1lonewolf

Just to let everyone know a Doc at the VA told me that the VA is sending out information telling Docs not to give anyone a favorable exam for conditions secondary to s/c conditions causing abnormal gait. I know this Doc and was even shown some of the info they are sending out. That is the system we are forced into. It is a shame this type of internal road blocking happens to us vets behind our backs but we all know it does. To bad we are not privy to this type of information normally as it should be brought to the light just to show how corrupt a system VA comp is. I will not say which Doc because I do not want any blow back or to jeopardize anyones job if someone from the VA monitors our posts but this is a fact. Of course I had to take my claim to appeal before this starting happening anyway but it is happening now and I saw it with my own eyes. There is no doubt why the VA has such a turn over rate in Doctors when they tie their hands and/or ask them to do the wrong thing instead of what the took an oath to do. This happens all over the VA in all departments from treatment to exams. Just a little information for my brothers and sisters who have service connected injuries secondary to lower limb injuries who are just starting this fight! Truth is truth and facts are facts.

Hello everyone. I wanted to update my post and let everyone know that my Video hearing with the BVA went well. The Judge was very pleasant and seemed to see the evidence for what it really is. I was also able to reference those diagnosis by VA docs already in my Medical records that have always been overlooked at regional. She skipped my hips and went straight to my evidence and my back as if she knew I had everything already needed to warrant a decision. She said I want to skip Ahead and ask you a few questions if that was O.K. With me because she had reviewed my case and everything seemed to be clear. She referenced my IMOs and had an attitude as if she didn't need to hear allot because she had it right there in front of here. In one stack she had the bad C and P exam and in the other stack in front of her she had the 2 IMOs. She asked me were and who in my VA records had the same opinion as my IMO and I referenced those opinions. My DAV rep ask her to review my evidence and if the decision is not favorable to remand me for an IMO outside the VA to alleviate any doubt if she had any. She said she didn't think that would be necessary. Then she explained the process and told me I would get a transcript with a few months and that she would review my evidence and render a decision in 3 to 4 months. Everything seemed very positive from her perspective. Guess I will wait and see if Justice prevails finally but I can tell you that it is hard not to be anxious about it with as positive as the hearing went. We all know better than to do that but I feel it went as well as one could and I was well prepared and got everything in I needed to even though it was pretty short. She also ask the witness I took a question which also went well. You never have to prepare to tell the truth but I was prepared to reference some things that had been overlooked before but she already had those same questions for me so I didn't have to even bring them up. Just give her the answers. So in closing I would say that the overwhelming evidence and IMOs should be enough by VA law to warrant the decision that should have ready made at regional and by her demeanor I truly believe she felt the same way. I will update everyone as things unfold and we shall see. I was in allot of pain from having to wait two hours because the guy before me and his rep went long and she even apologized for that and told me she was sorry about that and could tell I was in pain from having to sit that long! We shall see if a wrong which has been going on for over 3 years is righted this time around but I can tell everyone it sure seemed positive to me. Of course I had everything required by VA law to refute the bad C and P and was prepared. Get your IMOs and make sure they are done by VA standards. I am sure that it what it takes but get 2 or 3. Even if the other 2 are not done to VA standards they will sure add credibility to the truth. I will keep everyone posted!!

Thanks everyone for the support and kind words. Focusing on the evidence and issues will not be a difficult task. I have 3 IMOs and plenty of evidence and I am taking a few witnesses. It still boggles my mind how one Doctor can be so obviously biased when evidence to the contrary is overwhelming both inside and outside the VA. As we all know the system is set up that way but I can only stay focused and hope that justice and right prevails this time now that is has been taken outside regional and upstairs.I will update everyone after my hearing and let you know how it goes.

I finally have my BVA hearing via video conference on Feb 22nd. I will keep everyone posted on how that goes as well as the decision. There are apparently allot of cases very close to mine out there and several awards. I will keep a positive attitude and continue to update my post so if anyone else has secondary issues due to abnormal gait/SC injuries they will have a complete set of information on what I have had to do. Thanks for everyones support!

