ironsoldier77

hahahahah!! Do not kill pills!! You aint lying! I've never tried chewing them before. I will try that next time. Thanks!

Thanks for the sound advice. I have been unemployed since November of 2008. I just started this new job last month. I originally filed for TDIU after I lost my job in Nov 2008. I would obviously tell the VA that I started working if they approve the claim. Even if that means giving back the retro pay. I am a firm believer in karma! I just want to do whats right , but if there is a program that is similar to the SSA "trial work period", I would like to do that. My service rep said the VA has a similar program with TDIU, its kinda like a temporary TDIU or something? Your advice to talk to a VA lawyer is a very good idea and I will look in to that. Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated!

Im only 33 , but my PTSD is far from being cured. I am on many different types of medications. Clonazepam is the best one. It helps me with the anxiety and anger. That way I can try this new job out and see how things go. I know its a hard decision. It was a hard decision to even try this job out but I really had no choice. The job does not have a probation period which is good. My wife can go to the doctor again. She hasnt been to see her doctor in almost 4 years! Hopefully a decision will be made soon on the TDIU and I can decide what steps to take after that. For right now I have to work to keep our roof over our head and pay for things that my 5 year old son needs so he can go to school. I am really just sucking it up and doing the best I can right now. The medication really helps. I would be a mess without it. Thanks for the friendly advice! You are a good person.

Im amazed that no one has any opinions on this matter. I have just received another response from another service rep that I use when the other one is not available. This is what he says. "Congrat’s on the new job. I would not withdraw the IU claim. If they grant it, you can at least have the retro from the date of award (if granted). Also, if you are deemed unemployable by the VA, you can also do a “trial work period” & maintain you IU status. If you do, you just need to notify the VA that you are attempting gainful employment, and they will let you keep the IU for 12 months. If, after the 12 months is up, you are still employed, they will reduce you back down to whatever your disability rating is at the time. (hoping to get the 70% award for PTSD). It is unconscionable as to the amount of time it is taking t hem to rate this claim. I totally agree with your choice to accept the employment." So ... 2 of my service reps both agree that I should wait out the claim and see what the decision will be. Thats what Im going to do. Unless someone on here has any advice with actual regulations to back it up. Thank you hadit members. Your help is always appreciated! I hope the info from my service reps helps out another veteran with the same issue.

Just got word from my VA Service Rep on this matter. I thought it would be a good idea to share it with the community. "The suspense date for your claim is June 28, 2011 (expected completion date). I wouldn’t do anything until you receive the decision. If the IU is granted, then you want to notify the VA as to the exact date you went back to work. You would then want to save part of the retro payment, in case they ask for the money back. If IU is denied, you will not have to do anything. Every now and then a veteran gets reduced when they submit a claim for an increase because the examination showed improvement. Focus on trying to keep the job if you can; you haven’t done anything wrong. Your were considered unemployable when you submitted your claim."

Congrats on the speedy claim process and due reward of 100%! Glad to see someone is getting what they deserve and in record time. Now only if they could do the same to my claim! I've been at decision phase since Sept 24th 2010. Again, congratulations!!

bump

Yeah thats exactly how I feel. Im just doing what I gotta do! haha! I'd be stupid not to try this job. If anything, atleast I know that Im trying to better myself and not feeling like a loser/failure at home. My wife can finally go the doctor now that we have medical insurance. I dont know what I would have done though without the VA. They have been very good to me and my family in times of need. It just stinks that the claims process takes so long.

Just wanted to ask a question about something thats been troubling me. My claim is still at the rating board "ready for decision". I have just recently been offered and job. Its a really good job, great benefits, pays very well. With the bills piling up and the fact that i've been going on 3 years now of not working, I feel that is in my best interest to take the job and see how I do. This job just came out of the blue and its a once in a lifetime chance to see if I can make it. I can't just sit around waiting on the VA to make a decision on my claim. I've already had to file bankruptcy to eliminate debt and stop the phone calls and judgements. I already called the social security office and told them I started working. I now am on the "trial work period". I get to keep my SSD for 9 months to see If I can handle working again. So...that brings me to my big concern. What do I do about my claim for the IU?? Do I just let it continue, or should I call my rep and let him know and stop the claim?? I dont know what to do. I just want to do the right thing and I dont want to do be doing anything illegal by working and waiting on the decision for IU. Im just worried if this job doesnt work out I might screw myself by stopping the claim. So stressed about this! Any suggestions. This job also pays over 30k a year, so Im guessing thats considered gainful emplyment. Thank you for any suggestions!

I'm not sure how that works but if you call your local DAV or American legion they should be able to point you int the right direction. I'm curious, I am waiting on a decision on tdiu myself and I was wondering how long it took for you to get a decision?? I have been waiting since sept 24th for a decision.

