Jayg

Abnormal gate was the key to my success. I had bilat flat ft and an ankle injury sc. I filed for knees, hips & low back secondary to those by way of altered gate. One thing I did wrong was wear newer shoes to a C&P exam. Duh! C&P report conclusion? It said "No specific wear on shoes. No evidence of altered gait." That round was denied. (excepting 2 or three comments on such things in my records like "significant truncal shift", and "Trendelenburg lurch and a comment else where in the C&P report about "antalgic gait." Fortunately, I wore cheap soft soled boots to work while I still could and saved them for the leather when they wore out. I happened to have 3 pair well and lop sidedly worn boots that I took a host of photos of and included in my NOD. That was my battle too. Nobody was denying I had those conditions, just that my sc had any responsibility for them. I waded through medical studies and things like OSHA reports indicating the connection between altered gait and my secondary conditions. Many here contend "internet print outs" don't carry any weight. But I feel they were a significant part of my success too. It still took an IMO but, it didn't hurt matters handing them over to the doc that gave me the IMO either. He cited a number of the studies in the letter he sent in. It worked for me, it just took 5 years to get to that point. I wish you far better luck.

Yeah, I got one of those. Same thing. Besides, all this is moot. Those VA quacks have carte blanche and are exempt from LAW< never mind rules. My last few C&Ps would have put some people in prison otherwise. Isn't it against the law to falsify government records? Not at VA! One rebuttal of a C&P exam I submitted ran over 30 pages including the copies of records I submitted proving the lies. Exam said I had antalgic gait but exam summary said gait was steady and even indicating no altered gait! Said no uneven shoe wear but the photos of the shoes I wore proved otherwise. Also said there were no other records indicating altered gait. But what is a Trendelenburg lurch? Pronounced truncal shift? there are many others. The examiner pushed my limbs to get the desired range of motion results til I jerked and yelled coming off the table onto the floor from the pain. Hey! No witnesses allowed and she denied touching me to my face, right there. They stated my radiological exams made no statements of conditions those reports clearly did. The list is far too long to go on here. There were a couple others almost as bad. Those rebuttals and their perfidy may have had some influence in getting my claim approved in the face of abysmal C&P exams. I don't know. But it's clear that they were not accepted as true. But I have no doubt those same people are still there doing the same things. These people are a power unto themselves and care nought for rules, regulations or law. Change will have to come from the top. That's the only way to break up this mess.

Personally, I can't figure out how in the heck the system works. I hardly seem to get paid the same twice and often feel I'm getting way over paid. (I take it gratefully considering it a "tax refund.") But if my calculations are right, yesterday, I got $.60/mile. Today, (I happened to have back to back appointments) I got $.44/mi. Then again, I go to a VAMC about 65 miles from me but there is a VA clinic within 20 miles. If I get a treatment at the hospital I could have got at the clinic, the only pay the fare for the clinic. (and I don't have any complaint with that either, for the record.) But how they figure the amounts is beyond me. By the way, how you get the money varies a little from location to location. In my local hospital, you first have the sign out clerk "put you in" for your travel pay. Then you go to the cashier's window, sign the form and get your $ all at one stop. At times I have to go to Houston. There, like another person said, (after having the clerk send in the request for travel pay to the cashier's window), you sign the form at one window and pick up your $ at another. But, can someone please explain how when the mileage stays the same, amount of $ changes time to time (not counting the change for Clinic distance rate) Thanks!

Personally, I would think he would do well to obtain full copies of all his records and go over them with a fine tooth comb. I have not had a mental, though it was close, (my rating is solely based on physical) but I know more than once what I saw and heard said and done in the exam room wasn't exactly (or occasionally even remotely!) what went into the record of that visit. Secondly, and someone with a background of experience with mental health treatment might want to double check mo on this, seek an IMO- Independent Medical Opinion. Get a diagnosis from somebody retained by you (or your spouse) and having no obligation or interest in how VA might feel about your condition. Being independently obtained, you also have the option of whether or not you want to show it to anyone at VA. (I am assuming you aren't in as bad shape as claimed though should the IMO agree with the prior diagnosis, you might consider the implications carefully) Another thing would be to do some serious personal research into just what all can get you such diagnoses. Personally, I don't have a lot of faith in shrinks. Who knows what otherwise seemingly innocent mannerism or remark could have brought that down upon you. Good luck!

I am indeed sorry for your suffering but am most grateful to hear of your most rapid success in getting your TDIU. It took me 5 years and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. (well, a few politicians maybe...) Berta, you well know that having your "ducks in a row" and being "well armed with evidence" doesn't mean squat when you have C&P examiners falsifying records, pushing your limbs until you yell during range of motion testing and then deny it to your face (but hey, no witnesses allowed). Then at the end when I finally got it approved I needed 3 signatures and a person at the regional office had my file for several weeks and refused to release to anyone to sign off on! (one case where it was good to have a service organization rep. My organization's supervisor had to go straight to the regional office manager and had my file ordered released and hand carried it through for the signatures.) No, this vet had a lot more going for him/her (sorry, no offense meant!) than just being prepared.(Not that I'm suggesting anything less will do!) Hopefully, wherever they had their exams done and their regional office make a regular practice of treating their veterans as honestly as they have this person.

