donews

I called the 800 number today and asked if I could get a hearing or phone call with the DRO that handled my claim for my Heart Conditions. The gentlemen at the 800 # said that was not allowed. He asked me if I had a NSO handling my claim at the local level. I explained to him that I had filled out a POA for the DAV to help with my claims. He said it still had not been entered into the computer and that it can take up to 6-8 weeks for that to happen. I asked him what I should do as I was given a Full Grant on the Heart Conditions but there was a clear error in the Rating that they gave me. He said I needed to contact my NSO as discuss it with them. He acted like he wanted to tell me what to do but he couldn't. It was a little odd. He would start to say something then he would just go back to saying I needed to contact my NSO. I said I would do so but I was trying to at least get the ball rolling on the claim again so as to not just be sitting and waiting for the POA to be entered. He then told me I could go through a DRO appeal process, but it would take a long time. He again started to say what I should do, then said contact your NSO, they will know what to do to save you some time. He said I really didn't want to go the route of the appeal as it would take much longer. So I am a little confused. I thought someone said I could contact the DRO that had handled the claim and get a meeting / hearing with him. Does anyone know if that is the case? If so how do I go about requesting that meeting? I will try to get the NSO moving, but he said until the POA is entered into the VA computer he can't get my C-File and he doesn't want to discuss the claims until he has the C-File. So it could be between tommorow and 8 weeks before that happens.

Ok im over it now. I was having one of those nights. I know I deserve a full rating and I am going to fight for it. I have my ups and downs. I need to stay away from the keyboard during my downs.

Ok, I looked up my rating decision and they have mine under: Impairment of Central Visual Acuity It is somewhere between 6075 and 6079, but it does not specify exactly which one. I hope this helps some.

My apolagies, I some how missed this thread when you replied. I will check on that and get back to you soon.

Berta, I have not formally applied for TDIU. I was waiting until I had my request for a DRO hearing addressed for the Heart Conditions. My thinking was I needed to address that 1st as it will probably be quick unless the DRO just absolutely doesn't agree with me. I am thinking once he see's that I have an AICD Implant, Chronic Congestive Heart Failure, and an Ejection Fraction of 22%, he will fix the rating from the 60% they gave me and move it to 100% which it should be. I was going to put the TDIU claim in the mail as soon as I get a DRO hearing date / time (certified signature return receipt as always). I figured I will get all the claims sent in then when the fog clears start going back and asking for proper EED's on the ones that need it. I will have a large amount of claims / conditions claimed also TDIU, VOC Rehab (ILP), and A&A or Housebound. My fear is I will clog the pipe and slow all my claims down. I almost feel guilty or at least greedy or something I don't know. It just feels odd, because I have so many conditions that are legitamitly linked to my SC conditions. But when I put them all on paper it seems like so much to ask for.

Update: I called today and they asked me to fax a records request and they would send me all the c&p exam notes from each c&p visit. She said if I was missing something it was because I made my request bfore all the c&p examiners had finalized their notes. She wouldn't confirm or deny how many doctors or what information was in each exam records, so I won't know until I get them in the mail. She said it would take about 2 weeks to get the records in my hands.

Ruffcreek, You should apply for TDIU an SSDI as soon as possible. I filed for SSDI when I was 59, got it ont he first try with no trouble. I personally think you do not need an attorney unless it is a very complicated claim or a situation where other docs are saying its questionable. The sooner you file for TDIU the sooner the clock starts. Even if you get denied, the clock ticks and once you get approved you get the retro pay.

Absolutely one of the saddest thing I have seen in a long time. I applaud the people trying to set things right and laying them to rest in peace.

I found this link http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/treasure/tre_toc.html . If you goto the Community Health Concerns area and follow the links in the paragraphs you will find some Health Data. Hope this helps some.

Hopefully a Hadit expert that might have a knowledge of this will drop by and chime in. That being said I do know there are situations in which certain Vietnam Veterans children have been able to process or at least be claimed as disabled by the veteran for certain disabilities. It is for Veterans that were exposed to Agent Orange. Other than that I personally have never heard of anyone trying this type of claim.

I did not know Alex personally, but I have read of him. It is always of great loss when someone with the attributes such as he had is taken from us. I will remember what he meant to so many people.

Cowgirl, Just my opinion that they would have full access to your Mental Health Records, as the few people I have recently talked to said they didn't have to give any special permission for records for their PTSD claims. I have to ask for and receive permission to get my own Mental Health Records, but the raters do not. lol Go figure.

Thank you for the replies. I won't know for sure until we get his Service Records if he was actually intoxicated or if he actually was reprimanded in any way. As my brother can't remember back that far. So for the sake of my mind, whats the opinion of his chances if they had no finding of fault or misconduct or dwi? Do you think he would or should generally qualify?