Apparently My DAV rep has transferred to another DAV office and I have been assigned a new Rep. The letter from my state senator from the V.A. regional office stating my BVA hearing was on Ocotober 29th was apparently a mistake according to my new DAV rep. I personally think it fell through the cracks in the shuffle when My rep left. Now I am being told my BVA hearing will be in January of 2012. So I patiently await this hearing as I have for quite some time now. In the interim I have now been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea which goes along with my other sleep issues. I have filed a new claim for that issue as I have been told by my Doctor that it is positively secondary to my G.I. issues. I will continue to update my post as things unfold with my claims. I hope everyone has a happy Holiday Season.

Just an update for everyone. Unofficially My BVA hearing is to be held via video conference on October 29th. In the interim I was sent to a chiropractor by the VA but he released me after 2 visits as my issues are not correctable nor can anything be done for me from a chiropractic standpoint. I am schedule for acupuncture later this month and I am in the hope that just maybe I will potentially get some type of relief. I have traveled the country inside and outside the VA looking for some type of relief but I have exhausted all avenues other than acupuncture. It is the only thing left I have not done. I will keep everyone posted on how my BVA hearing goes as well as any other updates I may have in the interim.

Yes.

Well I have submitted my Appeal and requested a BVA video conference. Does anyone have any idea how long that takes before you get one? My DAV rep says that even though there is solid evidence in my favor and the (Good at being bad) VA Doc has done everything to Stop me from what I deserve and what is right, I should have been awarded my claim as any time Doctor's disagree the Veteran should get the benefit of the doubt. I have obtained yet another IMO from my chiropractor to add to the pile making the total number of IMO's on my pile 3. One neuro-radiologist, one ortho surgeon who specializes in disability, and one chiro. This is the first time I have went to a chiropractor and The unfortunate issue is even though my chiropractor tries to help me I continue to go back to square one with any relief due to my abnormal gait mechanics and gravity. I did just get new shoes and leg braces which do help with my feet but give me no relief in my back and hipsI I have also obtained multiple cases from the VA appeals website which I will also submit and use in my appeal hearing. If in fact the Veteran getting the benefit of the doubt is true then I should get what I deserve after my hearing. Of course i will not count on it but I am trying to remain positive. If anyone has anything suggestions, etc.. please feel free to post them as I am an open book. The shock and awe of this whole thing never seems to be far from my mind but with the assistance and support of my fellow forum members I continue to stay the course!

I wanted to provide and update on my claim which continues to spin out of control. I have been denied once again and it clear in the denial that the original Doctor who started all this was directly involved in preparing this denial and report. This tells me that it is quite apparent that my claim is no longer about fair or evidence but more about the ego of one doctor who does not want to admit wrongdoing and a department covering for her to keep her from having to answer to all the complaints lodged against her for rough treatment. That is what this is all about. My last C and P exam which would have been fair is now another nail in my coffin as this Doctor got to my C and P Doctor which is also clearly stated in my denial. What started as a nightmare continues and it is apparent that my claim will never be decided fairly regardless of the IMOs I submit or the overwhelming evidence in my file. It is clear that in an effort to cover up a bad and unfair evaluation, the whole department is in bed together. This may sound like a conspiracy theory but If you read my denial I can promise you that not only is this evident but often referenced. A "Team" of Doctors including her and my C and P Doctor reviewed my claim and wrote my denial. Not a DRO rep but a team of Doctors from the Lexington VAMC to include my C and P Doctor, the department head, and the other Doctor mentioned previously. This is truly disgusting in my opinion and I can only wonder how many guys are going through this same situation and being met with the same denial using the same "Team" approach. It is sad when one persons ego or wrongdoing offsets the lives of Veterans who served without question and continue to be denied even when the evidence is present. The VA process is truly one of a kind but as we all know what has happened to me seems to be the rule more often than it is a unique situation. There needs to be a more direct and open process to review these types of biased approaches because it is not only apparent but obvious and should be stopped by someone above the regional offices when it occurs. Just my thoughts but I guess now I will put in my appeal which will most likely be another waist of time if this tact and approach are taken on it. Guess I should consider myself lucky and now I have a whole medical department who knows who I am but not because they are interested in my overall health but in covering their own asses and rallying to take care of and cover for their own. My claim will never be treated fairly as now I can count on a team to discount it and insure that one Doctor does not have to ever admit wrong doing. I wonder if I should even submit an appeal at this point. I am obviously in a situation that goes beyond the normal VA process and more focuses on what makes is so broken. Any thoughts? I am open to any ideas here and nothing will be deemed dumb or ridiculous at this point as now I am caught in a crossfire when all I ever really wanted is what is fair so I can try to live what is left of my life.

