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ssg_rw_brown
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Posts posted by ssg_rw_brown
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May I ask what symptoms you have that rate you 100% TBI? or is that to personal?
The thing about CT and MRI is that even if they show something, you may get SC, but they are useless for rating functional impairment.By law, in order to get higher than a 40% rating in the attention and memory facet of the TBI DC8045, functional impairment must be seen on objective testing. This testing is neuro-psychological testing. This testing and this testing alone can determine the difference between functional impairment due to TBI or PTSD. There is little reason to pursue imaging when you must have this testing for a proper rating anyway. In most cases of mild or moderate tbi(the type of tbi at the time of injury), it is N-P testing that proves TBI.
I'm rated 100% for TBI. I've had many CT and MRI scans. There is nothing on them.
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yes it's SC with a low rating 10% We go for the Neuro on the 23rd at the VA it is with the head of the TBI department there, I'm not sure if it's just neuro or neuro psych but i'm going so I will be able to ask lots of questions
He has never had a MRI that I"m aware of. He has no paralysis but short term, memory loss, change in personality, problems making decisions, passing out for no known reason, changes in taste, anxiety, depression, ect. ect.
Well, I have some questions.Was TBI service connected at all? Or was it service connected and the rating low?
Of course you should NOD.
Has he had Neuro-psychological testing? If he has not, he has not been fully evaluated. This is the most important aspect of TBI evaluation in the absence of obvious paralisis.
"He goes for a complete Neuro work up ". Is this with a neurologist or neuro-psychologist?
I'm going to disagree with Alan. Most closed head injuries do not show up on MRI. So unless there is obvious paralisis(a weak side of the body, slured speach, ect. the things we can readily see) a neurologist is usually usless. I suggest neuro-psychological evaluation if it hasn't been performed over a neurologist in every situation when a veteran does not have obvious paralisis.
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Yes, he is SC at 10% , angry because I think he qualifies for the at least a 40% by what I'm reading.
I'm sorry to hear that your going through this.Psychiatrists are not neurologists.
You will need to get an MRI that shows a diagnoses of TBI.
Look for lesions in the white matter. Stay away from VA Doctors if at all possible for the neuro workup.
On Hadit we have a TBI section. Go there & look over the symptoms carefully. If he was exposed to any IED's or physical trauma, don't let them push it off as just a mental issue.
With TBI it's very difficult to keep things altogether & get it across to Dr's. You can go to the VAMC team Social Worker and get a medical power of attorney filled out. This will insure that you can be present during "all" examinations & medical decisions on your husbands behalf, including C&P's.
Make sure to always have a small tablet to take notes. Make sure to request copies of "all" medical examination, diagnostic workups & treatment records on the request form.
It took the VA over ten yrs to finally diagnose me with TBI. Getting someone to focus on the symptoms & diagnostic tests results at the same time was a problem.
If it's TBI it will show on the MRI and they won't be able to get around it with it's just "PTSD", depression or a figment of his imagination.
Hang in there. You have a fight on your hands. Keep pushing for those diagnostic tests & get copies of everything.
Allan
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My husband had his C & P and we got the rating back last week. I am so frustrated and agrivated I just want to rip my hair out. I knew it would not be good but to see it in black and white just made me so angry.
First I acutally went into the C & P with him. I hadn't before because they wouldn't "allow"me to. But after research when the C& P rater said "do you need to be here" my husband said I would like her to be and he said "oh, o.k" that simple! Wow!
So we go into the room and he asks my hsuband all these questions and when he would say well I dont' think it's a problem but my wife would disgree I would explain. I would even raise my hand and ask if I could comment and he would say yes, and write as I spoke. So i thought he might be listening....wrong....Everything we said he said no, I don't think it's TBI it's the PTSD. Which angered me because at the PTSD hearing they said it was all the TBI!
