as “Static”.
• I got 100% IU in April 2019. When I got my updated ratings codesheet my PTSD was no longer considered “Static. It depicted a future exam date October 2020.

Is this typical for the VA to do stuff like this. Is there anything else that I could have do and/or should do? Thanks in advance

Hey y'all. I got an update on this...

At 8:06AM I received a phone call from my local area VAMC Compensation & Pension office informing me that the C&P Examiner was CANCELLING my 11/16/2020 Review PTSD C&P Exam appointment (via VideoConnect) today due to the fact of me having a recent Review PTSD C&P Exam on 11/10/2020 done by LHI. I told him that I wanted something in writing from the VA regarding this cancellation and it MUST include "why" this C&P Exam was cancelled. I stayed on the line with him until I got an email stipulating this.

I can't help but feel that someone at the VA was being sloppy and not paying attention. It's almost like something happened in the development phase if that makes sense. 

[Duplicate PTSD C&P Exams in November 2020]

2 minutes ago, pacmanx1 said:

Make sure you go to the exam.  When you get there make sure you ask the doctor why you are there and what is the exam for. If the doctor states that your exam is for PTSD, explain nicely that have been TDIU since xx/xx/xxxx and you just had a recent mental health exam. In one of my exams, I had a C & P exam and the VA turned around and sent me to another, I took a copy of my favorable C & P exam and showed it to the new examiner and she stated that she did not know why VA sent me to the new exam since I already had a favorable medical opinion.  She wrote a statement on the C & P exam and told VA to refer to the earlier exam.

In some cases, there is nothing new under the sun, but VA keeps making up stuff that would shock anyone.

 

 

 

"10-4" PacmanX1 -- Will do! Thanks!

[Duplicate PTSD C&P Exams in November 2020]

20 minutes ago, broncovet said:

Nothing surprises me with VA anymore.  You show that your are "IU".  Are you SC for PTSD?  Is that your reason for being IU?

Mostly, tho, I dont worry too much about VA's process.   Im gonna let them worry about their process, and I will focus on what I do, since you cant change much, anyway. 

I would suggest you get copies of the 2 exams, ASAP.  It may be a good idea to find out who the examiner is, are they MD, PHD, NP, etc. etc, "just in case" you need to challenge the exam.  

If you are tdiu, it may not affect you/your compensation at all (of course that begs the question why are they doing that then).  

@Broncovet

I appreciate your empowering words and I will do just as you suggested. My IU is based on both my 70% PTSD and 10% Hiatel Hernia (VA also interchanges this with GERD). Although I felt like I got the "bait and switch" during the 11/10/2020 PTSD C&P Exam, I mustered through it. I intend on doing the 11/16/2020 PTSD C&P Exam (Review) via VideoConnect. The VA won't be able to hold it against me for not showing up to either PTSD Exam. My main concern was that the VA would try to make me look like a liar by backtracking covering their own butts.

[Duplicate PTSD C&P Exams in November 2020]

I warn y'all that there's a lotta dates on this one but by the end hopefully y'all understand once I'm done. I have duplicate PTSD C&P Exams scheduled for 11/10/2020 (which I just had) and 11/16/2020. The C&P Exam on 11/10 indicated it was an "Initial PTSD" as that's what the paperwork indicated when I got it from LHI. The upcoming C&P Exam on 11/16/2020 is being done by the VA via VideoConnect. I initially contacted LHI and asked them if they would clarify/verify the PTSD Exam (whether Initial or Review). I literally found out on the day of the 11/10 PTSD would be a "Review Exam" while at the C&P Exam shortly after I sat down with the Examiner.

The day after I was scheduled for the LHI PTSD C&P Exam I get a call from the VA indicating that they were calling to schedule my routine future exam. I was like you're joking right. I told the VA Rep that I have an "Initial PTSD C&P" Exam with LHI scheduled for 11/10/2020. The VA Rep says that she can't see this in her system and that I would have to attend this routine future exam. It gets scheduled on 11/16/2020. As a CYA effort -- I then do an IRIS Request and I also call the White House Veterans Hotline to have a documentation trail should the VA come back later and tries to delete the above referenced info. I called the (800) 827-1000 number requesting to speak to the Waco VARO to get some clarity on the above, but to no avail. 

Here are a few other thing to note:

• I have held the 70% PTSD rating since 07/23/2010. The rating codesheet for this at that time was listed as “Static”.
• I got 100% IU in April 2019. When I got my updated ratings codesheet my PTSD was no longer considered “Static. It depicted a future exam date October 2020.

Is this typical for the VA to do stuff like this. Is there anything else that I could have do and/or should do? Thanks in advance

[Need some clarification on my IU Award]

Thank you all for your help and recommendations. Trust and believe that I'm going to follow up on all of these. I'll keep you posted!

[Need some clarification on my IU Award]

I was recently granted IU back in September 2019.  I was trying to see if I was also P&T because of my award letter referenced CHAMPVA & Chapter 35 -- but it did not say that I was granted it (see info enclosed below). My award letter also did not mention a future C&P exam either. On eBenefits there is no Commissary Letter or Chapter 35 Letter under Letter Generator. I recently went to a local military base to get my Tan ID card in which the Expiration Date shows "INDEF" and the STATUS/Grade box reflects "DAVPRM". 

I would like to get y'alls thoughts about this. Thanks!

 

Your Benefit Information:

·         Entitlement to individual is granted effective April 22, 2019.

·         Evaluation of posttraumatic stress disorder, which is currently 70 percent disabling, is continued.

See Rating Decision to find out why we made this decision. 

You and your dependents may be eligible for benefits under CHAMPVA. CHAMPVA is a health benefits program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shares the cost of certain healthcare and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. To be eligible for the CHAMPVA program a dependent must be the spouse or child of a Veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability. You should call 1-800-733-8387 if additional information is needed, or visit http://www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/champva/champva.asp.

Your dependents may be eligible for Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35). For more information on this program, please visit the following web site: https://www.vets.gov/education/gi-bill/survivors-dependent-assistance/ or call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).