cannoncocker

OMG I couldn't agree more but I believe this is all rhetorical and where the rubber meets the road, it will all be the same. As stupid as this sounds when I got out of the service all they showed me was the door. It was many years later when an old vet I worked with in the Dept. of the Army pulled me aside and told me what the VA was and some of how it worked. so caqmpaigns come and go but one vet with another vet cannot be replaced.

I was at work so they left a call back msg. so no big deal cause I'll call and find out for sure what it is about but the istory is I have had 2 QTC exams within the last few weeks and waiting on a possible 3rd. So anyone with any clue as to what it might be about, just so I might know how to respond, like if they offered a different Doctor DO exam go with the one I've done are ask for a different one. as you may tell, don't have a clue, but just asking for any opimion. I heard a lawyer once say, never ask a question you don't already have an answer to. I look at this kinda like that. Thanks for any input if you think it is worth it. PS: I would like to be more useful to the board and my fellow vets but I would have to know sonmething about the VA system to do that, and I'm not there yet and will have to leave the advise to the pros.

My repspect and grateful you are putting your knowledge skills and abilities to good use. You, Philip Rogers, broncovet, and Pete53 for whatever in the world Buno means. None of you had to say, do, or think a thing about my problems but you did. Thanks and I'll pass it on when and where I can. you guys are very generous people.

Hi Berta, it seems we share a lot philisophically regarding our battlefield approach. You may not have graduated the War College, but you are qualified. 1. Ok nix the trip to th VARO. I didn't see anything coming from that anyway. 2. I have a box filled with return receipts. 3. I dropped the telephonic communications pretty early so not much lost there. 4. I check email always with the IRIS system. 5. Your statement "make sure you ask them for a copy of any C & P exam results- the copy you get might more then likely be characterized differently in the C & P". I have completed the following QTC Examinations: a. XXXX ARADO M.A.,CCC-A,FAAA Speech, Language and Hearing Service Providers Audiologist b. Dr. XXXXX, DO 101 Chadwick Square Court Suite C Hendersonville, NC 28739 My question is, who do I get a copy C & P examination results from? Next question: Audiologist was excellent/DO was clearly working against me, he asked me questions that were readily answerable and available from the VA, MRI's , and VA consults. Is there no recourse to a clearly prejudiced Examiner or just wait and submit an NOD after the decision is rendered? 6. Your statement "As long as you have current disability at a ratable level which can be directly linked to your service or which is secondary to an established SC disability- you should receive SC for it." The only claim portion left is psychiatric. Revised from: 1. Service connection for depression, to include panic attacks secondary to service connected conditions, which the DAV had me stating the cause in practical terms was: 1.Foot problems 20% 2.Cardiac anomalies 10% 3.Hearing loss 0%\ Since that is not what I claim I revised and submitted along with DAV receipts for VA submission: 318/DEV1/SCS VCAA NOTICE RESPONSE 21-4142 Authorization And Consent Asheville VA Medical Center Dr. XXXXXX is my point of contact for relevant psychiatric information. Connection for low back injury (spinal injury on active duty) with radiating pain into the buttocks and down both legs (peripheral neuropathy), lack of mobility and severe pain causes 21-4138 Statement In Support Of Claim: a. Service connected event which the VA psycholgist corroborated in diagnosis and progress notes. b. Extreme restriction of mobility and severe pain. In that order of impact. This has been submitted and am waiting on a response from the VA. Should I request a response via the IRIS System? 7. I worked in real estate, flipping houses, buying, renting etc. to a couple of years ago. I only do the property management part now due to my back which doesn't allow me to do the restorations. Before that I was a DAC Safety & Occupationaql Health specialist, and Contract Administration. 8. I do not receive SSA disability benefits. I have not applied. the only other question s I have are in regard to after the VA decision: a. When can I hire a lawyer and do you recommend doing that? b. In the appeal process, do you submit an NOD and wait for their response rathet than straight to an appeal? I know this is a lot but this should solve so many of my problems and make things infinitely better thanks to everybody!

