retiredat44

Ok, My long story, Petroleum chemicals made me sick on active duty, USAF, etc.. had pancreas surgeries at VA. Failed, now pancreas is necrotizing and dying, many other problems, currently at 60% rating. (been on VA disability for 20 years, and SSDI for 20 years.) Claims in for many problems connected to service. Going through many years of appeals. Now I get a letter form the appeals board saying it is being remanded back to the VA, because they said I filed a timely appeals for a video hearing, for 1151 claim (I filed an 1151 because the pancreatic surgeries failed leaving me with an inoperable dying pancreas and many more disease , spent 6 months in the VA hospital a while back fighting for my life) Of course they denied my 1151, but never answered my request for the NOD and appeal for the 1151. I received no hearing. (just go this remand letter in the mail today! ) So, the appeals board remanded it back to the VA. meanwhile 2 years ago I moved form the crazy (lovely?) state of California to the crazy state of Oregon. I was represented by the American Legion in San Diego, long story! There is no American Legion here so I had my representative changed to the Salem VA office. They treated me like I had never field a claim and told me they would not help. I have chance to hire another lawyer, but have to sell a car, but car got messed up with a bad headgasket, so I haven't sold it yet, to buy another lawyer. (I know, I have sidetracked, but I feel I have no representation, but also feel if the Salem VA get's involved they will continue to treat me badly. Time is ticking, I need to get moving if I want more IMO's for my case! I will post a copy in the coming hours or days of the letter. Not sure if that is even needed. But if it would help with more ideas from all of the wonderful people here! Most of the info I posted is already buried deep in old threads. Thanx! Though I have no posted lately, I am ok here in Oregon, love living out in the country, much higher quality of life, at least for me and family! btw, if someone calls me a transplant, I remind them I lived here as a child in the 1950's and visited family every year. I just returned like the Salmon do!

my case with all of the petroleum chemicals has just been moved to the appeals docket... to much info to list here, but this site has lots of my past posts with more info

I just got notice my Veterans disability appeals is on the docket to go before a board of judges.... so it is inching closer.. I really need to hire a new lawyer before that, as I need all the legal help I can get, as it is a fight to the death when the VA fights you over benefits! My fight has been going on for 20 years with the VA.. actually it started when I got very sick on active duty many, many years ago... I still have not been able to sell a car I have to hire a new lawyer... but anyways, it has been moved up the chain onto the docket...

Hi, right now, I cannot afford to hire anyone, I need to sell a car first, which I am in the process of doing. It blew ahead gasket, and was repaired, and ready to sell. But, I have a pressing concern. First, the debacle at the Salem VA< where they treated me so badly. A few weeks later, they called and told me they didn't know I had claims in San Diego pending, and going to appeals. I don't understand why they didn't understand I had a lot of claims that were denied and pending, I told them I moved here from there and had claims denied, and I a VSO down there. When I got here, I found out the American Legion stopped doing claims, and that I had to move my claims to their office, at the Salem Oregon VA. So, a few weeks ago, when they basically told me to F&*&^%% off, unless I had more evidence, and this supervisor had written the whole process over a chalk board, wasting my time telling me I was stupid. Then the underling, called me back telling me they found out had existing claims. OK, now, before I can get some money together to hire DR. Bash, or the person you recommended, I need to send in an NOD, the 1151 is going to expire, it was denied many months ago. In October it will go as just denied with no response. This VSO told me to F*&*% off, so I am on my own. I don't even know where to send it, I got the address written somewhere around here. I am sending it to the Portland VA claims. I just need to keep it alive. I will explain my reason why I disagree with them giving me the big rubber 'No' stamp. Basically, they punctured my pancreas with a needle, during a procedure, leaving me with 'Necrotizing Pancreatitis'. Which is killing me. So that is what is going on right now.

