[Do I Have Grounds To Appeal Denial?]

Hi All,

Just wanted to thank everyone that provided advice on how to handle my claim. I just received a letter from the VA stating that my claim was granted and that they have awarded me a 20% increase in my rating. I didn't think I had a chance when they initially denied my claim. I wasn't going to file the appeal. Thank God I found this site.

Thanks again for all of the advice,

Dale

Porter,

Congrats, so what new evidence did you submit for the appeal?

[Best Way To Submit Documents To Va]

Where do you get the fax # from? I cant find anything on the Houston Regional page and I tried the 1-800 # and it said they were too many calls to call again in the morning.

[0% Allergic Rhinitis....need Explanation]

6522 Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis:

With polyps 30%

Without polyps, but with greater than 50-percent obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side 10%

My wife was granted 0% (A noncompensable evaluation is assigned unless there is a greater than 50% obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side)

Can someone explain the 50% obstruction? Does that mean in order to get the 10% she has to have permanent blockage or 50% blockage? Because I know when she does have her allergies her nasal passage is stuffed. Thanks.

[Questions About New Disabilty Rating.]

No, I was 40%. Now I am 70% Combined. I will change it, thanks

Ah ok. I heard the VA used funny math so I figured that was it.

I go in for my C & P this morning so I still have a long way to go to get my ratings.

[Questions About New Disabilty Rating.]

On your profile it has you at 40% disability, is that all you got with all those different percentages?

[Entrance Exam]

I actaully found them. My wife had all my records filed away for me. It shows I didnt have any issues. I was wondering about flat feet. I was normal coming in according to my entrance exam. I was told four years later in service that my feet were flat and I needed orthotics. I have had planter fascitis SP? I am curently seeing a PT fee based from VA and he states that I developed it and that I was not born with it. I have found numerous medical records for shin splints due to my feet. Should I file a claim for flat feet and shin splints secondary. I stopped running because of my shin splints.

I appreciate your help!! I forgot to add that I claimed shin splints when I seperated and was denied. Thanks

Did they say why you were denied for shin splints if you had them documented throughout your service?

[Allergic Rhinitis/upper Respiratory Infections/sinusitis?]

I'm confused on these illnesses/diagnosis. My wife had a claim in for Upper Respiratory Infections and she went to her C/P exam for Nose, Sinus, Larnx, and Pharynx.

Diagnosis: Vasomotor rhinitis. No evidence of sinusitis. She got 0%.

Other Opinion: Seasonal allergic rhinitis, is it as least as likely as not related to treatment in ther service for sinusitis, upper respiratory infection? Yes it is documented in her c-file that she was treated for sinusitis and upper respiratory infection which are the same as allergic rhinitis. The seasonal allergic rhinitis is the result of the military service.

Her VSO recently sent in a claim for Sinusitis since she has been having really bad sinus infections/headaches. Is it even possible for her to be rated on sinusitis since it states on her claim for Vasomotor Rhinitis that sinusitis is the same as allergic rhinitis? Very confused on all this.

[Question About Va Medical Care]

Found this....

Veterans who have one or more service-connected disabilities as determined by the VA are eligible for medical care through the VA health care system. If you are interested in obtaining VA medical care, you may contact your nearest VA health care facility or the VA Health Revenue Center at 1-877-222-8387.

[Is There A Rating For Osteoarthritis]

Forgive me for jumping into your post.

My wife is rated 10% for each knee and had an MRI done on her right knee that showed mild patellofemoral osteoarthritis with a small joint effusion. She didnt get an MRI done on her left knee so of course there's no way of knowing if she has osteoarthritis on that knee also.

What I'd like to know is if she did have an MRI done on her left knee that does show osteoarthritis, would that be enough for her to put in a claim since I am assuming that the knees count as 2 major joints? Or since she's already getting 10% for each knee she wouldnt be able to put in a claim for osteoarthritis in the knee's? Thank you.

[Question About Va Medical Care]

My wife is 30% and is rated at 0% for Allergic Rhinitis. When she had her C&P exam they did an x-ray and found no blockage. I'm just wondering why they would do an x-ray when she was having no symptoms at the time? What I'd like to know if is there a way for her to go get seen at the VA whenever she has a flareup so the blockage can be seen at that time at the VA instead of at her primary care clinic.

[Retiring 1 Oct 10]

are you familiar with CRSC or CRDP?... Combat-Related Special Compensation ( CRSC ) is for retired or "Chapter 61 medical retired vets. Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments ( CRDP ) are for career retired vets with 50% or greater disabilities.

This is a link to info about CRSC & CRDP

http://www.dfas.mil/...rscandcrdp.html

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay overview:

http://www.military....eceipt-overview

CB,

Thanks for the welcome. I was aware of the CRDP but not the CRSC?? I've had a few of my retired friends tell me about the 50% "goal". I would have thought that my rep from TexVet would have mentioned the CRSC to me?

[I Can't Access The Area To Post A Reply]

For some reason when I login I can only see certain parts of the forum but when I'm not logged in I can see more???? Confused.

[Retiring 1 Oct 10]

I will be retiring 1 Oct 10 and start terminal leave at the beginnning of August.

I just went to see Texas Vets yesterday with all my medical records and they listed 24 claim items down on the 21-526. I didnt know that I wont find out my rating until after I retire, I figured I'd at least know what percentage I was going to receive. The VA said I should be getting notified in about 3 weeks for the medical exam on all the issues.

[Secondary Claims?]

I have a couple of questions. My wife was rated at 0% for allergies and 10% for her left knee within the past year.

1. Is it possible to get a seperate rating for headaches, she has them everytime her allergies act up and she has gone in to the Dr when she does have them.

2. Just a couple of weeks ago she went in for pain in her left knee and the Dr said it was arthritic.

Are these two conditions (headaches & arthritis) enough to try to get a secondary rating and is it just like filing for a normal VA claim? Thanks.

[Question About Retirement Pay & Compensation]

Sorry if I dont word this right but I have a friend who told me that if you retire after 20 years and get 50% or more of a disability rating then you would get both of your checks. If you get 40% or below then you will have to wait until 2014.

Can someone please explain this to me, I have tried looking at the tables and I cant many sense about it. Thanks.

[New]

Hello. I'm getting ready to retire next Oct after 20 years in the AF. I've been trying to use this site for help with my wifes claims to the VA. She was in the AF for 4 years.

She had never received any information about filing a claim with the VA for her back and knee problems. It wasnt until a couple of years after she had seperated from the AF that she was complaining about her back that I asked her if she had ever had a Dr go over her records prior to her getting out and she said no. So I got the paperwork together and sent in a claim for her back and it came back denied. I think we went back and forth a few times and a couple of years later she was awarded 10%. We didnt know about going through AMVETS or any other veteran organization, we had done that all on our own. Well she finally saw a AMVETS rep and they let her know after reviewing her records that she had other issues that she had applied for. So they sent a new claim in which was denied. Well she was never able to get back with the AMVETS rep for a follow up appt so once again I helped her out with sending in the med records and NOD, etc. Well just last week she was awarded 20% for her knee's but 0% for her sinuses. She was denied for the other claims and sent a SSOC (dont know what this means) to fill out within 30 days. She has an appt with the AMVETS rep tomorrow.