vet201060

Took them 11 months from the day I separated. I was very surprised!! And Happy lol. Now I’m 100% and doing great considering. I’m a positive story from how the VA has treated me!!

Awesome and Congrats! I was also told I could do FERS disabiltiy retiement too. I figure if I retire in my 30's I would just go insane. They have FMLA whyou can have 3 months off a year and still keep your job not counting annual or sick leave. Would be LWOP tho. I have my advanced to me and use it when needed. Fed jobs really try to work with disabled vets. If I was in the real world I would be fired.

I just want to appeal the fact it is not P&T. I am 100% up for review Dec 2015. Decision was in Sept 2014 backdated to Oct 2013. I have a form done for my job stating my condition is a lifelong and protects my job even when I miss 12 weeks a year. I thought that might help me get P&T. I worry about getting reduced.

I have more evidence that I have collected just after the rating. I got the 100% rating but not at P&T. I would like to appeal for P&T. Any insight would be appreciated. I have look on the ebenefits site and all I can find is a way to check appeals status. I need to initiate one. Thanks guys and girls!

I guess it cant hurt to ask for P&T. Do you get something for erectile dysfunction? The meds are creating issues for me. I am in my mid 30's and dont want that part of my life to end. I have a beautiful wife that deserves it too.

I am 100% scheduler as of Oct 2013. I received my approved claim in Sept 2014. I am working full time and they lumped depression, anxiety, sleep(insomnia), and PTSD all together. My employer needed a letter from my Dr to get FMLA approved which protects my federal job so I can miss up to 12 weeks a year. The Dr. stated it is a lifelong and not expected to get better. That is coming from my psychiatrist at the VAMC. I was thinking I could submit that along with some paperwork from work. I have a 17 year old that has one more year in high school and would really like to use the college benefits. I also have some things that were denied without an exam and they are issues that are in my SMR's. Thanks everyone for your help. How do you appeal thru Ebenefits? I am in my 30's btw. I was rated 50% initially for mental back in 12/2006. Then filed for increase in Nov 2010, granted at 70%. Then filed this year for increase, granted 100%. So does that mean I should be P&T at 50% at least? I will have 70% or better for it for over 5 years even if they were to decrease me in Dec 2015.

I applied for IU and was denied because I kept my job. They upgraded me from 80% to 100% and states will be looked at again Dec 2015. Awarded in Aug I think. Back dated to Oct 2013 even tho I filed in Feb 2014.

Is it the same letter from Ebenefits? I can print off a 100% letter with the VA letterhead. It did not say anything about this in my award envelope. I wish they would just let us know what we are entitled to and give us what we deserve so we dont have to spend time digging for it.

What do I need to do to get the ID? I am 100% scheduler.

I did my claim on ebenefits and can not figure out how to file for an appeal. I recently got paperwork from work and VA Dr that states it is a life long condition. I have had trouble at work and might be seeking disability retirement. I looked at my claim and searched for an appeal this decision status. It shows there isn't one because I havent been able to appeal it yet. Thanks guys for your help

Do you have to be P&T to get privileges on base? I am 100% and going to appeal for P&T.

Mine states the same thing and I dont think it necessarily means you will be reduced I actually got increased but I stll will be reexamined at a later date.

