bellrungboxer

As unbelievable as it seems, I filed a supplemental appeal and resubmitted the same evidence with a Claim Information form (im blanking of the form #) on April 16th , and they granted 50% on April 30th!

I just got my letter for my 50% rating for the central sleep apnea secondary to my TBI in record time 2 week turnaround!

Just wanted to put this post out there because it genuinely took me as a shock. Luckily, it shouldn't have a huge effect on me, but it really might for some. So as most know, each state has different benefits given to vets with disabilities and most notably is that many states give property exemption for 100% P&T or TDIU vets. See link here for info: https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/state-veterans-benefits-directory.html This is all fine and good, but I just applied for my exemption in my state only to learn that I would see no benefit from it until September 2021. The reason behind this is that our state is bass ackwards and pays property taxes in "arrears". So September 2020 and March 2021, I will actually be paying my 2019 property taxes, since my application will for some reason only begin for the 2020 property taxes that are to be paid September 2021 and March 2022. Maybe this all makes sense to you all, and I hate to bite the hand that feeds, but I will be contacting as many state government officials that I can to try to get this changed so that it is effective upon application. I can afford to pay until September 2021, but what about someone who had to go on TDIU suddenly or for a widow of a vet that passed from a service connected injury? So moral of the story is, check on all of your bennies because some of them may still be just out of reach.

Hold up, I thought that DBQs via virtual C&P exam were what caused the removal of public facing DBQs I won't scratch my head TOO hard.

I'll give the White House VA Hotline a call today to see if they can email me a response.

MAJOR FYI: I just got off the phone with my county VA rep and we talked about the DBQ removal. They said that in a phone call today, the VBA had listened to the multiple complaints and the sudden removal without any guidance on current DBQ holders. So here's what they have been advised: DBQs will be accepted and effective up until June 1st I asked if we were still able to have new ones filled out, and they said that the VBA did not say they would be disqualified prior to June 1st. However, they advised to have them filled ASAP so that it was near to the sudden removal. They also said that many local VA reps may have some of the DBQs saved. TLDR: GET DBQs FILLED OUT AND FILED BEFORE JUNE 1ST!!

I took a deeper look into @JustGettingStarted 's post about the removal of the public use DBQ's and found the OIG's Investigation Report

So I found the VA OIG Inspector's report on DBQs from 18-Feb-2020....the public facing DBQ's are indeed useless: Source: https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-07119-80.pdf @pete992 thanks for challenging me to dig deeper...I advise everyone here to read at least the report summary

Are we sure about that though? I mean, it can't hurt to have a doctor fill things out in the same method that they review the private contracted doctors exams, right? Maybe you wouldn't be able to submit it as an official DBQ, but as non-government patient treatment records. Just because it isn't an official form, doesn't mean it is disqualifying information, but then again nothing really surprises me anymore.

Yes that was absolutely my case. Mask leaks are also a culprit of this. My centrals skyrocketed on the AutoPAP at it's lowest setting. I felt like it was choking me and made me feel like I was hyperventilating because of the force I had to use to exhale against the pressure. Luckily, this sleep doc at the VA is perceptive and she moved me to the BiPAP ASV. It is apparently a much more expensive machine, so they don't suggest it often, but it has been a dream ever since. I can ramp down from 5.0 to 4.0 and the ASV automatically lowers the pressure when you go to exhale. Between that and the new mask they gave me (F&P Vitera full face) the experience is much more tolerable. So after getting my denial letter yesterday, I read through the evidence list (thanks hadit members!) and noticed that my Sleep Doc DBQ with her treatment notes with a positive nexus were not included, so I'll go with another supplemental and cross my fingers hard! Let us know how your situation continues as well!

This is what my TBI neuro doc sent me: https://www.dovepress.com/traumatic-brain-injury-induced-sleep-disorders-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT I added it to my previous supplemental, but it appears that they made a decision prior to receiving my DBQ and positive nexus, so I should be good to go on this next supplemental.

My past few supplemental claims have had the following: October 2019 to Jan 2020 December 2019 to March 2020 Jan 2020 to possibly the end of this month, it appears that there is movement via vets.gov With the Coronavirus stuff, I don't think it would affect Supplementals or HLRs, but I could see it clogging up BVA for a bit. I will say that my recent supplemental had a similar issue as yours...it went SO quick that some of my evidence from the end of February wasn't included in my rating. Because this is crucial evidence (DBQ and "more than likely"), it's time for Supplemental #2.

Here's the full text that was passed by the Senate, it's searchable, but the rebate portion starts at page 144. https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20059055/final-final-cares-act.pdf

You got your supplemental completed in record time and it wouldn't be a surprise that they did not do any research on it. If you have the evidence to show the effective date you have and they are moving at record pace on supplementals, what is the cost of going that route first? I will admit though, I'm a novice at this and have only done supplementals because I have wanted to add to my claims to weigh in my favor prior to going the other routes.

I have been fortunate to have only been climbing that last 10% for three years. I have pushed VA doctors to correct patient treatment notes in myhealthevet, been sure to explain my symptoms to them in rater's terms, and I've been relentless at using every test or procedure available through the VA to document the ailments and I still have three more claims to continue to fight on. I would encourage you to make a move up the mountain, especially if you are having conditions worsen as time goes on. The claims and appeals process has sped up, but just because the shade of lipstick became more appealing doesn't change the fact that it's an ugly pig wearing it. Getting denials sooner than before doesn't make you happy, but if we attack them with their own playbook, you increase your odds of catching them with their pants down. The claim that put me to 100% was a 30% migraines claim that I put in for an increase to 50%. Instead, they dropped me to 0%. But by doing some reading on here, scouring through my health records, and putting my VA doc on the spot with a DBQ in hand, I gave a reversal a shot in January and it just now paid off. @rootbeer22, I hope you give it another go and let us come along for the ride