pacmanx1

You can go to the VAMC hospital in a week or so and get a copy of your C & P exam.

Have you had a bone scan of your condition? My spine was hurting for years even though I proved to VA that I fell on my spine while in the military but they still denied my claim. After having a bone scan and several X-Rays, VA granted my claim for service connected spine injury.

How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty Following the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Statistical Policy Directive 14, the Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty. The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated for inflation using Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps). Found; http://www.census.go...ds/measure.html

Unfortunately, I am still waiting on my DRO decision.

Make sure that your VSO and the VARO gets this evidence. Yes, your VOC Rehab Counselor and your VSO should make sure this evidence gets connected to your claim as soon as possible but they may not and you want all the evidence in-front of the DRO when he or she reviews your file. Hope the best

Found on; http://www.veteranst...2%80%99s-story/ Not sure if this has been posted For TCE only, the Air Force identified 1,400 military sites contaminated with this toxic chemical. Half of the sites were Air Force. Exposure to TCE and other organic solvents has been linked to a number of serious medical conditions by the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Federal agency responsible for performing public health assessments of military Superfund sites.

The clothing allowance is processed through the prosthetics department ant the VAMC Hospital. I believe the correct form is 21-8678. If I am wrong others will chime in. http://www.vba.va.go...rms/21-8678.pdf

I would strongly suggest that you try to get a PCP (primary care provider) at your local VA hospital. Yes, I know it is 80 miles away but I think that is normal for most veterans. I think I live about the same distance and it takes me three days to recover from one VA hospital trip. I hate going but that was the only way to get treated and get the documentation I needed to win my claims. I have canceled a lot of appointments because I could not make it there and back. A lot of times dealing with injuries to the back is very hard to diagnose and treat. It took the VA about ten years before they service connected my back injury but I have been treated for it by the VA hospital for more than ten years. Evidence and treated documentation wins claims so when you are having pain and problems, you need to be seen and treated for.

Did you get your chiropractor to write a medical opinion of your condition and submit that to VA? Do you see a doctor on regular bases? Do you have any other conditions that could be service related or service connected? Hope the best

NSA, This is the correct form that Berta is talking about. After I got out of the military, I found out that I had several awards missing from my DD form 214 and I filled this form out and sent it in. I received my DD form 215 with my additional awards listed. http://www.dtic.mil/...orms/dd0149.pdf

Unfortunately what is done is done, so the only thing you can do now is wait. I know that this is not what you want to hear but you have to give VA a chance to go through everything. I agree with John, do not let the one year mark pass. If you do not get an answer on your request for reconsideration, make sure you file a NOD but keep it short and only focus on the claims that were denied.

Found on; http://www.veteranst...earance-option/ If you're facing a financial hardship due to a death or injury of a service member on active duty, you may be eligible for a special military forbearance option.

John, I read this a few months ago and forgot where I read it. Checking the reg. today, I came across it again and thought that it may help a veteran so I decided to post it.

This is not your award letter. You will get an award letter from the regional office that is close to you. Your claim(s) have not been decided yet.

Now begins the big long wait for VA to make their decision and send you, your award letter. If you had your C & P exam at the VAMC hospital, you can go to the release of information office in a week or so and request a copy of it to figure out what was stated on your exam. Hope the best

Campaigns and expeditions. In considering claims of veterans who engaged in combat during campaigns or expeditions satisfactory lay or other evidence of incurrence or aggravation in such combat of an injury or disease, if consistent with the circumstances, conditions or hardships of such service will be accepted as sufficient proof of service connection, even when there is no official record of incurrence or aggravation. Service connection for such injury or disease may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. CFR 38 3.305 ©

You do not need a nexus (doctor statement). Since you are still on active duty make sure that you get everything documented that you want to claim. Make sure you get a complete copy of your military records before you leave the military. Also make sure that you address every issue on you retirement physical.

When did you get out of the military? If it has been less than a year then you "may not" need a letter, it depends on when you were discharged.

OK, I want you to know that this is my opinion and I could very much be wrong or way off. There is a lot in red so I will try to sum it up for you. VA will probably increase your already service connected mood disorder. Your increase maybe 100% schedular or 70% and award you TDIU and pay you the 100% rate. VA may also request that you have a fiduciary (wife will have control of your VA money). The report says that you were hospitalized for a mood disorder in June 2009; it says that you have severe depression that causes problems with your daily activities and that you cannot be left alone. VA may also consider A & A since you have to have someone with you at all times. I think I covered the most important stuff; you will just have to wait to find out what VA will do. Others may chime in.

Have you tried to ask your doctor to put a note in your progress reports? VA doctors do not like writing statements, IMOs, or letters but some of them will put something in your treatment records that may help your claim.

Carlie, have you seen this; § 4.96 Special provisions regarding evaluation of respiratory conditions. (a) Rating coexisting respiratory conditions. Ratings under diagnostic codes 6600 through 6817 and 6822 through 6847 will not be combined with each other. Where there is lung or pleural involvement, ratings under diagnostic codes 6819 and 6820 will not be combined with each other or with diagnostic codes 6600 through 6817 or 6822 through 6847. A single rating will be assigned under the diagnostic code which reflects the predominant disability with elevation to the next higher evaluation where the severity of the overall disability warrants such elevation. However, in cases protected by the provisions of Pub. L. 90–493, the graduated ratings of 50 and 30 percent for inactive tuberculosis will not be elevated. Also as JBasser said; § 4.7 Higher of two evaluations. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations shall be applied, the higher evaluation will be assigned if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. Of course you already know, that since you have already won your service connection, if VA tries to low-ball you, you can disagree your rating back to the BVA for a higher rating. Hope this helps.

I think this page will help explain: http://ifap.ed.gov/d...scharge/va.html

You may also want to ask them for what all the necessary documents, that you and your family need to bring before going to make sure you have every thing you need.

Congrats