navydoc2

so they went back a year to get your eed date, i'm asking because I submitted a tdiu claim in feb but stopped working last feb, so i'm wondering if approved will they go back to my date of last employment,or just my claim date.thanks and again thanks for the hope you give us still in the battle.

congrats so will they go back to date last worked for all tdiu or just if you are approved for ssd?

name='GruntDaddy' date='Jul 11 2009, 03:28 PM' post='154058'] Supposed to buuuuuut it is the VA. Hey, another thing you can do is get an eval stating when you became totally disable and not able to sustain any work. They are supposed to go back to the date you became totally unemployable. Might even go back to when you started getting SSDI. Not totally sure about all the avenues they can take on this. Billy congrats!!! Can anyone tell me what the criteria is for VA going back to to date of last employment as opposed to file date. I'm confused by that can anyone clarify. I am not yet appied for SSD just TDIU. Is this only the case for ssd claims?

congrats, so is it safe to say when you get a brown envelope its a denial and white for approval?

congrats and thanks for being an inspiration to those of us who are still fighting.

tell them what you are going through with your family and kids, what a day (your worst) looks like for you. You have to make sure you paint a picture for the examiner so they understand what life is like for you on a day to day basis; from how hard it is to get up to how you feel so bad that you can't leave the house due to depression. Good luck hope this helps.

Thanks, So far I have not missed any; learned my lesson with my right knee.

name='purple' date='Jul 5 2009, 07:16 PM' post='153013'] Date of your claim. Thanks wasn't sure since they were making such a big deal about when I last worked.

I have been unemployed since Feb of 09 will they go back to the date of my last job or from the date of the claim. Thanks

name='john999' date='Jul 4 2009, 08:46 PM' post='152931'] Navydoc Being an in-patient might really help your cause. Also, steady record of psychiatric treatment is very important for IU claims. You want documentation of your inability to work and your low level of functioning. You are getting good advice here. The VA knows that once you get IU you will never work again, so they make it hard to get it. I had been seeing a VA shrink for years and had a recent in-patient stay, and I still had to fight like cats and dogs to get IU even after I got SSDI, so it is not easy. You have to turn over every rock and jump through every hoop to get it. People here have been on SSDI for years and the VA still denied them IU or 100%, and they had to fight on to get it. Don't be discouraged because they make it hard and act stupid when you know you can't work due to your SC. Believe me I do appreciate the advice I've received here, I've learned more about my claims and how to go about the whole process here than any advice a VSO has ever given me. I'm taking notes and sucking it in like a sponge. thanks to you guys I'm an informed veteran. If the need arises I will not hesitate to go inpatient and I do plan on continuing my treatment.

Yeah I didn't know that until I asked my psych doc to write a statement on my behalf to the board and he claimed that he could not do it due to VA rules.

I recieve treatment in the form of meds from my VA psychiatrist for the last three years, when I was working I had the medical insurance that allowed me to get other treatment. Unfortunately at that time I thought I was okay and did not seek treatment other than taking the meds the VA doc prescribed. I no longer have that luxury since I have not worked in a year and a half. I guess what surprises me is that I requested an increased rating due to depression and bilateral hearing loss with tinnitis. I did not ask for tdiu, after I submitted my paperwork for my claim, the VA told me I was eligible for IU, It would suck if they asked me to apply; I do and they deny my claim based on their own c&p agrees that I'm more depressed than the 30% I'm rated now. Do I really have to be suicidal and inpatient to prove that I'm unemployable or severely depressed. How does IU work anyway I applied for the increased rating in Feb 09, but lost my job in Feb 08 will they go back to my job loss or from date of the claim.

Thanks John999. Yes I know all too well what a few words can do, They used the fact that I had surgery in high school to deny service connection for my right knee. I'm hoping that I get bumped up to 70% from 30% at worst. The only doc I've used in the last three years is the VA psychiatrist who claims he cannot write an opinion on my claim, but I think they review his notes.

No I have not applied for ssdi, I have been unemployed for a year and a half now. I wanted to wait and see what the VA decision would be.