Everything I read about TBI and the symptoms associated with it I brought up. The change in tastes, he said awe that's just a preference. Problems with concept of time and place, when he passes out and comes to he thinks he's in Iraq. The sleep deprivation, the change in personality, the anger and hostility, the paranoia. Not being able to make minute decisions such as what to have for dinner. Calling me 30 times a day to ask me a how to do the littlest thing, the C & P guy just "poo poo" it as irrelevant! and then when we go the ruling letter nothing, I mean nothing was in there about what we had told him! I wrote this long letter with all of it in there and nothing was mentioned about the letter I wrote nor the other 2 letters we sent either from friends and family's observations How do I know they even read them? I just don't know where to go from here! Everything they mention in the rulings says to be at the next level you would have to have x? and he has that and we mentioned it in meeting and in the letters. He goes for a complete Neuro work up on the 23rd of this month so my only hope is that will help and we can possibly get something in writting there but not even sure now. I just feel like I am getting no where and don't know what else to do. Thanks for letting me vent!
wife of
SSG_RW_Brown
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Much to my surprise today I received this letter from VA.
Do you know my husband was rated in Sept. prior to this change and we have yet to this date to get this letter telling about the change? I would have never know it had we not read it on this forum.
It states that the new evaluation criteris became effective Oct. 23,2008
and that I maybe re-examined based on the new criteria.
I feel this would certainly allow me to recieve more for TBI than
my current 10 %.
I'm posting a copy of the letter here and feel more vets will be getting the
same letter soon and should all respond.
Hope this helps a vet.
carlie
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O.k. in fear of feeling stupid but how did yu get all your VA records on CD?
Since I didn't have any idea at what the VA may have of medical file in my C-File, I requested a copy of my VA medical records on CD.The Disk arrived today by FedX. It is self loading, but their is no instruction as to this point. The second time I loaded it, I had to select which drive and go from there. It uses Microsoft Office document imaging. One problem I noticed right away, the print was clear but it looked faded and made it hard on my poor eyes. Also there is no endex to go by, but there is a page by page listing on the left of the document similiar to what Adobe reader uses.
Now I have a lot of veiwing and reading to do, so I can make and endex and find what is available to support my current claim and the new one to come after it.
At least now I won't have to worry about loosing a hard copy or trying to go through all the paper to find what I need. With an endex, it should make thing a bit easier to find. It's not a perfect system, but it seems it is going to be better than what I had had to deal with in the past when I needed a particular document.
I still have to see if everything is their, including Cat scans, MRI's, and Xrays.
You all might consider getting your VA Medical Records of CD.
Rockhound Rider :D
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Well we got the appt. for the Neuro it's not until November 23rd.
I had him call his speech doctor and ask if she was putting in for the neuro , she said she had not but would do that at his request. So we just wait for the appt. time now to arrive int he mail. I am thinking I should send int he form request they wait for additioanl informaiton to decide his case. Any thoughts? until the neuro exam is done at least. -
I had him call his speech doctor and ask if she was putting in for the neuro , she said she had not but would do that at his request. So we just wait for the appt. time now to arrive int he mail. I am thinking I should send int he form request they wait for additioanl informaiton to decide his case. Any thoughts? until the neuro exam is done at least.
You can report the provider to the VA. This usually gets their attention real fast.Stephen
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TY we had a C & P for the TBI on last Friday. The doctor was not very optimistic for a higher rating. He said he beleive everything pertained to the PTSD and nothing I site was pertaining to the TBI. Now mind you that this is the same doctor who decreased his PTSD. And he said oh he has PTSD bad. I did ask if he would be rated under the new criteria as he was rated in September prior to the October change and he said yes.
ssg,There is another way to get him re-evaluated for a higher rating
for his TBI since he is only at 10% SC'd for it.
Prior to Oct 2008 the max for trauma to brain (itself) was limited to 10 %.
The criteria for TBI was changed Oct 2008 much more to the benefit of the veteran.
With him having so much cognitive disfunction, speech therapy etc...