For me the 100% makes up for the amount of money I lose due to me missing work because of the disability. I actually lose more than I gain. Also according to the criteria you should have no social life. Under their criteria you would have to be divorced and not even communicate with anyone including on this site. I agree that no vet would probably qualify and if they did they wouldn't receive 100% because they would have to file and they would not be able to. Luckily for me I got a good Dr and Rater that have some common sense and know that this criteria is unreasonable. They also have another part to that criteria where it state something about how it would effect the average person and not just because the certain vet is somewhat succesful in life because everyone is different. I know vets that are 100% total and permanent which to me would mean you couldnt work either because you are totally disabled. They dont have a 200% rating to seperate mental from physical as far as I know. These are just my thoughts All I know is you gotta take care of yourself no matter what anyone else will say General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders: Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name .................... 100 §4.15 Total disability ratings. The ability to overcome the handicap of disability varies widely among individuals. The rating, however, is based primarily upon the average impairment in earning capacity, that is, upon the economic or industrial handicap which must be overcome and not from individual success in overcoming it. However, full consideration must be given to unusual physical or mental effects in individual cases, to peculiar effects of occupational activities, to defects in physical or mental endowment preventing the usual amount of success in overcoming the handicap of disability and to the effect of combinations of disability. Total disability will be considered to exist when there is present any impairment of mind or body which is sufficient to render it impossible for the average person to follow a substantially gainful occupation; Provided, That permanent total disability shall be taken to exist when the impairment is reasonably certain to continue throughout the life of the disabled person. The following will be considered to be permanent total disability: the permanent loss of the use of both hands, or of both feet, or of one hand and one foot, or of the sight of both eyes, or becoming permanently helpless or permanently bedridden. Other total disability ratings are scheduled in the various bodily systems of this schedule. §4.10 Functional impairment. The basis of disability evaluations is the ability of the body as a whole, or of the psyche, or of a system or organ of the body to function under the ordinary conditions of daily life including employment. Whether the upper or lower extremities, the back or abdominal wall, the eyes or ears, or the cardiovascular, digestive, or other system, or psyche are affected, evaluations are based upon lack of usefulness, of these parts or systems, especially in self-support. This imposes upon the medical examiner the responsibility of furnishing, in addition to the etiological, anatomical, pathological, laboratory and prognostic data required for ordinary medical classification, full description of the effects of disability upon the person's ordinary activity. In this connection, it will be remembered that a person may be too disabled to engage in employment although he or she is up and about and fairly comfortable at home or upon limited activity.

Reads like 100% to me but they did check the 70% criteria. I got 100% and I am still working and your's read much worse than mine but they only check 70% criteria. I dont understand this. It is a messed up system if you dont get 100%. I hope the rater reads into it more. The end sounds like they expect you to improve so I doubt P&T. I am expected to improve haha, I only hope. Good luck to you brother!

I am ready to do what needs to be done. Need me to go in there all crazy like. I can stop taking some of my meds which I am getting on tme at the moment. Seeing I am having trouble due to being off others this week. I am ready to put my car thru their front dooe and my foot in their ass. Getting to that point when those thoughts enter my mind. Not saying I will do that but it is in my head lol But really there are some great people there. The system is greatly flawed and the way they treat us like second rate citizens and drug dealers when we take the meds they give us and we perform by being succesful then the f*cking DEA comes in and wants to ruin our lives so we cant work due to the pain. I wish the terrorist groups would concentrate on those aholes instead of innocent people. BTW where is a good place to purchase pain meds on the street? I am gonna need them since VA isnt gonna take care of me anymore. I think of death and pain and war more pain ev ery very stinking day memories wont go away and I will project that on them and lose control. I am losing it here so going to chill and take a few ambien and go night night with no nightmares which I may run out of in a few weeks then all hell brakes lose. I am getting help Thurs morning at least attempt to. We need to band together and fight these f*ckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VET201060 OUT

I am having issues with my pain meds now. I cant my Dr's nurse to call me back and the VA just discontinued my pain meds this month. My Dr didnt but the main VA did so now I am trying to deal with that. I need to quit my job so I can manage my so called earned health care. Dont know what else to say............

Very common for them to just cancel meds for some reason. I have these issues from time to time. They expect you to call to get some of your meds refilled and some can be refilled on myhealthyvet. I guess we are not suppose to have a life and just keep track of everything. I have issues taking care of myself so staying on top of my meds is hard. The DEA just makes it that much harder on honest people and makes the drugs more profitable for the black market. I guess the DEA is just trying to make criminals out of us all. I dont want to have to get my meds illegally but it is becoming a pain to get them legally. I have had to have a short fill many times due to the bureaucracy and BS.