The GAF of 50 from seeing what I have read here was a good thing, like you I think she left the door open for the VA to pounce on the the words "occasional" and "functioning satisfactorily with routine behavior". Its easy to function when you don't leave the house much.

I don't think there is any specific area, the basis for the training is for the veteran to find a job that does not make their disabilities worse, whatver that my be from being a barber to more educational training it depends on your aptitude from the test you took and your goals. hope this helps good luck.

Congrats to you Iraqx, I feel your frustration of not being able to do the things you want for your young ones, now go enjoy the fruits of your hard work.

Thanks all. You see Pete when I first read that it seemed to me they where denying the bilateral hearing loss but agreeing that the tinnitis was service connected. Berta my current rating for depression is 30% I am 10% service connected for my left knee. So good to have people to bounce things off thank you.

I received copies of my c&p physicals today for both my claims of increased depression and bilateral hearing loss with tinnitis. Here are the findings of the increased depression: I also have a TDIU claim Axis I Major Depression Axis II defer Axis III See Med list Axis IV Unemployment Axis V GAF score is 50 The veteran cannot work due to anxiety, agoraphobia and worsened depression The prognosis is guarded. He is mentally capable of managing benefit payments in his own best interest. Mentally, he occasionally has some interference performing activities of daily living because of his left Knee and depressive problems. He has difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work/school and social relationships because of his isolation. The best description of the claimant's current psychiatric impairmentis: psychiatric symptoms cause occupational and social imparment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent inability to perform occupational tasks although generally the person is functioning satisfactorily with routine behavior, self care and normal conversation. The above statement is supported by the following symptoms: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, chronic sleep impairment and mild memory loss such as forgetting names directions or recent events . He has no difficulty understanding commands. Based upon the examination, the claimant needs to seek follow up treatment. The claimant requires therapy and medication management. This information was conveyed to the claimant during the examination. The claimant does not appear to pose any threat of danger or injury to self or others. Audiology: puretone right 500hz 1000hz 2000hz 3000hz 4000hz b+C+ 30 40 35 50 40 41.25 left 500hz 1000hz 2000hz 3000hz 4000hz b+C+ 35 40 40 65 60 56.25 Diagnosis: For the claimant's claimed condition of BILATERAL HEARING LOSS, the diagnosis is bilateral hearing loss. The subjective factors are the claimant report of hearing loss. The objective fators are audiometric findings. For the claimant's claimed condition of TINNITUS, the diagnosis is bilateral persistent tinnitis. The subjective factors are claimant report of tinnitus. The objective factors are the claimant's subjective report. For the right ear, the claimant has moderate, mixed (sensorinural and conductive) hearing loss. For the left ear, the claimant has a moderately severe mixed (sensorineural and conductive) hearing loss. If treated the problem will cause a change in the hearing threshold level because resolving any middle ear pathology can improve air conduction thresholds. Answers to the questions from VA In reference to the question "IT IS LESS LIKELY AS THAN NOT THAT THE VETERAN'S HEARING LOSS IS RELATED TO ACOUSTIC TRAUMA FROM COMBAT NOISE", due to the presence of an air-bone gap bilaterally with flat tympanograms normal ear canal volumes and absent ipsilateral acoustic reflexes. It is as least as likely as not that the veteran's tinnitis is related to acoustic trauma from combat noise due to the reported time of onset and the noises inherentin those duties that are known to cause tinnitis. If anyone can shed some light on these findings and what to expect from my RSO please help me. thanks in advance. navydoc

Good newsyippee!!!! congrats

I'm starting to feel the same way about the DAV, they are representing me an and I've submitted a claim in Feb, and the only thing I've heard from them were three request for money but noting about my claim. So I feel your frustration canon

I was rated 40% service connected in Sept of 07 and was able to start classes in the fall. The first thing they do is give you an aptitude test to see if your aptitude matches your educational goals. They then want your education to support your disabilities. Hope that helps. Good luck oops I'm sorry I meant the spring semester.