Rhodesia

Well let me tell you what I was told at the C&P exam......they said (VA) that since I have HBP while on active duty "I Did Not Seek Treatment For HBP, so Therefore My Service Connected Claim Is Therefore denied" that was my first denial back in 2004 right after I retired from the military. on March of 2006 I received a recall letter from the Defence Dept. and I was to report back to active duty from retirement. well after the physical at MEPS I was denied active service due to having Varicose veins and HBP. This letter was signed from the chief surgen after I requested a wavier which was also denied so I will never see active duty again. These were given to the VA as evidence to suport my claim but again the VA stated I Did Not Seek medical attention while on active duty so therefore AGAIN my claim was denied a second time. So I handed all of my SMR to the outpatient VA doctor that I see as an outpatient and he wrote his findings and I resent back to the DRO and 8 months later I received 0 percent. What is it with the VA that if you have a valed service connected claim and they see that you did not seek medical attention for it It never happened?

Thank you the response back, here was my question to the VA which no one would or give me an answer to my question, in another words I was given the "Be A team Player Look". For my Hypertension the VA gave me 0 percent instead of denying the claim this time, so my question is “if your on VA meds, how do they evaluate (measure) hypertension If you’re on VA meds to control HBP, how can the VA measure your disability?

Hello I have a rating for my HBP claim which the VA gave me 0 percent for service connected. it was a long fight to get this far say about 3 years. it has been more than a year now so what is the best approch to file for an increase for this condiction? I have been on medication for this condition since 2004 and received my rating in 2007. I noticed that the VA rating for 7101 Hypertensive Vascular Disease does not have a 0 percent listed this is what I was placed under for service connected. Thank for any help

Hello, I have a question on a service connected claim. I get 10 percent for my left knee due to an injury while on active duty. 1 year after I was awarded SC I submitted for an increase due to having pain issue's in my knee. I was turned down at that time but the C&P doctor did say on my denial letter that I will have continue knee problems. so three years later and more pain I'm looking into doing a increase on my SC. I have asked for a consult for an Orthro Pedic because when I see the VA doctor here as an outpatient he always brings up why the military did not issue me a knee brace. The C&P doctor also said the same thing but you know the story with the VA. well anyway My question is should I wait until after I have my consult before I put in for a increase? Oh by the way as I was reading my patient notes after my C&P I did notice that when you come in to check in to have a C&P exam the VA writes down how you were dressed, how you came to the VA, by car, bus, car pool, how you were walking, did you show any pain, if you were laughing, having a good time how you were sitting it was like they observe you prior to you having your C&P exam and all this gets entered into your patient notes and for some reason play a major role in the rating board.

Thank you very much I will take the advice, I'm going to work on my hearing claim that was denied last week they must have over looked my evidence I sent with my claim letter or my evdence never made it to the rating board due to the fact that I had called to find out why my evdence was not submitted. My veterans Rep I'm working with has proof we submitted it for the claim but well you know the story. Again thank you and anyone else out there that can point me in the right direction.

Thank you for the reply I have seen the Vascular Specialist (Surgern) private and with a consult from my VA Doctor, did not help in my claim because it seems that the VA only takes the results from who they contract with for C&P exams. it's funny because when the VA sends you to their people you are normal, but when you see your own doctor or specialist then you are not. it's funny how that works. well anyway My VA doctor that I see as an outpatient did pricribed me Compression Tet hose been wearing them for about 3 years but the VA is still stuck on why I did not seek medical attention while on active duty, it's like they are stuck on just one side of the issue. I had all the vscular test done by the surgern through the VA that is why I'm wearing the prescription Tet hose from the va and I met in the rating for 10%. I even submitted my recall to active duty physicals as well which I was turned down for varicose veins with no waiver possible for this. But this does not seem to have any effect with the VA for some reason or another. My NOD has been up at the VA for 2 years now and I still keep submitting paperwork and all they can tell me is that it is sitting on someones desk waiting to be looked at and they only have 1 person that reviews all incoming NOD's.

Hello and thank you for the replies, The VA gave no reason just that they felt that this condition was A PRE EXSITING CONDITION which was highlited in black letters, they beleive that since I did NOT seek medical attention while on active duty then my condition does not warrant a service connected claim. and yes it does say that in my denial letter. The funny thing is that this condition is noted on my health record from the marines. So where does the VA get from saying that this is a prexsiting condition I have no ideal. I also have a claim for hearing loss since I was a tanker for over 22 years in the marines. I already get 10% for ringing in my eas which is getting worse and my last hearing test from the VA say I have heaing loss due to military service but I was 1 decibel off from getting service conected for it in both ears. The VA did issued me hearing aids and would you belive that the VA told me in the letter that just because I have hearing aids from the VA does NOT consitute a hearing loss because the VA has corrected my hearing loss due to the hearing aids for there for I have no claim to file. go figure!!!! I did file a NOD on this one was informed that I would not hear anything for about couple of years.

Hello I have 22 years in the military and retired in 2003. I was recalled back to active duty on 2006 and was turned down for service due to having varicose veins. This condition has been noted on my military health records during my time in service. Per the MEPS doctor this condition is a NON waverable, so to make it short no more active duty for me. I then proceded to file a service conected claim for this condition. I sent the VA everything they had requested to include my MEPS physicals stating the reason for not being able to go back on active duty and a copy of my recall letter from DOD. I'm working with a VRO as well to help me in filing this claim. in short I have been turned down for service conected for this condition and now resubmitted a NOD to the VA AGAIN. the last letter I received from the VA stated that this condition was a pre existing prior to military service Yea right like I had this condition when I joined the military on my 17th birthday. I did not have varicose veins at age 17. the letter also states that I have to prove that the military agavated this condition and also my military service health record does show I have varicose veins after my 10th year in service but I did not seek medical attention. So at this point it is still up at the VA waiting on the descision with a notice of NOD and in the meantime I have been submitting medical records from the VA hospital and private doctor and a vascular surgen as well in suport of my claim. The local VA doctor here has precribed me compression tet hose to wear, so my question is am I just spinning my wheels in fighting this claim? thank you for any response or recommendations that you may have.