I would request he be re-evaluated under the new criteria and you can request
the re-evaluation on a 21-4138:
http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-4138-ARE.pdf
The post Oct 2008 - new rating criteria is:
8045 Residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI):
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-....67&idno=38
Here's a link to a TBI re-evaluation letter I received from VA.
You have to play with it a bit to try and read it as it posted really big.
Just use your up - down and left - right arrow keys to read it.
http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?act=...ost&id=2628
Hope this helps a vet.
carlie
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I did not realize you could do this? Can you get copies of all yoru C& P exams or only your most recent?
This is very good information thank you for sharing that.
wife of SSG_RW_Brown
Get youself a copy of this C&P, then will you know what the examiner had to say.Give 'em a couple of weeks to get it into the system.
Go to the VA Med Center where you had your c&p, go to the medical records department, tell the person at the desk what you want (copy of my latest C&P), sign the release form that they'll hand to you, tell em you'll be happy to just have a seat and wait, in about 5 minutes you should have your copy.
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Any testing at a VA starts out as a consult from your primary Doc, Ask your primary Doc to order the tests
TY, he has only saw his primary once and she was rude and told him it was his own fault for hurting his knee and hasn't went back. Because he chose to beat his knee out of the Upper ARmored Jeep that ran over the IED. He was under fire from insurgents and vs. staying put he chose to beat his knee out of the console because it was stuck and return fire along with his men. That's why I am now goign to all appt. with him because I told him she would have not gotten away with talking to him like that. He said she was a young prior medic but that is no excuse.
He sees our doctor locally if he needs and see the Psych at the VA and the Speech Doctor who works with him on his memory loss issues. She is the once who suggested the Neuro work up too so didn't know if she would follow through on it or we needed to do it.
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How would one go about getting this testing done? Preferrably by the VA but if I need to I guess thorugh and independent doctor?
Hi, I hope I can help. I'm rated 100% P%T for tbi and it was a difficult task to do.The number one thing I harp on for TBI diagnoses/claims is neuro-psych testing. There are several reasons I believe this is the most important detail for the veteran, the family, proper health care, and the claims proccess. The first reason is for the veteran. I was aware I had memory problems and mentioned them to doctors and such. I was given the standard responce that this was a common depression, anxiaty and even PTSD problem. Untill testing, I had no idea of the true extent of my cognative problems, nor did anyone around me, including those evaluating me. The results of the testing has done more for me in explaining the problems I have than anything else before and since. For family members, it helps them 'see' an injury that can't be seen, we brain injured people look quite normal. For treatment and the claims proccess the testing is very important. In my case, untill testing, my subjective complaints of memory problems were assotiated with my depression and anxiaty and at one time I was also diagnosed with PTSD. I have all the symptoms of PTSD but no stressor-no stressor no PTSD. After I was tested everything turned around. Now my depresion and anxiaty is diagnosed as being organic(brain damage) caused by the tbi with my cognative problems a direct result of tbi. All that said, under the rating guidelines for tbi a person can only be rated a low percentage for subjective(self reported) complaints on memory and attention but can be rated higher, up to 100%, for memory and attention problems if it is seen on objective tests(neuro-psychological). So it is very hard to justify not having the tests done. To me it's a simple decision. The highest possible rating for cognative problems(memory, attention ect.) is 40% I believe(could even be lower) without objective testing under DC8045. The highest possible rating with objective testing is 100%.
Sorry for the long rant. In my years on this board, my advice for neuro-psych testing is often ignored for some reason I don't understand. I seem to be the only one that recomends it, but anyone pursueing a tbi rating must have it or be limited to a low rating.
My brain is swimming today, but I thought I would address what I think is the most important aspect. I'll come back later and see if I can address other issues.
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Thank you so much! I have redone it and rmoved the link to just that one...the new link is
Hi Mrs. Brown,I'm sorry you and your family are going through rough times. I pray things will get better for you and yours real soon.
