GoNavy1775

Hill & Ponton as well as Jan Dils both told me to xxxx off. Apparently, if you are able to work and your rating is just a little too high, they don’t want to take you because your backpay will not be high enough, and it’s not worth their time. This is three in a row, who decided not to help me because I can’t make them enough money. I would really appreciate any recommendations or referrals. I know the market was flooded in the past several years with many lawyers who decided to focus on VA claims because they were making money, but this is a little ridiculous They all pretend they want to help veterans, but we are just a means to an end for them.

I am going to engage Hill & Ponton...anybody ever use them?

I reached out to CCK and they basically told me to eff off and gave me the number to the DAV. I guess my case wasn't going to make them enough money. I'll keep looking for a law firm to help with the appeal.

Now I have to look up what BVA, CAFC, EED, SMS-T, R2 and CAVC before I respond. I don't mind paying a lawyer, I'm trying to run a small company with about 15 employees and I don't have the time or the patience to sit through this at the moment. I'll check out CCK after I look up all these other acronyms. Thank you everyone for your replies.

I received the results. Only a 10% increase from 60% to 70% for left and right knee, all other claims were denied. I need a good appeals lawyer. Anybody know any?

Does anybody have a contact in the Wilmington, NC area that I can go to with these exams for a 2nd opinion? I really can't believe she said there is no connection to sleep apnea, the va did a test and gave me a cpap...the guy in the va told me all signs point to my service connected issues as to why I have it. These companies get $100M contracts and then deny deny deny all they can to keep winning contracts.

based on what is here, if the knees really are the only viable rating since the glossed over the rest, anybody have an idea of what it could be? The range is 0%-60%? Am I in the 30/40 range?

Thank you for the insight El Señor...aka Senior. I will see if I can find a doctor/lawyer to rebut most of this and submit before they try to make a decision. I just have to scour the inter web to see who that might be...need to get that 100%!

Thanks, doesn't matter it's locked. So much for find/replace lol

I tried to removed most things besides my first/middle name. If somebody here feels the need to steal my identity, they need it more than me. lol. but I appreciate the notification.

I'm kind of infuriated right now. I read through all 96 pages and so many things were never even asked and she just clicked for the bad.

Optum Serve performed 11 exams in 45 minutes. I am going to attach them here. I am using a lawyer to help with this, but they told me that the only positive exam was for my knees....After reading through it, there are several questions I don't even recall being asked, yet they clicked no on the answer, for example, see attached. how can I have no flare-ups, but report functional loss or impairment for repeated use? She never asked that question. Of course I have flare-ups. If anybody is bored tonight, read through these pages and give me a your thoughts. If I need to rebut these exams, I need to do it before they make a decision. By the way, while it's a small amount, I am a monthly contributor to keep this site going. I'm at 60% now for the following: 10% tinnitus Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date: 01/01/2022 30% chronic cervical strain Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date: 05/29/2019 10% residuals of a hernia repair Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date: 05/18/2002 0% allergic rhinitis Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date: 05/18/2002 30% asthma Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date: 05/18/2002 radiculopathy left upper extremity Service-connected disability? No radiculopathy right upper extremity Service-connected disability? No bilateral hearing loss Service-connected disability? No It's funny they denied hearing loss, but they said I have moderate to severe loss in one ear and severe in the other, and they gave me hearing aids. SMH. combinded exams.pdf

Thank you. I was told if they ask me to perform a range of motion to stop immediately when it begins to hurt. Don't push through it. Otherwise, they will list it as having an acceptable range of motion. So on a scale of pain from 1-10, move until it hits one and say that is when the pain is starting. thank you. I'm not going for PTSD, but I think the idea is the same. Be polite, answer directly and don't give them more than they need.

I have an exam for all of these issues - see photo. I’m at 60%…any tips?

I was in several car wrecks while on duty...a couple happened on base. So yes, by neck and back is jacked up pretty good. they were all rear end collisions. I just need to figure out how to do this myself rather than pay somebody money again for no results because they give me bad information. I had no problems going to my exam, but they strongly suggested I don't.

I appreciate the feedback. I guess I have to figure out how to get the rhinitis increased then? And as far as the secondary radiculopathy, they only declined that because the people helping me put this together told me not to go to the medical exam and only use their independent doctor exam. I will try again and get the cervical strain increased and get the secondary radiculopathy added. I just moved cities, so I'm in the middle of scheduling a bunch of VA appointments to start getting these things recorded. I can't go a day without loading up on Aleve, Ibuprofen etc to numb the pain in my neck/back and knees.

Good morning and happy new year! I am currently at 60% broken down as follows: (they denied left and right radiculopathy, gonna try again) I current have a CPAP machine issued by the VA...Can I connect the cervial strain/asthma to sleep apnea? Wondering if they limited movement in the neck positions me in such a way that exacerbates the situation. Not sure the allergic rhinitis would come into play either. Any feedback would be helpful. Obviously, like everybody here, trying to reach that magic number of 100%. I also just put in for tinnitus this morning, which would be 10%. I did that myself and plan to try to do the sleep apnea myself too. Thank you in advance, AG 30%chronic cervical strain Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date:29/05/2019 radiculopathy left upper extremity Service-connected disability? No radiculopathy right upper extremity Service-connected disability? No 10%residuals of a hernia repair Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date:18/05/2002 30%asthma Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date:18/05/2002 0%allergic rhinitis Service-connected disability? Yes Effective date:

Can anybody recommend a decent company to help with a new claim, as well as appeal existing claims? I don't want to work with https://vetcompandpen.com Any other suggestions will be helpful. I'm at 60% and the recent claim was partially approved, and partially denied. I have a few other things I want to add so I need a company willing to do both. The last company I used moved me from 40% to 60% but will only work with existing issues, and will not help with new claims. I know they charge, and I'm happy to pay. AG

Roger. We did ask for a senior level reviewer. I'm guessing that just pisses them off. I guess I have about 50 more days to see what happens. Then I'll find a lawyer to move forward.

the original from when I got out in 2002? Or the original that I put in a few months ago and they denied, and now I'm asking for a HLR? I'm assuming here in Arizona? Thats were I'm located and registered at this VA.

Bear in mind this is an increase request with a request for secondary issues due to the already rated problem. So they know the original issue is at least valid. My battle buddies/shipmates all used the same format to submit, they are all now sitting at 100%, and I'm fighting with them for not doing their job. Lol. I guess this part of the country isn't a good place to be a veteran. People have died at this VA after all.

That is basically what we wrote in the HLR... "Claim for increase cervical spine and add bilateral radiculopathy. Private DBQ submitted and not used. Against 38 CFR 3.326 (b) and (c) and M21-1, paragraph III.iv.3.D.2.d. My DBQs are sufficient for rating purposes." I was under the assumption wherever you are located, that is where the person reading your file will be as well?

And by the way, my DBQs I provided were from an independent Doctor.

What sucks more is that two of my buddies that used the same firm to put their packages in for them both got through and rated at 100% and all they sent were DBQs as well. I asked one of the team here to take a look at my DBQs as I can't decipher them. I'm curious what they'll think.

I'm in the HLR process now. They flatly denied my original claim without using my DBQs I sent in and in the denial letter, they never mentioned the DBQs either. I'm in about day 70 so far. Yesterday the VSO said the status is "ready for a decision" This is my first time really dealing with this. When I got out of the Navy in 2002, about 6 months later I got a letter saying I was 40% rated and I'd get X dollars per month. I never did a thing. I realized that the DAV officer that reviewed my medical records must have submitted on my behalf. Now, I'm going after an increase with secondary issues. Finger crossed as now I feel like they might simply deny it all again.