My home depot still accepts VA ID card. They will not honor the discount on appliances under the special buy title. I liked it when we had Lowes and HD across the street from each other. They would take additional 10% off of the other's lowest price. I went back and forth when I purchased 4 appliances all at once with Lowes winning my business in that situation. Sounds like it depends on management and I imagine if you requested a manger the VA ID card would be more than enough. They even have signs for Vet parking which is really a cool gesture of appreciation. I used my was at HD last weekend so i guess it could of taken effect Oct 1 if it really has changed.

Do you have to be 100% P&T or can you just be 100%? I know I am not P&T. I guess the only benefit you get for 100% is the money when you are not P%T which sucks. I know the VA will use that to keep my kids from using the education benefits that come along with P&T.

I am mid 30's with 4 kids. So I am justs hanging on. My wife doesnt have a job either.

I feel you brother! I have to agree with everything Carlie just posted. I dont see how they could justify reducing me since I miss over 3 months of work per year. If I didnt have any issues and improve then I understand the reduction. But I know I dont make the rules and the VA may do whatever they want. That is when I will seek an attorney for help. I dont think I would ever get P&T and still be working. If I knew for sure I would get P&T with my 100% I would retire right now and see if I could become a VSO or some other job that would be within the rules. P&T would be the golden ticket for me and my family otherwise I have to bring in more money to support my family and provide healthc care benefits. Maybe a part time meaningful job like a VSO. I would love to help vets and really put effort to getting them the benefits they deserve. I just hate to see vets give up on having a life just to get that 100% P&T rating. I know I should not be working but my employer has bent over backwards for me. I do lose thousands of dollars every year due to my mental condition. VA makes up for it by paying me 100%. I dont have health care or education benefits for my family since I am not P&T. So I can not just quit my job and leave my family hanging without health benefits

I would say you are looking at 70% based off what the C&P Dr selected. Below is the criteria for mental disorders. I wish you the best. General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders: Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name .................... 100 Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships ........................................................................................ 70 Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships ............... 50 Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events) ...................................................... 30 **** Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication .................................................................................. 10

I read it as 100% according to what the Dr put regarding the C&P exam. You can be 100% PTSD and working too. They checked the criteria for you to get 100% PTSD due to " [X] Total occupational and social impairment". Some people here will tell you you cant work and be 100% for mental disability,which is incorrect. However, they can use that against you to lower your rating at a later date if your mental illness doesnt have any bearing on you working fulltime. I work for the Feds so they have leave set up for me that I can take when I am doing bad. I just call in and tell them my service connected disability is causing me issues and they cant fire me. I just work with them and communicate and I am entitled to 12 weeks of FMLA. I dont know how it is out in the real world tho. I wish you the best and hope you get 100%! I have included the rating criteria for mental disorders below. The Dr. checked on your exam..... [X] Total occupational and social impairment General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders: Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name .................... 100 Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships ........................................................................................ 70 Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships ............... 50 Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events) ...................................................... 30 Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication .................................................................................. 10

Congrats

I do work but I have issues and have to take a lot of time off because of my disability. The money I get makes up for the time I miss at work. I am a 100% and I dont wanna sit on my ass. Why should a vet not be compensated for mental disability because he tries to work and still has down time every year that the compensation help the vet live a life. People are so caught up with what they can see. A mental handicap should be looked at just as a physical one is. The VA and a few VSO that I have talked to said you can be 100% mental and continue to work as long as you are not tdiu. I am not trying to convince you guys that are against mental disability vets working. I just want the guys to know what I have been told. I am 100% scheduler and work. I do miss a lot of work tho. I would think a person would not want to live if they were stuck at home without a job. . I am not good with words to get my point across. Some people know everything and will never even listen to another vets point of view or what they have experienced. . The criteria is based on the average person and does not apply to a specific case. I was told that the average vet would not be able to handle working or holding down a position with my mental disability. Some vets succeed and some do not. I just think people cant get past how they view a physical disability compared to a mental one.