I also want you to know your husband's Social Security number was left on the May 22, 2009 document. I wish I could tell you how to fix it but I can't. Maybe, one of the moderators can help. Take Care!
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Yes I did get a reply to it and I do thank you for it. I actually printed out all the replys so Ic ould go over it more throughly and make note of the action I took.
I certainly responded to this post days ago-in a lengthy reply that I felt was very helpful - regarding this vet's numerous residuals and his obvious 100% disabling situation.and wondered why there had been no reply to the board since then-
I will try to find the post I made-
I looked for the original post and apparently it was moved and maybe the reply was lost somehow.
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I was asked by someone to post the letters I have received from the VA these are all the letters I have received since my original claim in 2005. Which I don't know what I'm doing (his wife) and he went to all the meetings when he was outprocessing from the miltiary so I'm going on what he does or doesn't tell me on how to do things. Thank you for any advice or comments they are all appreciated.
Wife of
SSG_RW_Brown
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What is his PTSD rating?
Did he start passing out before or after they gave him meds?
You need to determine the side affects of the meds he is on and this can be referred to under Remarks (#25) on the TDIU form- state you are attaching additional evidence and tell them anything such as side affects of Do not take and drive, can cause confusion, drowsiness or sleeplessness-etc and any other information they should consider as to the TDIU claim.
To answer our questions:
His rating is now 30 it was 50 but they decreased it last month.He didn't take medicine until after her starting passing out. -
Thank you all for your much needed advice. We went to the C & P today one was for TBI and the other for his knee. I was rather disappointed with the TBI doctor he seemed to ask a lot of questions and write a lot of stuff down but at the end he said I don't see and increase in your symptoms and he discounted a lot of the symptoms and said he felt they were associated with the PTSD and not the TBI and that he definately had PTSD bad (this is the same doctor who helped reduce his PTSD because he said he seemed to be doing better). The memory loss, the change in his taste (he said was just a change in his appetite not anything to be associated with the TBI, even though this is a symptom), sleep disturbances, ect, everything I was armed with and told him about he felt were all the PTSD and nothing to do with the TBI!
Someone asked if we have had a neuro work up and I don't think so. The TBI doctor mentioned it last time he saw her. She said last time he was so ademate about workign that she didn't push it but now that he seems to be doing worse she felt they could move forward with it. And he was determined to work but now he knows that he just can't take the stress and dealing with people and the memory issues it just realy limits his ability to be employed. So I will look at the websites suggested and tomorrow I will try to scan and upload any documents we have from the VA to see if I can get some feedback on those. We have limited internet at home and if I try to upload anything we end up using all our internet for the month so I will do it from work tomorrow.
I am trying to stick in there because I know it is up to me to get this going but it's hard when you have 3 kids, a full time job and a depressed husband. Trying to balance all that but this forum gives me encouragement that I am not in this alone. Thank you again...
Wife of SSG_RW_Brown
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I real think you need to contact a VFW or DAV representative to help you. You must remember when ever there is a change in your husband condition the VA will most likely lower It. Until he becomes total and permanently disable or he have been rated for the same condition for a long time than he won't have to deal with CP exams; however, this subject I am not really familiar with and hopefully someone else on this forum can explain this better than I can . In addition, I would get a second opinion for your husband's knees and back condition either a VA doctor or an outsider ortho physician. Finally, hang in there the VA is a pain the in the A??.
Roy
Thank you for the response. I did talk to a rep here locally and he recommended we request 100%. He told him the forms to fill out and to request a "one on one" (this is coming second hand from my husband) but that is bascially it. We go in the morning for his C & P on his knee and TBI. I have been reading that we should probably ask to be rated under this new rating code but not sure if we should or not.
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Does your PTSD diagnosis have a verified stressor? If you are 70% and unable to work why do you need to pursue a PTSD claim? If you are 70% for physical injury you should be able to get IU based on that without the PTSD hunt. What was the basis for denial of your original IU claim?