My brother served in the Navy. While in service he had a pretty bad motorcycle accident. Actually he wrecked at the main gate to the base (I believe he was intoxicted). He spent quite some time in the hospital recovering. Now many many years later he has severe back problems. He has had several back surgeries. He also is an alcoholic and abuses medication. He was Honorably Discharged after serving 8 years. Now for the questions: Will his injuries during the motorcycle accident be considered as Service Connected? Does any disease, illness, or injury count as Service Connected as long as it happened or manifested during the time he was on enlisted? I was discussing my claims with him and asked if he had ever tried to get any form of benefits and he said he figured he had no right to any benefits so he never tried. If he is due some benefits I am going to try to convince him to file so he can get some medical care. Right now his medical bills are getting hefty and he actually injures himself just to keep working to pay bills. His alcoholism and other problems basically make him a zomby when he isn't working.

I still find it all odd. My C&P Exams are all done in the Winston-Salem CBOC. But all the records are located in the Salisbury VAMC. The Main RO is also in Winston-Salem. I can't comprehend why all the records for C&P go to the Salisbury VAMC.

Tssnave, Yes! Your comments and the link are very helpful. Thank you !

I will contact them again to see if they magically re-appear when I start pressing the issue. The main reason I am finding it funny that they vanished is that the doc that did the Heart Exam was very strange. I swear he had to 100 years old. I think I was able to get around better than him. He asked me if I brought any stress test, echocardiograms, or any other Heart related tests. I explained to him I was told I did not need any records at my exam. He stated that he could not make a determination as to a disability or severity just by looking at me and that he probably would just have to say I had none since he didn't have any records to view. The only test he ordered was a Urine and Blood test. No heart related tests at all. I just realized, that the test results are not in the records either. It was just a very strange exam. The other two exams went ok as far as seeming like they actaully were trying to do the exam properly.

I had 3 C&P exams in the Winston-Salem clinic on 03-20-2006. The three exams were: 1) Diabetic Retinopathy as secondary to DMII - Saw the eye doc for the C&P Exam 2) Depression as secondary to DMII - Saw the mental health lady for the C&P Exam 3) Various Heart Diseases as secondary to DMII - Saw a regular doc for the C&P Exam (no specialist) I requested the records from those exams from the Salisbury VAMC as thats the record holder for the C&P Exams. The records have the exams for the Diabetic Retinopathy and for the Depression, but there are no records or mention what so ever of the other doc I saw. Is there a form or something I can file to have them hunt down these records? Or do I just mark this up to space aliens and fugedaboutit?

I will be keeping you posted as I get more information / records. One new question that I have is: Should I go ahead and roll with the reopening the original Depression claim, seeing as the original C&P Examiner said it was Heart Disease related so they denied it, but now I won my 3 year battle for Service Connected for my Heart Diseases so I could claim it as secondary to the Heart Disease? or Should I wait a while and see if I get a PTSD thingy ma jiggy from the Mental Health people and then ask for depression as secondary to the PTSD instead of the HEart Disease? Hope that all makes sense. Sometimes I don't make sense to myself.

for the most part To the greater extent; generally or mostly. I would say maybey a doctor had used the term and they might have been discussing its comparison to the infamous "AS Likely AS" statement for nexus.

Jbasser, I was browsing through some of my medical records and found this: "Mild-to-moderate pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary artery pressures of 45 noted. " It is on a 2D Echocardiogram Report from Aug 2006. Is this what you were talking about?

Thank you to everyone for the great advice. I am going to ask for a meeting with the DRO. I should have a DAV rep by then, it shouldn't hurt to go ahead and request a meeting before I get the rep. I found out after talking to my VA Cardiologist that the VA Medical Records and Private Records clearly show that I have: Chronic Congestive Heart Failure Ejection Fraction under 30% AICD Implant Device Each one of those individualy qualifies me for 100% for any of my SIX Service Connected heart conditions, let alone the fact that I have all three. I am hoping that once I actually put the records in front of the DRO and he gets a chance to see me in person, he will realize I should be at 100%. Yes john999 from what I can find the VA has had some form of evidence about my job loss due to my service connected conditions. It is on several of my medical records where the doctors have stated that I was unemployed due to my disabilities. Actually on my original claim for benefits I listed that I was unemployed due to several conditions, and each of the conditions that I listed have eventually been Service Connected. I also noted on my origianl application for benefits that I was receiving SSDI. So I will be checking on that at some time as well. I just want to concentrate on getting the ball rolling on the Heart Conditions as I believe they will be resolved the fastest. I will be asking a few more questions in some other posts as to not veer off topic here to much.

Have you applied for Voc Rehab yet? They are the ones who administer the Independant Living Program. Receiving A&A should not interfer with ILP actually it might make the process faster. There is also a grant called a HISA Grant that offers upto $4100.00 for modifications that you could try for. But most definately try for the ILP first.

Testvet is right on! You need to be filing for SSDI as soon as you can. Just as in VA claims, it starts the clock ticking so even if you have to fight for it, you get your back pay when you do get it approved.

I know how to be a pest. lol I will be calling them once weekly until week 3 if it takes that long, then I will be looking elsewhere.