Another entry to the the ongoing saga that is my claim. A decision will not be made on the 23rd as the letter stated. They have now scheduled me for another C and P exam in early March. I guess after that a decision will be made based on the mountain of evidence set forth. I will keep everyone posted on how things go.

I wanted to provide another update on my current claim status to everyone. Based on the current letter I just received a decision is going to be made on my claim on the 23rd of this month. Currently they will be using records from Social Security and the new IMO from an orthopedic surgeon along with the evidence already contained within my medical records. Halo2, sorry it has been awhile but in answer to your questions I did in fact file timely, they did take away the 10 % for my right hip. In the process I was awarded compensation for my Esophagial issues. I am currently rated at 60. The biggest most disabling issues I have are what is currently in appeal. My lower spine and my hips. I will update everyone as soon as I hear something! I am keeping my finger's crossed and hoping that truth and justice prevails. I guess we never know what to expect in this situation as nothing is clear or straight forward in the VA claims process. I will update everyone as soon as I hear something new. Thanks for all the support!

No doubt but I guess I was really referencing the 8 doctors versus 1 doctor issue. My issues are clear and are clearly secondary to every doctor I have seen inside and outside the VA. I will await my decision and truly hope that my DR officer (Who seems to be a fair guy) brings justice to this situation. We shall see.

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. I thought I would update my Post with the current "goings on". In review I did have a DRO hearing in October and from that Hearing I told the DRO officer I would be providing another IMO. I have provided that IMO from an orthopedic surgeon as well as the Letter I received from Social Security approving my SSDI claim, which by the way took less than two weeks and the decision was based solely on my VA medical records! I then also provided this approval Letter from SSDI which listed all my SC issues to include the issues that they are still currently denied and in the appeals process. So in review currently I have a new IMO and my approval letter from SSDI in the hands for the DRO officer for review. I followed up with my DAV rep earlier this week and currently the VA has requested my records from Social Security. I assume this is to prove that I am providing them with accurate information about the decision they made in such a short timeframe based on my VA medical records. I would also assume they are verifying what conditions Social Security based their decision on even though it is clearly listed in the approval letter I sent them. All conditions are in the approval letter in order and not one is missing. In my opinion this yet more crystal clear evidence in support of my claim and it also verifies that another government agency was able to easily determine my disabilities and their cause by reviewing my VA medical records. As I have stated before any individual,including someone who has never seen medical records before, can review my records and will not even get 10 pages in before they have found not only my conditions but also multiple doctor diagnosis to verify them and their cause. To date I have submitted multiple letters from individuals, 2 IMO's, several letters referencing the multitude of diagnosis in my records from 6 different VA docs, my SSDI letter of approval which includes my conditions in order, and a letter sent every month from my State Senator's Office The only reason that I am in this fight is because of one Doctor's biased and incorrect opinion in the original C and P exam. So in review that is a mountain of evidence in support of my claim proving my conditions, both SC and Secondary, versus one doctor. You will not find this type of issue with any other government agency that provides compensation or pension so I ask you. why is it this way for us Veterans who should be this country's number one priority? A question I ask myself everyday when I strap on my ankle braces and my orthopedic shoes and grab my cane. A question we all ask ourselves as veterans seeking what we deserve and what was promised to us the day we joined to serve our country! I will update my post again when I hear something back worth a read to everyone. Until then I hope everyone is doing well and keeping up the good fight against the Machine that is VA Compensation and Pension.