I will be sending info to John soon,, gotta sell a car for money everything went kind of bad, and now don't have all of the cash for a bit... but am going to follow through for the consult and hopefully get my claims rolling again... I am very enthused about getting a jumpsart again.. I thought I was dead and sunk from the terrible experience at the VA here.. and the VSO's who run those offices near me ! ... after a chat I am upbeat ! .. I just need to get my personal problems out of the way in these next 2 weeks... the only other obstacle is that I have too many boxes of documents.. and have to figure out ( I have guidance on the which are the most important documents to send) which are the most important to send those who are able to make this whole thing come together... that is very hard to do from a long distance.

Ok, I just wrote an e-mail to John Dorle. I asked him what he needs to help me. I attached the link and more information, and some background info. Thank you all ! This board is amazing with better brains here then all of the legal people I have been to.

Ok, I see the steps for the 1151. So, contact the doctor who can write a support for the evidence, get a letter, enclose it with the support, the SOC, and get proof of mailing... My brain is so fogged over, could not see or understand, now it looks easier.. before I got my IMO, I wrote Dr. Bash several times, but never got an answer back then... I just thought he thought it wasn't something he was interested in, and never answered..

I have never had a VA doc do either, neither help me support it, nor discourage it... in fact, when I had 100 morning consultations with expert doctors in pancreas disease, (every morning a briefing at my hospital bed for 6 months) they asked me about exposure to stuff for cause, I told them that it was chemicals not alcohol. They accepted that,, I am damned sure they put that in their reports... but never did any doctor at the VA reach out to help... or say not claim anything,,, no word at all about such matters. Even when I bring up the subject of claims... they seal their lips like they are under orders to not talk.. which I cannot understand.. you would think they would help... maybe not directly,. but at least help in any way...

ok,, down to basics,, how do I revive my rejected 1151? I just don't know what to do, also, I guess I am on my own, as the VSO is just telling me I am, on my own... do I file some reconsideration with mention of some cases? Again I was told that the 1151 (that was denied, is still active until October for whatever reason...) do I state the obvious about the reason? Due to surgery, I got necrotizing pancreatitis... ? and many other permanent disabilities, Splenic Vein Thrombosis, and more... I have to dig out the documents, but in any case they were all VA surgeries.. so I have to try to read them and state what's already in their records? sorry, I just don't understand why I have to do this when, they have al of it anyways,, plus I can only tell them info from my perspective, I am no surgeon.. so, I think I did the NOD, if not I can do that, or disagreement, or are these stated cases more evidence? If I file on my own, I just write it on a statement form, in my own words, or are there some phrases I must use? Thank you very much! You give me hope!

I am going to try very hard to read over all of everything,, mu brain is so foggy with this VA paperwork, like I said I am out of my depth... I am considering just doing al claims on my own,, and stop being treated so badly by VSO's. I don't think I could be any worse on drugs and not thinking straight... I have an ongoing issue with swollen limbs and need to make an appointment... I have had swelling for many years and right now it is pretty bad.. I could not make an appointment last week because my life is hell.. I lost my car when the engine blew last week. now I have transportation again,, I will submit the new round of exams for the swelling after I get those appointments.. as that will be new evidence.. and like I said,, probably file on my own.... I just hate thinking I will word things wrong.. but the VSO was so mean and evil, it sounded like they told me to go away... they said don't come back unless I get more evidence... you know that photo of my table of documents.. I showed them that... I bet they wouldn't read it if their life depended on it... Also, what about them not needing to list al evidence, that is inferred they weighed it only because they received it...??? how can you get proof if evidence has not been listed in decisions?? makes absolutely no sense to me.. wish I could get these people disbarred,, but they have no real license anyways... I am sorry I don't understand everything you try to help me with.. I will sort through overt the coming days.. as my 1151 is still open, I was told by the VSO, until October... not sure what else I can submit... for the 1151. I forgot the add the VSO thought they turned down my TDIU because I am only at 60%. but, I was so angry I am not sure if I was hearing things, or what...