Oh and just to let everyone know how long I've been waiting. My claim has been at the rating board, ready for decision since Sept 24th,2010. St Pete must be really backed up!! I wish we had another number we could call instead of this lame 800 number. Anyone else know a way of really finding out why its taking this long?? Its really gonna be a downer if I waited this long only to hear that it has been denied...AGAIN.

Thanks for the reply Berta! I feel a little bit of relief now. I know anything can still happen, it's nice knowing that it's still possible though!

Just wanted an opinion on this from the vets here. My TDIU claim has been at the rating board since Sept. and ready for decision as of November. One thing that I was told by the 800 number just last week was that my claim skipped the development phase completely and went straight to "ready for decision phase". This is my 3rd attempt at trying to get TDIU. I have letters from Voc Rehab saying im unemployable which I submitted as evidence everytime and im also on social security disabililty for my PSTD for which I also submitted evidence. The only thing im worried about, is I would need an extra-schedular rating to get TDIU im at 60% now (50 ptsd and 10 tinutus). Should I be worried that my claim skipped the develpment phase all together?? The last 2 times I applied for TDIU I had C&P exams. I had no C&P this time around, but I did have one recently, right before I applied for the TDIU. Im trying to stay positive because I know I have all the right evidence, but if they got my claim and saw i dont meet the regular requirements, that they just denied it again. Anyone else had something similar happen and still get approved?? Thanks in advance everyone!

I dont fish but I guess it would be good time to start!! Gonna be a while!! LOL I get what your saying!

Yeah. Your absolutely right. I called yesterday and same thing. Im just gonna sit back and let them do their thing. I got better things to do than sit around stressing over this claim. Its either gonna get denied or approved! All I know is that I dont have to go to another C&P exam. I guess they had enough info to make a decision. I don't know whether thats good or bad? My service rep said they probably saw I was on SSD for Ptsd and considered that enough evidence to make a decision. Although I heard your supposed to go some appointment where they ask how long you've been unemployed, your meds taking, frequency of appointments and all that. I also just put in a consult to get into the Biloxi PTSD 8 week program. That was in my psychologists notes that I submitted as evidence. A while back I lost a very good job prospect and almost destroyed my house because I was so pissed off. My doctor also commented on that and noted "how would he react in a work environment if he got half that angry".

Well, It looks like I will get a decision today! I called the 800 number and she said they have enough information to make a decision and its being reviewed right now. OMG i am soooooo nervous!!! Im expecting the worst! Whatever happens I would like to thank everyone that has helped me in this matter here from Hadit!

I have been calling the 800 number and my service rep and they both tell me that my claim for TDIU is at the Rating board. I have heard that if your claim is at the rating board thats usually good news?? Means they have something to rate? Does this mean that my TDIU has been awarded?

Thanks for the kind words and your suggestions. What is this IRIS email you speak of??

Oh ok, so I could still go to a C&P exam even though they said its at the rating board waiting to be rated?

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with the 800# and they said my claim is at the rating board ready for a decision as of Sept 24th. Im happy but also kinda confused because I never had any C&P exams! Is this good or bad??

Ok! I think Im slowly starting to understand what your getting at. The cognitive impairment has to be clearly separated from PTSD,and caused by the TBI by itself? "It's the other way around, memory loss due to PTSD and not TBI - that is what the examiner stated that helped shoot down your claim for TBI" Yeah , that was from the C&P exam when I re-opened the claim for TBI. I was still waiting on the results from the neuropsych testing when I had that c&p. I think I screwed myself on that one. I remember receiving the VCAA letter, but I never responded to it. That was the first time I never responded to a VCAA. I just let time go by and they made a decision. Stupid on my part! I also seem to remember though it took a very long time to get the results. I think it was way over 30 days. They really dragged out my psych testing. It was done over the course of 3 different appointments. Instead of doing the entire 4 hour test in one sitting. That was probably a good think though. I dont think i could have sat still that long anyways to be analyized. I guess I will just cross my fingers and wait for the appointment I have coming up. I called the 800# and they said they are scheduling a "medical appointment" for me. I think that is for the TDIU evaluation. Will they make me go to another C&P for the TBI, even though I have results from a very thourogh psych test?? I would think a rater would value my TBI doctors testing over a C&P examiner's "opinion". No big deal I guess, if I have to go to one. They arent that long and nothing has changed since, I wouldn't be surprised if it has gotten a little worse! Thank you Carlie for taking the time out of your day/night to help me understand what Im up against.