Thank you for the support. I really do not know what else they can do to deny me now but then again I thought that initially! All I can do is wait until I receive my next decision and hope that right prevails and that finally someone at the regional office says "Hey, why are we denying this guy over one Doctor's obviously incorrect Opinion when there is a multitude of Doctors both VA and private who all have the same opinion?" I can only hope that the Decision Review Officer assigned to my case just takes the time to look at my records and my IMO's, That is all it will really take to right this wrong I am currently dealing with. It is really that simple and had that been accomplished initially, I would not still be in Limbo trying to figure out how in the hell They can continue to deny me. The evidence and Opinions were there initially as well but all that was mentioned was the C and P exam and that is what was used to deny me. Incredible to say the least but common practice from what I hear from others on here and abroad. So this whole thing continues based on one bad evaluation and the obvious denial of facts as contained within my records, of which most information is recent over the last 2 years. I will continue to keep up the good fight as this is more than just pursuit of justifiable compensation for severe injuries incurred while serving my country but also just a plain out fight of right and wrong. No one should ever be penalized because they tried to do the right thing like work for as long as possible. Especially not Veterans like us that are the main reason these people even have a job or a country to have it in! I will keep everyone posted on my progress and Thanks to everyone for your continued words of support.

Hi All, Just wanted to provide yet another update. I have now submitted the new IMO from the Ortho Surgeon/Disability specialist as well as the letter from my SSDI award so both new pieces of evidence are now in the hands of the DRO for review. I have not heard anything from them as of yet so I am still waiting for next decision in my case. The evidence is now more than overwhelming in rebuttal of the bad C and P examination which started this whole cycle of unfair maneuvers. I am curious to see what comes next in the way of a decision as now 2 pages of misinformation stand against a mountain of evidence to the contrary. Although it should be black and white in my favor as we all know anything is possible or I would not in the situation I am in. I have also went through my entire medical record and placed sticky notes on every pertinent Doctor's Diagnosis. The current Tally is 6 VA docs and 2 Private Docs with the same diagnosis versus 1 C and P Doc's Opinion. So in review that is 8 Doctors including 3 with much higher credentials than the C and P Doctor's and still I continue to be denied. This speaks Volumes to how broken the system is and/or how a technicality is used to deny Veterans what they deserve. I will update my post again when I receive my next Decision/Update. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas..