I started my last group of claims in 2009. I wanted to in 2008, but after almost dying and hospitalized for many months... the VSO at the service agency said they could not get me an appointment for many months. I started with many claims again, I was sick on active duty from chemicals. I worked with fuels, and other. I filed for more disability claims, I had already won a claim for 50% for headaches on active duty for chemicals. I got sick from jet fuel, leaded gasoline, diesel fuel, and then trichloroethylene. I was told and my command were told I could no longer with chemicals because of severe reactions, severe swelling and headaches. and rashes. They USAF then made me with more chemicals, Trichloroethylene. I got sick again. I had to leave the USAF after 5 years. Anyways, I my filed claims, the VSO typed fuels in the claims form. All of the decisions come back with only jet fuel listed in the denials. Brings me to now. I left San Diego, last year and moved to Oregon. I moved my claims to the VSO in Salem. They said just try for TDIU. I was ambushed by a C&P exam doctor who was just out to use anything she could against me! No impartial exam here! I was denied. I got an appointment with the VSO again, and the supervisor and her sat me down, and tried to tell me the VA has no obligation to list al of the chemicals I worked with. As they only list jet fuel. They say the IMO I gave them was very good, but that since the studies included did not include al chemicals and the ones that did only had animal studies for chemical exposure, they were not good enough. I was told life is tough suck it up! I was told to get more IMO's as it is a battle of experts. And that we just have to have more then the VA. They also infer there is no relationship between the fuels and disease. They just hammered me like they were actually pure advocates for the VA and not me! I was and I am total shock that they had no sympathy for me! Horrible! I wish I had a tape or transcript for the world to see the abuse we get in the VA claims process! They read to me what happened in the VA failed VA surgery, not sure which one, the first or second attempt to removed a large cyst on my pancreas that had been growing for at least 20 years while I begged for help while they treated me like I was mentally ill ending me to head doctors, instead of helping my pancreas disease! Apparently they punctured a part of my pancreas with a needle or surgical instrument and which sent me into a 6 month death spiral in the hospital. It left me with a dying inoperable pancreas disease on one notch from cancer. I have necrotizing pancreatitis, no hope of any future surgeries. I will kill me at any time, the surgeons cannot tell me how long I have left. I live by eating with morphine for pain. BTW, the pain doctor at the VA in Oregon sucks! crazy people here... They think you can just will your way out of pain! Who's the loon !!?? Again, I wish I could have transcripts, so everyone can see the abuse! The VSO here is an advocate for the VA and against claimants! I am not making this stuff up! They demand I get more evidence, more IMHO's at $2,000 a pop! (that is a scheme to drain your resources and kill the will of the claimant, as the VA has no accountability in the process. no oversight) Period. There is no way to know what they base their decisions on if in fact they do not have to list al evidence as according to the direct words of the supervisor of my VSO! I am way out of my depth here as we should not need to have a lawyer preset every time we speak to anyone for any VA agency, yet they take every word and twist it into complete b.s. and lies! We need help in fighting the VA, it is not possible for sick people go into this process and be ambushed by ever those who are suppose to help us with claims! Yet they are actually sabotaging our claims. They supervisor actually had the nerve to say I had necrotizing pancreatitis long before the failed operations at the VA. Telling me that something life sucks and to suck it up. One more thing, my father who was a Navy disabled vet who died young from CPOD. They said he had a nerve condition which I inherited. There is no proof, only that at one time they questioned me about my family's health and that I had stated he was shaky and sick, as so most people who are dying of CPOD. They said I said he was shaky so that means he gave the gene to me. Total B.S. They asked what the edema is, that I still from, as I did from the chemicals on active duty. I was so swollen, my limbs broke open bleeding. My arms and legs are still swollen, Sore take forever to heal. I am still being treated for these conditions at the VA. The VSO asked me if I still l am swollen, and I said yes I am. it is permanent, on more condition form pancreas disease. I did file an 1151 for the medical problems and near death, and a fatal disease. I was told by the VSO that unless it causes death by negligence they will not help me pursue that either! The VSO stated with will no longer move my claims to appeals without more evidence. I am so angry, so mad, I really want to send this letter to a congressmen to let them know the abuse we take by the VA scum! If someone if offended too bad! I If I said what I really think, I would be kicked off this board for going way way too far! but believe me, to far isn't far enough! This struggle is too much for me too take, everyday I wake up to sick to die, shove the pain pills, and 15 other pills down. And to top this off I know the day I die is coning, I just don't know if it's 5 minutes or???? The surgeons tell me it usually comes with jaundice, and to watch for yellow skin and eyes. I forgot the mention my blood pressure can be very erratic, either very high of very low in an attack. In an attack I am helpless to do anything! Not even stand. Just curl up crying for hours or days. dealing with rotten people should be an advocates job, not a sick Veteran's!

