ArmyTexas

Yep long road indeed. many days of checking the mailbox.

Just wanted to update everybody on my NOD DRO Review that I submitted in March 2010 for My right and left Upper Radiculopathy. I was originally awarded 10%/10%. Migraines-not approved I put in a NOD asking for 30% right and 20% left and Migraines. Let them know that the 30% was appropriate for the dominant and 20% for the non-dominant. The DRO awarded 30% for the right and 20% for the left and that put me 100% schedular as of Jun 2010 when combined with the others. The migraines were again not approved, but I have to say that I am satisfied with the results. It took from March 2010 until June 2011 for the NOD to go thru the WACO RO. I must say that I am quite satisfied with the way WACO handled the my NOD. Everyone keep the faith in your claims.

As a man, I can honestly take offense to what you consider men being men. Society has changed Bro/Beg Red. Please don't group all men into that catagory to fit your opinion. When you comparing the military as being easier today, you fail to realize that weapon technology, physical fitness conditioning, and medical care have been improved so that is of course going to delete many taskes that were completed in different times of service. It's just another era and the only thing constant is change. We are all Vets and we took the oath to defend this country.

Just wanted to everyone an update on my appeal. March 2010 I sent my NOD in for a DRO Review went to a C&P for it in January 2011. I appealed the items below: Right upper Radiculopathy rated at 10% Left upper Radiculopathy rated at 10% Headaches from cervical denied. I received the DAV letter 1 week ago stated that the DRO granted my request to increase the R Upper to 30% and the L upper to 20%and my new rating is 100% with Chapt 35 benefits. I Couldn't believe it, it was exactly as I requested. I asked for 30% for the right since it was dominant and 20% for left since it was non-dominant. The headaches were still denied, but that takes me to 100% as of Jun 2010. The official letter is in the mail. Ebenefits is showing 100% and the 800 number said 100% P&T I'm still trying not to get excited until I get that official mailed letter from the VA, but atleast this is promising.

Thanks for the insight into the daily operations. I can definately understand why the things below will slow down claims. I also understand that you are not making the policy, you are only following it. No need for anyone to argue about right or wrong, you came here to let us know what's happening in the VA and how you see things in regards to claims. We appreciate the Intel and you opinions.

They were quick for me. They called and set it up for the next week. They work with you when it comes to the day. This was Dallas. The MES doc wrote up a good exam. I requested it from WACO and received it in a week.

I concur 100%.

Sorry but Atlants isn't the only RO. WE are all dealing with our own RO and none of them are perfect. All we can do is wait till the claim is down.

Thanks Berta. That's a good idea just to get it S/C even at 0%. I guess you never know what could happen down the road.

No cancer, they did do a bunch of biopsies to check. They came out negative.

Does anyone know if vocal chord disfuction is a rateable thing? I just came back from a week at National Jewish Health in Denver for my Asthma. They did a Bronc scope and an Upper GI scope and let me know that my Vocal chords are scarred from my GERD. Apparently I Asperate into my lung frequently. I am S/C for Asthma and GERD. Now I have this hoarse voice all the time from the chords. Thanks,

I was a Army Recruiter from 2003-2007. I've never heard of any such waiver. It there was one, it would need to come from the DOD or entry service. It would also be in your record if there was such a waiver. I had a few Med waivers that the MEPS doc or Service Doc waived, normally bad breaks in bones, elevated BP, or childhood Asthma. The MEPS Doctor would have sent you on a consult to a MH doc for and opinion. None of my enlistees ever signed anything stating that they would not seek VA compensation. It may not have been caused by service, but it could be aggrevated by service.

2 ways to go. 1. Find the records from Germany and they may state the true reason for the depression. 2. Talk with your doc, see if they feel that your depression is due to your service connected issues. If they say yes, ask them to write a letter or at least note it in the treatments records. If they say no, then yur just spinning your wheels.

I concur, I don't think I've ever read a positive post from broncovet on this or any other site. He might be on the Naughty list. I think the VA's doing the best they can at this point with what they have to work with. There's always a Debbie Downer in the crowd and you can Identify them quickly. In this crowd it's broncovet.

I stopped calling the 800 to verify anything. Ebenefits is working great for the WACO RO. The last 2 times I faxed things straight to them, It was posted in the history of the claim that they received it. each time it was 2 days after I sent it. This is how it's showing in my history. Maybe other RO's are not updating the system as much as Waco. RECEIVED A COPY OF PRESCRIPTION RECORDS 12/21/2010 21-4138 12/15/2010 document CVS pharmacy 12/15/2010 vcaa response 12/15/2010

Waco RO is updating the system regularly. I faxed med docs over recently and they showed up 1 day later in the claim history. They list the doctors name, type of document, and date received. I'm sure it will take a lot longer to make it to the C-file, but I have a record of it being received.

Sorry to hear about the bad experience with Dallas. I got the female doc. I looked her name up prior to the C&P and found out that she is on staff at the VAMC and she trains the new UT Southwestern people on Veteran's mental disorders before they start. The good thing is they SC the Anxiety, get the foot in the door. PTSD is an Anxiety disorder so they laid the foundation for you to build on. Hopefully the TMC records will put the nail in the coffin for your claim to get approved. Keep pressing and good luck.

Thanks everybody. I should include that the Clinical psycholgist at the Dallas VAMC conducted a great exam. It took about 1 1/2 hours and she went straight by the checklist. She even looked at the documents I took with me and made notes about them. Her witeup was great. She covered all bases, work, home, social and wrote down everything I said, then at the end she recapped everything I said from the checklist.

Waco service connected my depression at 50%. I called the DAV on Monday, he gave me the verbal. Yesterday I received the letter from the DAV, and this morning the retro hit the bank account. Went from 80% to 90%. They deferred my request for consideration for Asthma claim (daily prednisone use) for further development. I can say this RO has been following the rating chart on all my claims. I opened this one on May 26, 2010 and got the Direct deposit on December 8, 2010. A little over 6 months and that was including adding the Asthma reconsideration on September 9, 2010. DAV guy said they are working on NOD's submitted in Feb 2009 at this time if anyone has one with Waco.

Please if you have a particular problem that you need help with, please let us know and someone on this site will give you some good advise. Blanket rounds across the bow will not help your situation nor will we be able to help you. I think everyone on this site can understand your frustration. The VA is not perfect in any way, neither are we. End the end it all comes to evidence and time. You have to have the evidence and the time to wait and you will prevail in the end. It may take 1, 2, 3, or more years and make it's way to the top.

We all know that as you get older, our bodies age as well. (my personal opinion only)=not everything is a result off or caused by service when somethings are just part of the aging process. The scientific evidence does not lie, it just gets skewed to meet a certain goal. I think it should be awarded like any other claim that we submit. I am in know way trying to disrespect any vet by this reply and have the utmost respect for my fellow Vets that served before, during, and after I served. Just my opinion.

Someone please verify this. Pete is right, just cruel! It will not help our Vets on this site hanging on by a thread to get false hope.

I didn't see that anywhere in the 4667 on Govtrack, would be nice though!

Not a Vietnam Vet, but still a Vet.

Akaka did have some valid concerns. The Doc that said 80-90% is caused by what we eat, and our habits, family history. Hard to refute that. It will still get passed and go into effect. I just think that group should have had hard evidence when it came to IHD, If they would have, this hearing would not have been had today.