That's how I figure it. I'm just still astounded at how quickly and smoothly it all went.

Thanks! I'll definitely look into it. Actually, I haven't worked since 2004. I just claimed TDIU from 2005.

Commenting on Lowes, I have no problems getting the 10% discount. Before I got my 100% card I just showed them my VA card. Now what's a trick is getting the VA discount and farm tax exempt at the same time. You have to explain to them that the tax exempt status is not a store discount and does not come off their sales receipt, their for, there's no real duality. ,

By example, I just registered my vehicle with disabled Vets/handicapped plates- $3.00. There are discounts for Hunting and fishing licenses. There are discounts for other services as well though I haven't studied them all in detail. Grrr I'm having troubles on the board here. No visible cursor in the text box and I can't get options for delete or cut in selected items such as this "en't" at the end of this sentence... :D en't

I have heard almnost as many horror tails about SS as I have VA. It took me 5 years to get my VA fully granted. Well, I only filed for SS in November. They first filled out my app for SSI but then switched me to SSDI. I drew my first check this month. Other than the initial interview at the office, all contacts were by phone. Everybody was courteous and helpful. I didn't have to get a lawyer, it went through like you know what from a goose. I am flabergasted! If there was one sticking point it would be this. I was granted 100% VA via IU back to 2005. But SSDI has only assigned my disability from 2009. So there wasn't a very fat retro there. I haven't sqawked since I only just now filed for it. Just for the record, do I have a beef? mainly I am posting this to say it isn't always a pain. I am very grateful. After battling VA for half a decade, I wasn't about to go through it again with SS. I had determined to get a lawyer and dump it all in their laps. Yet whoop! Here I am. That's all. I just wanted to post this ray of hope and ask that brief question.

I just recently got IU but, I had no recent visits to try to file so I can't tell you about that part. But my teeth are shot. I was examined at VA where they determined I need total extraction and that it'll require surgery. They sent me close to home to a fee base surgeon who will do the extractions. I will report back to VAMC for fitting & manufacture of dentures. The dental surgeon said Dallas will go implants but not so much from Shreveport... where I go. I'll have to look into that... This is my limited experience anyway.

No joy for 'wounded' old farts then, I guess? :D Of course I have to say my case seems to be moving quickly. Just maybe...

Thanks for the replies. I'll check out the website but since I'm here, does the SS (unfortunate similarity of letters with "die Waffen Schutz Staffeln." :D ) have any equivalent of VA's "IRIS" messaging system??? Actually I'm surprised at the timeliness of this reply. I first filed for SS in about October or November (I forget which) just last year. I was filed for SSI but did not qualify fo that and was transferred to application for SSD about a month after the initial application. I'm 54, worked for ss with holding since about 1972 with few breaks and last worked in 04. (see below) My letter says "You said your disability began on 06/03/04." (The date I last worked.*) "According to our rules for disability, the evidence shows you did not meet our requirements until 07/14/09 (No idea where they pulled that date from.) "However, because of the severity of your condition at the time, it is reasonable to presume you were disabled earlier. Therefore, we determined you became disabled as of 01/14/09." (07/14/09 - 01/14/09... There's your "6 months.") * I know there is a time limit there. I checked. I am (or filed anyway) still within the time allowed, if only just. They only cited Overton Brooks VAMC as "information used to decide this claim." Noted was "Report received 01/26/10." This was about 6 weeks after I received my VA rating for IU. Am I likely going to want to argue for an earlier eed?

I got a letter from SS. It said "We have found that you meet the medical requirements to be entitled to disability payments." My VA rating is 80% actual, 100% with IU. But, they go on to say, "We have not yet made a decision about whether you meet the non-medical requirements, but we will make that decision soon." And all this means??? That I medically qualify is good news (excepting being in this condition). But what are the "non-medical conditions" to be decided upon and any idea how long this usually/may take???

Don't worry overmuch about what VA says... I too wear VA authorized Custom fitted braces and same for shoe inserts. I wore all of the above to my last C&P and they said I had neither braces nor inserts. They actually did acknowledge I was using a cane.* * A tip here. Get your VA to issue you a cane if you have not. That tacitly implies you actually need one. I had an earlier C&P note that though I used a cane, VA had not seen fit to authorize one calling into question whether or not I actually needed it! Just note what VA says in denial and disagree and bury them in rebutting documentation. You will eventually succeed. Remember, all the delay just means a fatter retro at the end. B)