You are on it! This proves there are good caring people here willing to share hard earned knowledge. Yes by the letter it does demonstrate that it is in VA Developement. Don't you know it took moving heaven and earth to get that ball moving, since I have been working this for more than a year. Had someone had just taken half an hour to help me develope a coherent claim and given me a clue on the process. But since that did not happen, and yes I did join the DAV a filed through them, the claim was reopened on the incorrect form, got all jacked up, but finally consolidated to a more managegable format. 1. The part about the VA removing Pes Planus Left was done back in the 90's and it was choice 2 as you pointed out= VA pulling a fast one. There was no medical evidence that it had improved, and had been approved SC in 1990 10%, but I was willing to just let it go, and guess I will continue to let it go since I have enough problems without complicating it more. 2. "If I understand your question, you are asking how to determine the status of your depression claim which is secondary to other conditions" The Psychiatric claim (part 1 of 3) is in fact part primary and part secondary: a. Primariy due to an event during service. b. Secondary to injury incurred during service which is part of this claim and clear on 2 MRI's a year apart and connected to my service via emergency room and progress notes. 3. Parts 2 and 3 should be working properly since I have completed QTC Examinations on both. But yes, that is the issue How do I determine where the revised part 1 psychiatric/depression is in the VA system? I have submitted the following and DAV submittal receipts for them: 1. 21-4138 (Statement regarding VA Psychologist diagnosis and progress notes connecting revised item 1 to a service event and statement regarding the psychological effects of the back injury and reduction in mobitlity. 2. VCAA NOTICE RESPONSE 3. 21-4142 Authorization And Consent Asheville VA Medical Center Dr. XXXXXXX is my point of contact for relevant Psychiatric information. Connection for low back injury (spinal injury on active duty) with radiating pain into the buttocks and down both legs (peripheral neuropathy), lack of mobility and severe pain. 4. Asheville VA Medical Center Dr. XXXXXXX Diagnosis and progress notes. I guess the IRIS is worth a shot but like you said that may or may not be accurate. I have tried the 800 number on a couple occasions and that is meaningless. They can tell you anything at all and what proof do you have that you even talked to them, much less if they have the slightest idea what they are talking about. I have witnessed that myself. But at least after I get that psychiatric/depression QTC examination or whatever it is they decide to do with it I should be able to wait on a decision then design a plan from there. But again, in my experience, there is nothing inducing the VA into moving on anything. Give up, NEVER! Die, possibly! If I drive a couple hundred miles to my VARO could I get a current accurate update on my depression/psychisiatric portion of my claim or just a stone cold shoulder? I mean do they have an employee to deal with off the street vet questions regarding their claim? Hopefuly they will finish my claim because they are tired of jacking with me, sure wouldn't be because they take pleasure in a job well done. I have 1 other question but will post it separately

Isn't that something! I want to thank you for the moral support. This already makes me feel like a moron, then this only compounds the problem. I mean it doesn't exactly give you that additional confidence to continue the struggle. But on the other hand it does help knowing there are a precious few that do sympathize. There will come a day when I have amassed enough knowedge to be of help to others and I will not belittle others just starting out looking for help or assume they know what I know. Sorry for the rant, just frustrated. But you did help with the moral support.

I am a little, no let's got with a lot thick. I am trying to get around your response: Acronym Definition BUNO Bureau Number Is this right? what is this? If you have not looked at your "C" (Claim)File located at VA Regional Office or gotten copies of it you could be spinning your wheels. No I have not, I have ony been to our RO once, and water boarding looked like fun incomparison. Those were some arrogant individuals. So your recommendation is to go to my RO and get a copy of my claim, then what should I? Compare to what I have been told and what they have documrnted. If there are discrepancies that are not in my favor who/how do I do about getting that corrected? Like the long stream before me I am new, uneducated in VA speak/system and dependent on those that have been there before me. Thank you very much.

