Bamabad

Alabama only requires a disability of 30% for full a full tuition, fees and books scholarship (4 years of higher education for dependent children) and (2 years for the spouse). I have one through the system, and two more to go. There are residency requirements - in my case I had to prove (other than DD214) that I entered the service while residing in Alabama, and the vet and dependents all live in the state. I think that 100% vets can participate with some changes in the residence requirements. Not sure about the link, but info was easy to find through the web.

You ABSOLUTELY have a chance. Mine was similar, and I won on appeal (after 5 years) I injured my back 3 months before discharge. Treatment at the base medical office and was sent to the house with a couple of pills and a few days off. My condition only started to worsen after a few years, and then it was easily treated with over the counter type medicine... 7 years after discharge I started seeing a private physician and had the array of testing (MRI's, CT, X-rays) to document my condition. It was another 9 years before I submitted my claim. VA Doc's all agreed that I had an injury, but thought it was either due to a congenital or do to aging. The letters from my personal physician, and the MRI documentation finally won out. A comment made by the appeal panel was interesting.. I was not given an x-ray at discharge to show the status of the injury, so there was no proof by the VA either for, or against what my private physician stated. So it went in my favor. Only 10%, but after 5 years it was a victory all the same. Still trying to decide what to do with it... expected 20% or more.

I sorta messed up on my original post. My MRI was in 89, not 99... I have been on pain meds since 88, nothing strong except for extreme flair-ups. Started with daily darvoset and muscle relaxers. Loratab if I had major pain. (All from my private physician) Back a few years ago though I switched my med's over to the VA. Dr changed the Darvocet to Tylenol 3, and increased the muscle relaxers to 4 a day. That's what I have today. I only get in to see the doc once every six months.. (appointment in about two weeks) I am going to try to change the tyl #3's, as they are little help. I am employed, and work at a desk most of the time. Plan on doing that as long as I can. That was one of the reasons the Doc prescribed the lower strength stuff... I commute 40 minutes to and from work, and need this job to support the family. Those with the back problems know what that drive can be like, especially in a compact. I have gone about this in all the wrong ways, and will definitely be checking with others after I get the final decision. I just hope it is a fair one, and I can let it go for a while. 5 years is a long time... Not sure what I would have done if my condition was extreme... like some of the other veterans... 5 years would be an eternity. I want to learn more about this system and help others in obtaining benefits.

The local VA Rep office gets a copy of everything, so I will need to make an appointment to see them next week. I had some range issues, but not sure what they were on that day. (some days are worse than others) I did contact Dr. Bash and spoke with him on the phone. I was to deep into it by that time to use his services... thinking if I would have spent that upfront time (Dr Bash/hadit.com) preparing the first appeal that my case would have been settled years ago.

My first post, but I have been reading the hadit forum for a few years now, and want to thank all of those that have posted their stories... Its been a big help! My story is a little odd, but here goes. In 2002 I filled for a sc for a back injury I suffered in 1983. That claim was lost, so I refiled in Jan 2003. Had my exam in July of 2003 - this is where it got weird. The Dr called me back to the exam room and slid onto his stool... rolled over to one end of the room and told me to walk toward him... stop.... walk away... stop... bend fwd... bend backwards... bend left/right... "OK, take this chit up to xray" I'm thinking... is this it? It was! Never touched me... My service record has details of my injury, and of the treatment I received before leaving the service. A few months later I got my verdict. Claim denied! The examiner offered a diagnosis of spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine of "L4-L5" with loss of function due to pain. But decided that the problem was related to an automobile accident I had in 92. (I had an MRI in 1999 that showed the same and more diagnosis, and had been seeing the same physician for years before that (who wrote a statement on my behalf). Appealed... the ruling noting Dr's actions and that the evidence I presented was not used in his decision. Well, it was kicked back (July 2006) with instructions that I was to see a different Dr., and that he was to review my file before making a decision. This exam was very different, but the outcome was sorta uncertain. After a few months I called the 800#, and was told it did not look good. The Dr. had written that my back pain was due to a congenital problem. Sorta really pissed me off... one Dr saying it was a car accident, the other saying it was congenital defect. In my statement to the appeals board I highlighted the difference of opinions at the VA Medical Center, and certainty of my personal physicians opinion that my current condition was directly related to an injury I had in the service. A help was that the second Dr wrote that it was his "opinion that my injury definitely made the spondylolisthesis symptomatic... therefore relating them. Well. got the envelope today. Without going through the whole deal it was stated: the board finds that the veteran's current back disorder, diagnosed as bilateral spondylosis with grade 1 spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, results from an in-service injury. The appeal, therefore is granted. Much more, as all of you know to this story, but good news in the end. I had to over come a few things that were totally my fault - I waited way to long to file the claim... was too busy after I left the service to apply for the benefits... even though I was already in the system, and did not prepare myself for that first exam. I am hoping my experience can help others.. and I will help where possible so that my mistakes are not repeated. Now to wait and see what they decide my sc % is. Just curious if anyone out there has the same diagnosis... what the rating range may be?