What do you mean by PTSD-due to memory loss?? I am so confused at this point. I though I had a simple case here with the evidence from the TBI doctor, vocrehab, and my mental health provider(psycologist). After reading what you posted I have became so depressed. Even though you say you could be wrong. I felt good about everything I submitted, now I wonder if im wasting my time. You say they might consider it "pyramiding". OK, if thats the case, could they increase my PTSD to 60%?? Obvisoulsy i have some mild TBI according to the neuropsych testing. He calls it mild cognitive impairment. My memory is not messed up because of PTSD! The PTSD is just making the TBI worse. Thats what the doctor is trying to say in his report I think?? Im sorry if im not making any sense. But what you posted to me doesn't make any sense either. I read a link you posted on the evaluation of TBI. WOW! I couldnt make sense of any of it!! I had to keep re-reading everything and it just made me even more confused. I really do hope your wrong and they can award me something for TBI, because I do have it, even if just mild. And if they can't, I feel they should increase my PTSD if they think PTSD is the cause of my cognitive impairment, which it isnt! I feel like im rambling on and repeating myself here. I will stop here and wait for a response. Berta!!!! If you out there, I would really love your thoughts on this too! Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond to my thoughts and feelings. Its really helpfull, even if its not something I dont like to hear.

I dont know if you saw this or not, but this is the TBI physicians notes/results from the psych testing. Does this help at all in my claim?? CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATDIONS: Mr. Anderson is a 32 year old,White,married and unemployed when the last testing session was completed. His work ihistory does not reflect stable emplyment. He was referred for a cognitive evaluation by his primary care provider after complaining of difficulty in concentrating and meory problems. He has an unremarkable academic history with a high school graduation and one semester of college. HIs family of origin was stable:however his father died just before he left for Iraq. H has a stable relationship history in his only marriage of eight years. He has three years of credible service in the the army with two combat tours to Iraq. He reports being stunned from multiple blast in juries while serving in Iraq. He has no history of substance abuse , or legal problems. His social life is limited to family due to anxiety associated with being in crowds and other symptoms of PTSD. He generally functions idependently and attends to his activities of daily living.His premorbid level of verbal intellectual functioning was estimated to be high average. Current intellectual functioning was in the average reage. All IQ scores were in the average range except for working memory which was low average. He has mild impairment in concentration and focusing on information in the auditory channel. Mild impairment in concentrating and focusing could contribute to the mild loss of intellectual functioning reflected in the drop from high average to average intelligence. Memory functioning was avearage to low average. Auditory memory, visual working memory and immediate memory were lower than expected for his intellectual functioning. Visual memory was intact despite mild difficulty in focusing and concentrating on visual channel information. He has had significant losses of memory abilities. His observed behavior, history and the test data are consistent with the following diagnoses: Axis I-Mild Cognitive Impairment likely associated with Blast Injuries Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Depression (ICD-9-CM 311./300.4) Insomnia (ICD-9-CM 780.52) Tobacco use disorder Axis II-NONE Axis III-Brain diseases due to trauma (ICD-9-CM 3) Acute pharyngitis Low back pain Knee: arthralgia Tobacco use disorder Axis IV-Exposure to combat and loss of job Axis V- GAF=55, mild to moderate impairment Medical problems that could contribute to cognitive impairment include brain disease and pain. PTSD, depression and insomnia could also contribute to impaired concentration. Hearing impairment could contribute to auditory memory problems and a hearing examination may be warranted. HIs past history of having tubes in his ears as a child could have contributed to a failure to develop auditory memory abilities. Medications that could contribute to cognitive impairment include clonazepam, but this is usually seen in much older patients. Mr. Anderson may benefit from medications that target concentration like those used in the treatment to attention deficit disorder,and an evaluation for a trial of one of these medications is recommended. Unfortunately the prognosis for PTSD with mild traumatic brain injury is worse than the prognosis for PTSD without brain injury. Most of the treatments for PTSD involve learning new strategies for managing the symptoms of PTSD, and when learning is impaired, progress in treatment may be slowed. Continued treatment for depression, insomnia and PTSD is recommended. He is also being seen in the speech pathology for cognitive rehabilitation and this should be continued until maximum benefit is achieved. With the recent loss of his employment, a vocational rehabilitation referral may be warranted, depending upon his progress in the PTSD outpatient treatment program.

I find it very disturbing when I hear people talk about how messed up the va is. Why arent they losing their jobs??? The va has laws they have to follow and they don't?? How do they get away with this crap?? On going to St. Pete, that's crazy that I should have to do something like that!! Who's to say that they still won't look at my evidence?? How is going there going to make them do anything? I will wait and see what happens since I've already submitted a NOD. If they still deny me the benefits I'm entitled, I'm hiring a lawyer!! I just filed bankruptcy and had to borrow the money from my mom to pay the lawyer. If the va would have approved me a while back, maybe I wouldn't have had to file bankruptcy!! This messes up va system makes me sick.

Trying to get the TBI SC atleast 10% so I will meet the first criteria for tdiu. Which should be granted with the evidence I have.