My question is how do I go about determing the status of the last portion (item 1) of my 3 item claim which I reopened through local chapter DAV Representation in April 2008. I started with 30% SC Disability which consisted of: 1. HALLUX VALGUS, LEFT STATUS POST BUNIONECTOMY 10% FROM 1/04/90 2. AETERIAL HYPERTENSION WITH CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA ON MEDICATION 10% FROM 1/04/90 3. HALLUX VALGUS RIGHT STATUS POST BUNIONECTOMY WITH PES PLANUS 10% FROM 1/04/9 4. HIGH FREQUENCY HEARING LOSS RIGHT EAR 0% 1/11/91 The VA removed HALLUX VALGUS LEFT in 1990 for reasons unknown but i did not disagree simply to avoid any further bureaucratic wrangling even though I am VA prescibed shoe inserts for bilateral HALLUX VALGUS. The current reopened claim, written verbatim, as instructed by my RO DAV Legal Representative is: 1. Service connection for depression, to include panic attacks secondary to service connected conditions. 2. Service connection for a low back injury (spinal injury on active duty) with radiating pain into the buttocks and down both legs (peripheral neuropathy). 3. Increased evaluation of all my service connected conditions. I have completed QTC examinations regarding 2 and 3. I did not think item 1 through, 1. Service connection for depression, to include panic attacks secondary to service connected conditions. I followed the DAV instructions blindly, which brought about the following incorrect result: From VA Letter 318 /DEV1 /SCS 16 DEC 08 "We are working on your application for service-connected compensation for depression to include panic attacks secondary to service connected conditions of hallux valgus, left status post bunionectomy with Pes Planus, high frequency hearing loss right ear, arterial hypertension with cardiac arrhythmia on medication." This equated to the VA as my pyschiatric disability deriving from: 1.Foot problems 2.Cardiac anomalies 3.Hearing loss Current claim item 1 revised by myself: To correct this inaccurate submission I submitted via registered USPS to the VARO and my DAV RO representative and informed the VARO via the IRIS Sytem (copy of DAV submital received) : 1. 21-4138 (Statement regarding VA Psychologist diagnosis and progress notes connecting item 1 to a service event and statement regarding the psychological effects of the back injury and reduction in mobitlity. 2. VCAA NOTICE RESPONSE 3. 21-4142 Authorization And Consent Asheville VA Medical Center Dr. XXXXXXX is my point of contact for relevant Psychiatric information. Connection for low back injury (spinal injury on active duty) with radiating pain into the buttocks and down both legs (peripheral neuropathy), lack of mobility and severe pain. 4. Asheville VA Medical Center Dr. XXXXXXX Diagnosis and progress notes. Since I am new here I really don't know where to post this question and request any advise I will post it here. I would appreciate moving it to the proper forum if this is wrong. I would approach my DAV representative but they do not respond to my queries, hence I turn to my peers for help. I prefer to be self sufficient and hate to ask but I don't see a way arond it. I do not have the knowledge yet and this may be time sensitive. To restate the question: how do I do determining the status of my revised psychiatric portion (1) of my claim? As in if there will be a QTC exam or how does it work? I do not have a clue. Any help would be great and would leave me better off than I am. PS: Sorry this is so long and convoluted.

Oh sir! They have offered me cortisone injections for both bilateral post bunionectomies and S1 nerve root problem, and am scared just plain stiff about anything the VA passes through my skin barrier. But flatline? I don't think so! I can muster up the guts to do whatever is called for when it is called for but sorry, you are a better man than me. They offered me the surgery route as secondary for the S1 problem which I am in complete accord with the gentleman that said if you can still move and stand the pain put it off. As long as I can put on my own pants on and live some kinda normal life, no surgery or injection for me and I would tell my own family the same thing. Heck, on the fron page there was a subject regarding VA/colonoscopy/HIV. I pesonally got Hep C, went through the interferon, when that was all there was for treatment, and got cured, but since I have never been an IV drug user, the only place that could have come from would be the active duty surgeries, vaccinations, or the VA stuff. Lesson I got was avoid anything that breaks your skin. some people don't give that enough credibility but you take a chance. Ask any Dr. Do not understimate the risk! just my take on it, some things are worth the risk, but just something to conssider. Thank you for the flatline info. I had no idea!