What does "PTSD" with a verified stressor? I know what PTSD is and my husband suffers from it. Her recently was told his compensation was decreasing because he appeared better? I was so mad! He is better only if he takes his meds and just cuz you caught him on a good day doesn't mean he is "cured" He was at 50 % and now they are moving him back to 30%.
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My husband got out of the military in 05. He spent 12 years active duty with a total of 21 eyars with his reserve and guard time. he spen over a year in Iraq in from Feb. 04 to March. 05.
He initially received a rating for a knee injury he recived from and explosion in Iraq but several months later after passing out (I thought he had a stroke!)at our dinner table and being hospitalized for over a week, and numerours testing he was diagnosed with "neurocardiosyncope". Told him nothing he can really do just make sure he eats 3 meals a day , drinks a lot of gatorade, avoid stress, caffeine, and plenty of rest. Then to make a long story short we ended up at the Va and not sure how it happened but he was finally diagnosed with " mild traumatic brain injury". this was kind of a releif because we now had and answer. They did a tilt test there, and sent him to speech class to help with the memory loss.
From my prospective I had noticed a change in him since the day he returned from Iraq...I chalked it up to the war and things he had seen and done...never sleeps, when he does its on the coach because any moves in the bed wake him up, personality change, irritability, forgetfullness, changes in taste, wanting to stay alone or just with me and the kids (antisocial behavior) little subtle things that I knew were different but never occured to me what or that it was a brain injury.
Fast forwarded he received rating for 10 % for the brain injury. So total he gets 10% knee, 10% tintinus, 50% PSD, 10% Mild Tramatic Brain injury.we have put in claims for different things that came up but were denied. Chronic back pain, tried to increase the knee because of the chronic pain but they say it's nothing and he has full range of motion so no increase. Vision problem, he had 20/20 vision his whole life with no problems and now needs glasses which they say is probly from sun exposure (focusing problem and light sensitivity). I have just stumbled across this site and read with interest the new changes with the brain injury. he was rated for the TBI in September of 2008 and when we received that rating I thought it was crazy. He has a combined rating of I think 60 or 70 percent (we get like 1200 per month with 3 kids under 18). Recently we received a letter saying they were decreasing his compensation to 900 because at his last compensation visit they felt he was "improving" (PTSD) which I thought crazy because he's on meds! that's why he seems better! so i talked to a VA guy and he said to send in a letter to say we were appealing it which I got a reply last week that said because it was only a "proposal" they were not accepting it and that now since we hadn't sent in evidence to contradict these claims it was now official and if we wanted to appeal it we coud. I'm so frustrated! I don't feel that we can find any help to wade through these VA paperwork. I really feel like he should be getting more compensation but not sure how to go about it.
We did talk to a VA guy a month ago who felt he should be getting 100% and pushed him to try, and told us the form to submit but yet i'm at a loss what else to do. I feel that there should be someone to help him wade through his medical papers and find out what he needs to send in and what claims he needs to file. So far we have submitted individual claims in the past for the passing out, back pain, vision problems but all got denie....but I kind of feel that maybe it should be compiled because basically I think it all goes back to the brain injury. He passes out for no apparent reason, we never know when it is coming on but i can usually trace it back to heat, stress, pain, didn't eat that day. he passes out and then when he comes around the first time he thinks he is back in Iraq, and needs a medic, he says he has sand in his mouth and needs a drink...then he starts to cry and without going into detail goes through a lot of guilt ...eventually he will pass out again and the 2nd time he comes around he's back in the real world....i worry he will do this driving or somewhere that he will get hurt so I have always felt he should be getting more compensation but just am at a loss on how or what do do to obtain it. He does not do good with people and public situations, to much anxiety and gets very agitated very quickly but the main fear for me is the passing out. I know this is getting very long and there is so much more I would love some input on but don't want to bore everyone but plese could someone give us some advice on what do and how to go about it. Thank you for listening.
C & P Frustration
in TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted
and i thank you both for your input! This forum is the only thing that gives me hope on most days! and not give up