Social Security is different form the VA as in they are looking for these conditions, how severe they are, and if they impact your ability to work. So any diagnosis or information in your records for these conditions and how they limit your abilities are key. When I answered their question on what my issues were I gave them each condition in order using the exact verbage as contained in my records for these conditions. Such as DDD, Traumatic Arthritis of the Right and left hip, etc... This makes it easier for an examiner to find them if they are the same conditions assigned a code in your VA medical or other records. In other words instead of my saying "I have chronic pain due to some bulging discs and Degenerative Arthritis, etc.. I gave the exact diagnosis for each. Also if you approach Social Security from their mindset your interview and other dealing with them with be much easier. My suggestion and how I approached them was this... Social Security wants to know what is wrong with me and how it affects my ability to work in my profession or at any other job. For example when I was asked about my conditions I was very specific with how they affect each segment of my ability to work such as "My DDD, Sciatic, Severe Facet Syndrome, and Degenerative Arthritis of the lower spine prevent me from sitting, standing, or lifting anything. Another example is my Foot injuries and the multiple surgeries I have had on them in the Army and at the VA prevent me from standing for any period of time and prevent me from being able to walk without a cane or any distance. I am almost housebound due to chronic pain and depression from Chronic pain. I know this may sound a little like I am couching you but I am just trying to get you to understand the right approach to take. The truth of the matter is I have a major list of conditions and they are all pretty much severe in nature. Each condition is well diagnosed in my VA medical records and there is also other information they used such as my physical therapy reports, C and P exams, and IMOs which contain range of motion and other information which is pertinent to how they determine you disable or unable to work. I think my case was a no brainer because I am in pretty bad shape physically and all my issues are well documented in my VA medical records. From what I have gathered through my own battle with the VA is that most of us are not fighting the VA because we want them to acknowledge that we have a certain illness or injury, Most of us are fighting the VA because they refuse to acknowledge or compensate us on these conditions which were caused either by direct military service or secondary to conditions which happened while serving. With Social Security it is a different angle as they are not looking at your information to verify whether or not your issues were caused by a service connected issue but at the severity of your conditions and how the affect your ability to work. Hopefully that makes sense to you. I will tell you that everything I told them about my conditions is verbatim in my letter of approval in the exact same order I gave them in. I did not hire a lawyer as I truly felt I did not need one as I had already done some research on what I needed to do. To be honest I also felt like it should be pretty easy for me because I have so much wrong with me, especially my lower spine. I did not give specific references to each injury and were they could find that in my records as they go through all the medical information you provide anyway. I would also suggest browsing through the websites as well as taking a quick look at the one below. If you want your claim to be processed faster than you should be fully prepared for your interview with everything you need and the right mindset as I mentioned above. Conditions - how do each affect my ability to work or performed certain tasks. I applied for my SSDi on October 8 and it was approved unofficially on October 18th by the Disability Examiner that was in charge of my case. If I had brought a copy of my VA records to my interview, instead of telling them in the interview were to get them, I probably would have gotten approved sooner because the examiner would have already had what he needed instead of requesting it from the VAMC. Luckily the response from the VAMC was fast and did not take forever or I would still be waiting for a decision. In case you are wondering the Disability Examiner got my records on the 18th so it was easy for him to verify my information and severity of my conditions as most of the information is fresh and has been diagnosed over the last 2 years. Hopefully I have answered your questions and not been to redundant. If not do not hesitate to ask. Preparing for a SS interview.. http://www.socialsecurity-disability.org/content/disability-tip-evidence-disability-application-interview