I sent this to my service officer to clear up some of the continuing lies, from the VA, in my claims: I Steven *** have been trying to get this claim problem straightened out with the VA, since my first claims filed, since my first claims in the 1990's. There is either a misunderstanding, or the VA is a purposely refusing to acknowledge that I worked with and was sickened by all of the following chemicals on active duty. Gasoline (Leaded), Jet-Fuel, Diesel Fuel, Trichloroethylene. I worked as a Fuels Specialist, and worked with Gasoline (leaded), Jet-Fuel, Diesel Fuel daily. I was soaked in those chemicals daily. I was sickened by those chemicals, and the U.S.A.F. doctors determined they made me very sick. The command was notified, and I was removed from that job. I was placed in a new job, at a weather squadron, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. My duty had no chemical exposure. After a few weeks I was told to report to a new job. I was again working with petroleum chemicals (Trichloroethylene), which were used to clean printing presses. I again became very sick. I had no choice but to leave the U.S.A.F. because I had lost all jobs due to illnesses from chemicals. (5 years active duty). When I claimed for V.A. disability, I told the VA it was for all of the chemicals. Every decision the V.A. denies, they only deny Jet-Fuel related claims. They always fail to discuss all of the chemicals which made me sick. I told the V.A. so many times, I cannot count the times. At the DRO hearing (San Diego), I told them over and over about all of the chemicals. I told the DRO hearing that the other fuels were also a part of my every day contact, and that I was soaked in them every day. I was soaked in them from filling fuel tanks, with open and closed nozzles, distributing fuels, testing fuels, leaky valves, and more. My clothing and skin were soaked every day on active duty with these chemicals. I was then again soaked with Trichloroethylene from cleaning printing presses, the injuring continued from exposure (Repro-graphics specialist). The headaches, the extremely swollen skin and limbs. So swollen, that my limbs were bleeding from the skin unable to expand further. I want this part of the record. I have made printed and oral statements to correct the record with V.A. claims, but every attempt has been ignored. Please, finally make this part of the record. Add it to or find the records, if my earlier statement were destroyed, ignored, whatever. I am pleading for this to be done honestly and correctly, as this misunderstanding is from no-fault of my own, I am not a lawyer, and have no idea how to make sure these omissions by the V.A. can be corrected by any others way, except to make again one more statement, among many, about this huge problem with my claim not handled properly.

Hi, Finally found a thread (that was no closed )and place to add my question or statement about travel vouchers.. I use travel vouchers, and leave them at the VA clinics and hospitals to reimburse my travel expenses. It looks like they changed them again! at the Portland Oregon VA Hospital, I went to fill out a form, and it was changed again, it is no longer simple. I have very shaky hands and am pissed to find they added lots more Redundant B.S. to the form, where it appears you have to answer the same question posed in several questions! No help on what they want. Just put it in there and hope it doesn't mess with your voucher. As usual, it is impossible to get help, they travel office is either closed, or too many people flood it during the day. Then you leave it in a drop box, unless you want to camp out al day to ask them questions. I do not know why they totally complicated the damned form! Does some idiot look at the forms and looks for ways to screw them up? By the time I get a few lines down, my hands shake so bad, it is so hard to make it legible. They should just ask name, SS, contact info, and location and date. Type of appointment is ok. But now it asks who is filling out the form, and if the same as the vet, then why do we have to fill out both sections? The form does not give an option to say same person, and who cares who is filling it out??? wtf?? They just keep making the process a pia!

where did the va get this 123 day waiting time? I thought I saw that in some report? I think it is 123 years, not days..

