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brokensoldier244th
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Posts posted by brokensoldier244th
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Is that based on a statistic or on scuttlebutt? I, and several others that I know directly, have had little problem with the VA provided there was documentation or, or continued treatment of, the condition(s) we were claiming. Out of 10 contentions over 10 years I have had to appeal only one of them, and that was won on appeal. All the rest of my contentions or requests for increase, while not taking as little time as I would have liked overall, were still taken care of on initial filing. I used a somewhat similar, though not as thorough, method as Berta.
I don't think that bashing the VA in the body of a post of otherwise useful information provides anything helpful to the discussion, and it certainly detracts from someone's initial question.
IMHO if you want to complain about the VA then go to a VFW or Legion hall.
Two cents *<plink><plink>
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Are you and have you been seeking and getting treatment for these issues through either VA or an outside doctor? You have to be able to show that you currently have the symptoms/effects of whatever issue you have AND show that it is related to your service then. The easiest way to do that is to show a pattern of treatment going back to your time in service. You say "they denied it....of course" but you don't list why or what evidence you provided. Their denial may have been warranted based on lack of a connection between your physical issues and your service records.
If you are expecting the VA doctors to document your issues to the Benefits side of things, that's not how it works, unfortunately. You have to file the claim with VA Benefits, then get examined by their Comp and Pension doctor(s) ,and then factor in the medical records and whatnot that support your claim. Having steady treatment records will go a long way towards supporting your claim. What have you sent in with your claim previously? Do you have new treatment records (or older ones from that last claim that you found afterwards) that counter whatever their reason for denial? If so then you have ammunition for a claim, and possibly to counter their denial of the first one, though I think you only get a year after a denial to do that.
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Depends on your regional office- it may take them a week or 2 to type up/whatever and send it. Go to Ebenefits and re run your benefits letter over the next few days. It should update if your percentage went up.
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Be that as it may, the law is what it is, and its not just the VA- other programs do the same. I am happy that they DO because not every single thing that we see VA for is directly attributable to a SCD and for those things it eats my copay for private insurance anyway in case I need that down the road for something big and can't wait for the VA to have a slot. Im not paying for it either way other than premium for insurance.
Not really sure what the issue is, here, guys. Some things its not worth being upset about for the sake of being upset. Consider the alternative of nothing covered at all and private insurance having to pick it all up- or not.
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The VA is fiscally required to try to recomp costs, and if you have private insurance they have to ask. If you don't, they pay. If you do, insurance eats it up as deductible, and VA still pays. If you hit your deductible, then your insurance pays and VA picks up the difference. Its the same with Medicaid, except in that case they try to take your house, too. (in the case of my mother, anyway)
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My question was relevant to this thread, as the advice being given about 100% veterans being able to work was not completely accurate, ergo, why I asked.
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I am scheduler and SMC-S. I don't plan on working, but there may be other vets that might see/hear that 'scheduler' clears them for work that they are able, but a 100% mental decision, based on the definition in the CFR seems to preclude that, in that case. Am I right, or is this one of those areas where angels fear to tread in VA parlance?
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Mostly seeking to add clarification to the statement that a veteran that is 100% Scheduler can work. They can, but if a veteran is 100% scheduler for a single condition, but works, I would think that they would be re-evaluated- especially for MH issues since the definition of 100% for MH says "Total occupation and social impairment". My other disabilities, for example, would total 100% even if my 100% MH was to improve to where I could work some, but even though I am P&T I don't risk anything, even some P/T work of ANY kind, because of my fear of reduction even if I don't succeed at a not-mentally taxing employment activity.
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What about 100% scheduler where 1 of the disabilities is 100% from the MH, but even if reduced in the future the other disabilities still = 100%?
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If you read the regulation the total occupational and social impairment is part of the definition of 100%. You are in the 70-100% sphere with those symptoms, but the wording of your quoted passage should take care of it.
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Yes.. Larger rewards can required more than a single signature before being fully completed. As for 100% or not, that kinda depends on the rating(s). My C&P notes from my Psych said point blank that I was occupationally and socially totally disabled. (I looked them on on MyHealthVet, under the 'Blue Button' if you dont know how we can set up a phone call or something to try to work it out, maybe)
You can look at what Blue Button, your health notes from your VA visits, say and sometimes get at a pretty good idea of what evidence they are pulling from their side.
CAS
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Convolutedly, but I didnt file for 'sleep apnea' specifically, I filed for sleep disturbance and its caused by a combined chronic pain, obesity (from pain and non movement) and my sleep apnea with an auto pap.
*shrug* Never thought VA decisions make sense. My ED is tied to caudal nerve damage (also DDD) but I don't get SMC K for it. Weird, right?
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If you are already diagnosed then you should not have a problem with this. Most of us that have service connected apnea of one kind or another found out about it and what it was AFTER service and by the time we filed it was not within one year of discharge and so had to be proven by breadcrumbs of information spread out all over our files.