I am more than happy to provide you with whatever I can. I truly believe that several factors allowed SS to make such a quick decision on my claim and I will list them as follows for your reference. I believe that my SSDI was approved not based on my abnormal gait as much as it was based on my conditions and how they affect me as a whole and obviously my ability to work in any job. When I applied for SSDI I explained to them clearly what was wrong with me and what caused it. This ended up helping me as all my conditions were verified by my VA medical records and most of that information has transpired over the last 2 years which makes it easier for the SS examiner to find and reference. When you apply for SSDI be specific with what your conditions are and what caused them as they will list those conditions as a basis for their decision and will look for those diagnosis specifically in your records. When you receive their decision they list these conditions in Black and White. Since Social Security determined me to be disabled since last Feb it leads me to believe this date decision was made because that was the day my spinal issues were diagnosed by Physical Medicine based on the MRI findings. That was also the day the consult with Pain management was ordered. it is important to note that Pain Management also had a diagnosis of "Due to Abnormal Gait" which they changed after my C and P examination hit my file! This had no bearing as it is still in my records. I also have this diagnosis from several other Doctors to include all the specialists consults I was sent to. Also in my records for Social Security to review was my initial IMO submittal from Dr. Bash which most certainly helped me as it contained physical testing as part of the IMO. Social Security criteria is different from the VA, they are making a determination based on your conditions, not how you got them or what caused them unless that is part of your overall physical conditions such as Abnormal gait which would make you very unsteady and prevent you from performing any standing or walking jobs. Also the Physical Therapist put her diagnosis in as spinal and hip conditions due abnormal gait and also provided allot of range of motion, strength, and difficulties I had in performing some of their required therapy tasks.When I signed up for Social Security Disability I went to my local office to do so. I believe going to your local office to put in your claim for SSDI is a much better approach as it put's a name to a face and most people working at these offices are sensitive to Veterans as Social Security has special programs for US. Once again The conditions I gave are easy to find in my VA medical records as they are the exact diagnosis I gave Social Security word for word... i..e...DDD, Traumatic Arthritis, etc... Apples to Apples approach which makes it easier on the Disability Examiner. The additional information contained in my records such as the Physical Therapy Reports and Dr. Bash's IMO also provided outside evidence to my conditions and their cause and how they affect me Physically and mentally. Another Factor they take into consideration is the prescriptions you take for these conditions as they also reflect your conditions severity. So in review there were several factors that I believe Social Security used in determining my disability such as clear diagnosis of conditions and physical abilities which were easy to find in my records, Prescriptions I take for pain and their impact on my daily life, etc... If I had to give specific advice I would have to say make sure you are specific when you apply for SSDI and make sure you apply at your local office and not online for obvious reasons. If there are any records which support your claim insure that you get them in front of SSDI asap as they typically review everything at the same time from what I have been told. Also if you have any Physical Therapy or other reports containing range of motion, sitting, walking, standing and any other type of physical test provide them as they are revelant and also used in SSDI determinations as these are the same type of tests you will have to perform if you are ask to evaluated by a Doctor. I have listed some references below that I used before I applied for my Social Security Disability. If you make it easy by providing clear and concise information and records, this will make the disability examiners job easier and assist you in gaining a favorable decision more quickly. I would also suggest you get an IMO from a reputable Doctor, an IMO from an Orthopedic Surgeon or Occupational Doctor is worth it's weight in Gold as it includes range of motion testing as well as the Doctor's opinion on the overall severity of your conditions They see it like this.. This is your claim, here is the evidence you have submitted for review in determining your claim, does your disability or physical/mental limitations prevent you from working in your professional, then any job? It is all of nothing when it comes to Social Security and I believe once again that if you provide them with specific information and then proof backing up your claim to include physical limitation testing, then the criteria they require to make that determination is already in front of them which allows them to make a decision without sending your for an evaluation by one of their Doctors. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will be more than glad to answer them for you if I can. If not I can most certainly point you in the right direction to find the Answer. Enjoy! 1. Good Social Security Guide for applying. http://www.ultimatedisabilityguide.com/application.html 2. Veteran's Guide for applying for SSDI http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/the-va-and-disability.html

I have been approved for my SSDI and it was infact approved and processed in less than a month. It also specifically lists why I have been approved in the letter. This will serve as more evidence for my appeal as what is listed directly correlates with my VA claim. The decision from Social Security was based on solely on my VA medical records and my conditions caused by Abnormal gait! I will continue to update my post as things unfold and keep everybody posted. The reason I continue to update my post is to hopefully help some other veterans who search the forum looking for a case history based on lower extremity injuries which have caused spinal and other issues due to Abnormal gait. Apparently their are quite a few of those types of claims out there other than mine so hopefully this will help someone else as everyone and this site has helped me. i will update this post again when I receive my next update from the VA.

Well that is good news. Congrats on your award. It gives me hope as I am still in the trenches on my claim. I just submitted another IMO from an Ortho Doc and I have already had a DRO personal hearing. I am now waiting for the DRO to review the new evidence and I am curious to see if he will send me for another C and P exam. He stated that he would but I am hoping that they just make a decision on my claim based on the overwhelming evidence including "Back and hip pain due to abnormal gait" which is clearly stated in my VA medical records by more than one VA doc. I know going for another C and P might put me back at square one if the Doctor is anything like the last one who started all this with the bad eval. I guess all I can do is sit tight (metaphor being as I cannot sit for me than 5 - 10 minutes) and wait for the next step. I am curious though, what was the initial percentage award for your lower spine?