I had prior approval form the va for an outside hospital. The VA sent me to the outside hospital in an ambulance. That hospital was not paid, and I had to go to fee *** (I forgot that office name at the va, I think the name is 'fee basis' ?) I received all the bills, and had to submit all the bills to the VA fee Basis office (the Fee Basis office was not an office you could walk into, only by phone, mail, and fax). The bills all rolled into my mailbox, and they rolled in for a year... the va did not pay them so they sent the bills to bill collectors... and I kept send them back to the va... This was when I was in the hospital for 6 months fighting for my life.. it took over one year for the bills to be paid. Only then did the outside hospital and doctors get off my back. and they were the ones who physically sent me there in an ambulance during an emergency when the VA hospital ran out of beds. So, the VA did not pay them until long after they tried to ruin my credit. It was hell trying to do al this while still getting back on my feet after I lost the ability to walk, eat, talk... taking 90 pills a day and morphine.. so I do not trust the va to send us to any outside doctors!

what really pisses me off is that no one at the VA claims divisions are on the vets side, they are all against us. or am I paranoid?

So, I was watching some TV station, a whistleblower had turned in some VA agency for destroying VA disability claim files.. has anyone else seen it, has a link, etc?

Would those Vets that put TDIU claim in, and it took along while, do you happen to know why it took so long? the normal, VA claims just sucks, like everything else, or was it because they needed something, slow region, any tangible reason? I am really wondering what is taking so long, I put mine in last November 2013, and it is now almost July 2014. Usually I get a denial within 4-6 months.. Not saying I expect a denial, but it seems to be taking forever. I moved from the extremely slow California, to Oregon, and it appears Oregon is no faster with VA Claims. Thanx

I wonder if anyone else here is in Oregon? is it normal for the VA in Oregon to be as slow as in California? I find that pretty bad if it is the same everywhere... California should set the benchmark for F'd up and slow...

Snake Eyes,, your question makes me think of how they reviewed one of my ratings to see if they could change it so they could reduce or remove one of my conditions and ratings so I would no qualify for TDIU filing.. so now it looks like al that time was wasted, as it was also used as a stall to avoid giving me TDIU, or at least delay it... so now I have to wait even longer because of al the time wasted when they sent me for a C&P exam for an old issue I won a claim for many years ago... so now I am back to where my claim started before that run-around...

Only one point... that's impossible... if I only had one??? #3 total communication breakdown, they will only tell, not listen... if they have info, no matter how wrong or twisted, they consider it fact, period. #2nd would have to be deny, deny, until the poor sob dies.

well, I got the decision on the ambush exam to see if I still suffer from headaches. They said I still suffer. So it was an ambush review to try to stop me from my tdiu claim and all my other claims. They tried to review my permanent disability to avoid giving me my benefits. And future benefits. At least I won. Which means I am still where I started. Still no decision on my other claims. The years just crawl by. So, if you think they will never review your old claims they will, and they will see if they can reverse any old decisions. They are evil.

I think maybe they are considering to shut down va hospitals and send us to regular hospitals.. that would be a huge mistake. The VA hospitals are not the problems, it is the system that manages them, and are control freaks.

Well, it has been 6 weeks or more, still no decision... since the crappy C&P exam. and for my TDIU decision. Although I have many open claims, this is the last before they go to appeals. I really expect a decision at around 2 months after the last exam, which means in the next few weeks. Oregon seems to be not any faster than California, in regards to the pace at which claims are gone through.

I just went through a c&p exam (the big ambush I posted about recently)). My rep said let's do a TDIU. I asked my previous rep who said don't. I was pissed. I have many appeals in the oven. So, I am awaiting the TDIU decision. I have been on SSDI for 25 years. I can never work again, my medical records totally back me up. I am just waiting for the TDIU decision, and my claims need to get to appeals after this decision, no matter what I want them all to go through appeals. Not sure how long for the decision. I had the last c&p in April 2014.