halos2

Congrats to you.

Tonio, This was a great read today. I needed to read another veteran was awarded his true earning. With all of your health problems and if mental too you will be able to have some breathing room now. The problems will remain, but some of the stressors eliminated with not having to worry about how you will take care of your family and responsibilities. Glad you can breathe a little easier now. Congrats and make them pay by living a long long life!

If you arrive at the appointment and they say sorry we cancelled it, you get travel pay. But you only have maximum of 30 days to request this. I arrived at my appointment and when I checked in they said sorry your appointment was cancelled as your Dr called in sick! So I said well I am sorry but here I am, so I need my travel pay, they said no problem, if you arrive and we cancel your appointment you are entitled to your travel pay.

Vet put in claim for ED as a side effect from medication for PTSD in 2008. No exam done just denied claim. Vet did not send in NOD for this eitherbut did discuss with Psychiatrist the problem with his medication side effects to which she noted in progress notes in his medical records. Vet encouraged to put in another claim for ED related to side effects of PTSD medications in 2010. Dedied in 2012 and this time he put in for a NOD post the denial. He waited...and waited,,, then in Jan2013 he had an exam for this problem.( This was after he contacted his congressman a few months earlier to have a congressional look at his C=File as he has been having denials, and long wait periods). So this time I copied the side effects from the 5 different PTSD medications he was administered during these last 5 years with the side effects noted as ED, and typed out a statement which quantified the relationship of meds to diagnosed problem and he was awarded ED with an effective date of 9 months prior only...Yet the physician used the copies I sent and the statement letter I wrote for the basis of the award granted this diagnosis. The other clencher he used as a qualifier was 2008 notes written by his psychiatrist that he had ED related to the side effects of his PTSD medications. So EED ? Possibility? What about date of claim reentered too?? Berta, have a clue on this cue??

Did thay make him wait the whole year and then finally discharge the loans? My disability years back di not result in any adverse actions during the year, till they discharged it...That might have been when I was SSDI 100% granted 2 weeks post SSDI exam...nothing like the VA wait. So then did the Govt discharge it right away with vet 100% ? Glad you have one less thing to worry about.

Any win a vet can get is wonderful. The varo's play too many low ball games and denial games. Greatful for your award and remember you can always appeal.

Did you file an unemployment claim upon termination?

In looking at the second surgery which is recommended does the surgeon estimate a time frame you might not be able to work? Due to the procedure what limitations does he/she place on when/what recovery time? You may be able to get temp 100% during your surgery/recovery time. Do you have a VSO helping you?

Can't say about overseas, however a relative vet of mine lived in Tx for a while and had treatment (outpatient) there...Then moved to Wi, and was notified he had a C&P in Tx only 3 days before exam...he had to fly there for the C&P, and the Dr was in court, so the clinic scrambled to fit the vet in the next day... He had to pay round trip for his flight, hotel, rental car, and fees and he was out over $2600. With them never paying his regular $12.00 he would have gotten had he still lived in Tx travel fee. He is still waiting for them to follow up on this appeal/C&P session too. They say to never miss a C&P exam, and he is maxed on 2 credit cards to make sure he got there. As far as in another country, are you able to receive treatment at any Veteran facilities? What about your medications? Did you miss the year deadline to file your appeal? If you are receiving medical care where you are located, see if there is a VSO in that region who could help you. Do you keep in touch with the VA hosp/clinic in Pa? The cost of flying back for any exams would be too costly and I am now sure how many conditions/disabilities the VA would schedule exams for also.

What a nice reward for your services and they finally got it right for a change...

Congrats Big Mac. Nice win!!

This is such a sore subject with me. I too loose $6.00 each time I go there. I searched it on Bing and it gave my usual amount I got before, and I challenged the Travel Supervisor...she stated "The shortest way!" I said well Bing gave me this...So then she says that is not the shortest route, as "our Bing" is set up to find the shortest route. Are you serious? I do not go to the closest VAMC, and haven't for years and always got paid to the nearest one, which she said I was still getting paid to go to...So instead of getting on the main roads and highways they want me to head in a different direction and take "unpaved roads!" Yep it has take unpaved road 1/2 mile, turn on county road xxx and drive on unpaved road 1.5 miles and turn right and take unpaved road xyy for 1.8 miles and turn left on highway... Unpaved roads here are dirt roads with maybe a dash of gravel on some...The way I have driven for years is on the blacktop. So she sends me a letter that states I need to get an official letter from the Road commission/highway department when the roads are too muddy, icy, or wet which may cause or could potentiate an accident. SERIOUSLY!! So not only do they get to keep the $6.00 copay but now another $6.00 too. Or yeah remember I can appeal this within 30 days too. I have appealed twice at this VAMC, and both times the FOIA officer denied it. Yet the staff can get demoted, and keep their jobs there, and keep their pay rate, and yet one vet still gets denied on their appeal. So appeal is not going to occur just to waste my time and travel there on my $ just to loose!