I just went through a situation a few months ago on my claim and was saved by the fact that the DAV rep was submitting my information for me. I submitted an IMO and asked for a reconsideration based on new medical evidence. I then got a letter from the VA stating that my claim was still denied based on the fact that I had not submitted any new medical evidence! My DAV rep went to work immediately and straightened the whole thing out. Although my claim is still going through the appeal process, If I had not submitted the IMO through my DAV rep I would have been up the creek without a paddle and yet another delay would have been in the mix. As we all know there are some bad apples in the VA claims process that will conveniently lose information to get your file off of their desk and delay your claim. This little trick is virtually impossible with your Rep submitting your info and tracking it. This approach sure made a believer out of me and saved me an additional headache and delay.

I thought since it has been awhile I would provide everyone an update. As everyone knows I got denied after submitting my first IMO to the VA and they did in fact sever my Hip award due to the bad eval. I went for a hearing with DRO and I feel that it went quite well. The testimony and evidence currently jn my file is pretty straight forward but it was good to get my own words out in front of a decision maker who has the power to make the right decision on my claim. I explained to the DRO that I was going to get another IMO even though I had already submitted one which was met with denial. It truly felt like he sided with me and said he would schedule me for another C and P with a different Doctor at the VA as he felt that I was not treated fairly. I went and obtained yet another IMO from an Orthopedic Surgeon with 36 years of experience. He also specializes in Occupational Medicine and often does evaluations for Workers comp, Social Security, and the Insurance companies. I thought I would go see a Doctor who has the right background and almost unbeatable credentials in this type of evaluation. I also knew that since he does not see Vets normally, I would get an unbiased opinion from an expert in the field. This was at my cost which I obviously had to borrow but I needed this not only for my claim but for my own sanity as well. When getting an IMO you never know what the Doctor will say and if he will be with you or against you in his opinions. I was really hoping he could tell me if there is something that can be done for my lower spine also. I received the IMO and once again it was the same as the first one as far as opinions go. He opinioned that my hips and my lower spine are a direct result of my abnormal gait and that there is no way that I could work in any job in my condition. it also says that this type condition and it's relation is common medical knowledge.. I would have to agree with that because it takes all of about 10 seconds to google this knowledge. I have submitted this IMO to the VA/DRO and I am awaiting the reaction/decision at this point. I wonder if they will schedule me for another C and P with a different VA Doc or will they make a decision based on this new evidence/IMO? I hope the latter is what actually occurs. If this does not refute the bad eval than I really do not know what else will short of a letter from every U.S. Senator and Congressman in Washington D.C. It is truly amazing how they can just overlook what other Doctors say and put your life into a blender over one Doctor's bad evaluation. Another interesting thing I would like to share is that I finally put in for my SSDI and it appears as if they made the decision on my claim in less than 10 days. They sent me a pain survey and when I called to ask a question the Disability reviewer that had my case said that he did not need my survery and that my case had bee fast tracked. I am still awaiting the official letter but from what I can understand from several others I have talked to including a SS lawyer, my claim was most likely fast tracked due to the severity of my conditions and approved. If that is the case here then that means Social Security took less than 10 days to approve me based solely on the same information the VA has in front of them. Now you tell me....... aint that a Hoot and a kick in the teeth at the same time. On one hand it gives me hope on my financial dilemna and on the other hand it makes me even more frustrated with the VA claims process. Especially since Social Security has received an abundance of claims due to the status of the economy and people leaving the work force. So in closing I once again thank everyone for your guidance and support as I continue on my quest for what is right. I will provide an update on my situation if and when I receive any new information. Hopefully I will have something positive to post next time.

Well I am still trying to decide what to do about my denial. I have so many appointments lately that I have not had time to think about it much really. On one hand I know I need to write a NOD but I am wondering if I get yet another IMO will that be considered once again as new evidence and will that allow me to ask for a reconsideration once again? I wonder since the last one IMO I submitted was to no avail. If anyone can give me some advice here I would really appreciate it. NOD, reconsideration with another IMO, or something other than that. What is the best approach for me now. I welcome any and all advice at this point as I need direction. Thanks to everyone in advance who responds to me. I really appreciate it.