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If you look at the rating criteria for 70-100% mental, what give you the thought that successful academics would be possible under those symptoms? I went from 50% and passing about 1/2 of my classes to 70% and having to drop out, and am now rated 100%. Any 2 or more of those things listed in the rating criteria would sink a student- I can't see VA granting TDIU if you can go to school rather than using Voc Rehab. At least then if things go downhill in Voc you have Voc saying that you tried but it didn't work and that supports your claim for IU and/or P/T.
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IU will most likely be a no go, then. With a 70% rating for mental many of the symptoms that present for that would cause a person to forego school. I had to quit grad school a year and a half ago around the same time I was re-evaluated at 70%. If you look at the rating schedule for mental health many of those symptoms conflict with being able to successfully be in college. It many not be a deciding factor but it will be one that is looked at.
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Its a litmus question- can you work or can you not work? That, and your employment history will be the deciding factors if you file a claim. Usually an award like 80% total would have been inferred for IU, but sometimes its missed, or you are actively working and dont want it filed. If you want to file it its the same as any other claim.
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Great idea. It takes some time to do but its worth it. I did this, but by hand, with my file and notes starting in about 2010 and between then (50%) and now (100% sched) I managed to find enough evidence or get the exams scheduled that I needed to provide it. I typed out an executive summary just like the front page of a term paper with bullet notes for each connection to evidence with pg number and highlight. I three hole punched it, added a table of contents to the high points and kept it updated over the years. I then had a digital copy made that I added to, also, so I always had a searchable format. Since I use VA Blue Button a LOT I had access to notes usually within a week or so of an exam or a week to week counseling session. I use this for my STD/LTD insurance claim and appeal for my former job, too, and thus far its helped me get back 5 months of short term disability pay.
Like I said, it takes time but its really worth it. Get those nephews, nieces, and grandkids that are more computer savvy to help you if you are not. If you have a friend that you trust with most of your 'secrets' they can help, too. It will speed up things considerably and it will spell things out for the raters- and make it easier to appeal if they miss something because YOU will know where it is.
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If that were true the VA would not be getting DE-funded every year. I would agree that VSOs are becoming less relevant due to online resources such as this and Veterans Benefit Network .com but the VSO's have no real motivation to register people when many get frustration every day from the same vets they try to help because a claim was denied or isnt moving as fast as they would like.
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DDD qualifies for compensation- Ive been getting it for 10 years at 40% for my spine.
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I got my unofficial decision letter today and I noted a curiosity. Apparently I got my C&Ps and what not in before a deadline, because in 2012 I was rated for SA, then 4 months later they took it away under CUE. I appealed and they granted 20% for it outside of normal ratings because of a combination of pain and apnea causing sleep disturbance. Okay, fine.
Im looking at my decision letter today, and one oddity that stands out is that they granted SA back to 2012 at 50%. SO at the time I was rated cumulatively at 70%, but that SA rating at the time raised it 10%. So, does that mean that from that effective date forward that the 10% difference is going to be retro'd to the present, in addition to whatever other maths they do for the difference between 90 and 100 from March of this year to now?
Basically- This puts me at a higher percentage, by 10%, than I was getting paid for the whole time from 2012 forward.- so, in effect, that 10% ish is going to come back to me for 31 months worth? -
Good ideas. We're looking at a train trip to Denver for a few days, I think.
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Good perspective. I don't live near a base with MWR services so I may not get the ID card, though if I travel with my familiy it might be handy.
thanks for the thoughts- that helps a lot to put into perspective. I woke up this AM and for the first time in a long time didn't feel like a failure for sucking at my job (on a low day) as an IT engineer for healthcare facilities, or for not having a job at all, now. Not quite Mr. Roger's up in here, but close.
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Thanks. Parts of it feel like a win, parts don't *shrug*
Related question- if I am asked if I am retired, like, medically, the correct answer is NO, right? The 'retired' rating designation is specific to the service that you were in and can only be applied by them? Im just 'rated' or whatever I want to call it. I ask mainly for the benefit of telling inlaws, many of whom are not military and would have difficulty (and have over the years) understanding my 'status' with VA and working on and off. "Are you....ok?" is one I get a lot, and/or "Are you working? No? What's wrong?" etc. Without having to go into it all what suggestions might you all have, other than telling them to GTH which is not really an option?
Hypogonadism- testostrone use-Secondary Pain Meds
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
Im on TRT as well, DDD issues also. None of the pain medications I take are directly noted to reduce testosterone as a side effect, and I am overweight which you may not be. Short of stopping taking medication (for me) to see if it affected my T levels or prolactin the endocrinologist did not have a way to discern if it was medication, my weight, or some other issue. They made sure that I did not have any masses or tumors going on, and monitored my blood work for a few cycles and then started me on testosterone.