Where is the freedom for veterans and the American people who work and many risk their lives?Where is the Freedom to continue to allow our veterans to be used, and then nickle and dime them to death! Why can't Americans take a stand and rectify that Senators, Congressman/women, and all others who work in governmental positions not get their salaries for life when they are no longer in office and yes get it STOPPED!! Why is it ok for some Presidents to get secret service security for life and not for others? What happened to the term limits that were there for years? Why were Jets, and Tanks given to Egypt, and not sold to help our economy? Look into these issues, and then tell me it is justified to take from our military protectors...Why does America continue to give aid to other countries when we have our own starving right here in all the states? I don't want pay cuts for our workers.Let the outgoing politicians get their big pay cuts instead. JMHO at this hour on this day.

Yes I had these done in both arms in 1968 at Lackland too. Same way we all walked down the aisle and got it on the right and left arms...

Wow, but will he really get it as there are appeals processes...

I too read that the other day, and thought the same as you Berta. This is so wrong, and such a shame and loss for him and his family. May he rest in peace and find comfort from his terrors now. Saddens me thinking about him...

Glad you are finally getting a decent award, however remember you can appeal within one year of the date of your decision, not the date mailed, and not the date you received it! Continue to appeal and get what your disability truly establishes regarding your condition and the contributing factors.Good luck with your future.

Congrats for your win! When did you originaly put your claim in? Also change your avatar to reflect your 100% status. Yes and read over the papers to see if there is a sentence Permanent and Total, with no future exams...

Keep working on his claim and if he has any other illinesses which have gotten worse, put in for those or a new claim anytime another illiness or condition is diagnosed too. Glad you are there to assist.

Yep, Home Depot is the only home improvement that will give a vet, with valid id, 10% of any items bought in the store regular price and sale priced items too! Lowes will do it on regular priced items only, and Menards NOT! They did here in the midwest store for the 1st 6 months they opened, and NEVER on sale items...BTW home depot doesn"t restrict the amont you may spend to save...$1000, and saved $100. I was a happy camper, and I really saved more cause it was on sale.

He went for the 2 exams he was scheduled for last week. Noticed he was 0% prior for hearing and does have hearing aides they gave him when initially tested and receiving the 0%. Well he said the examiner was abrupt and half way through the exam she said well your hearing is the same, after he asked for some hearing aide batteries, as he has been buying his own all these years. He found out others get their batteries free from VAMC. So he knows where that will go. Other exam was for ED. Brought in copies of his side effects/adverse reactions from the 5 different antidepressants they had him on, plus these were copied in his VAMC records and reasons they changed them 4 times...The physician was rude and wanted to talk more about himself, I was told... Told vet even thou Psychiatrist wrote in records he has had problems since 2008 and documented in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and now he doesn't think tha'ts why he has ED. He has PTSD, and is just plain getting older and that is probably why. He wrote notes during these exams so he could remember. His Psychiatrist stated he had ED and probably side effect of antidepressants, on numerous notes throughout the years. She is a medical doctor first...plus he had other appeals in and mostly his IU which was not addresses or ordered yet! So who knows but does sound doubtful!

You can only get back pay for a claimed awarded unless you appealed it and when through that process. So you put in a claim in 2011 and was awarded 10% and did not appeal it then it is moot. You have 10%. If your condition gets worse you can put in a claim for this but if you win it will be effective by the new date...no retro. They only pay when awarded from the original date of claim received by the VARO.(Veterans Administration Regional Office).

With you being able to work and a higher GAF they probably assumed you are 50% impaired...If you have more problems and feel you are more impaired you can always appeal within one year from this decision,,,however you can also risk being reduced too. After a year if you get worse it would be a new claim...

Congrats on award, however seems to be low ball...appeal for an increase...any other symptoms you got or forgot to claim??

I agree and sell her the car first. I wonder if you will hear back from her as she might feel a bit uncomfortable now that you asked her to check on your claim?? I think I would have waited to approach her with the claim info post her buying the BMW. But it is what it is...hope you hear back from her. 23k seems like a low amount for a BMW, unless it's used, JMHO.