joliek

Thank you brokensoldier. I'm on mobile. I didn't scroll down far enough.

Ok, I did it wrong. At first I put in all disabilities thinking it would give me my total with BF. I realized later that this calculator is just to input bilateral conditions. I guess we don't always think clearly when we are stressing out. Thanks to everyone who responded so quickly and helped me.

I didn't schedule a hearing. I hand-wrote my response as to why I believed I should not be reduced including the fact that all my service-connected disabilities are static. Then I get a letter about an exam. But it was supposed to be an IMO according to the VA. It was QTC that was pushing for in-person.

brokensoldier I haven't scheduled the exam because one of the veterans attorney's websites said to contact the VA if you believe that you are not required to have an exam. I certainly reached out to them but they don't seem to want to speak with me. It can't be that hard to just call, email, or send a letter. I thought I would be able to clear things up and either have an exam or not. Kind of hard to do when they won't even talk to me. So technically I didn't miss an appointment.

brokensoldier, that calculator gave me 78% with BF with the new back rating of 10%. So they should not be reducing to 70%. Thank you!

Thank you brokensoldier244th.

Thank you for your help. I was trying to find calculators with BF and you're right. They don't seem to exist, which makes it confusing for people like me to figure out.

I apologize for the length. After I had my C&P exam for TDIU, the VA proposed to reduce my back rating for lumbar DDD from 20% to 10%. Of course, they also denied TDIU. I filed an appeal and received an increase on my mental health rating before a decision was made about reducing my back. I responded to the VA and told them why I didn't believe a reduction was necessary to include the fact that all of my service connected disabilities are static, they didn't outline the time period in which my back was to have materially improved, etc. I was waiting for them to reply and answer these things for me. Instead I get a notification about an exam. I called "Peggy" and she said QTC has my file but it says "Patient Need Not Report" and they might call me if they had any questions. QTC contacted me for an exam and I told them I believed this was wrong and told rep what VA said. She said she would make a note that it's supposed to be an IMO not in-person exam. Thought I had this cleared up but they called for appointment again. I told them that with my new mental health rating I didn't believe reducing my back to 10% would affect my overall rating. I also wrote the VA a letter stating this but they won't reply to me. If I am wrong, why not just show me how my math is incorrect? Well I contacted OIG over this last week because the VA refuses to speak with me and clear things up and I see that they reduced my back to 10% starting Feb of 2021 giving me an overall rating of 70% down from 80%. Perhaps I miscalculated with secondary and bilateral factors? Here are my current ratings: Lumbar DDD with IVDS: 10% Persistent Depressive Disorder: 50% (Secondary) Left Lower Radiculopathy: 10% (Secondary) Right Lower Radiculopathy: 10% (Secondary) Right Ankle Strain: 10% (Bilateral?) Fracture, left distal ulna post-op: 10% I know ratings are supposed to be done in order of severity so would depression be the first thing factored in after my back? Thank you.