[Individual Unemployability Help]

Hmmm...that I don't know. HR depts are usually pretty lean on the details, but if you can explain why you need statements from them RE your personnel file about absences, etc, they may be more amenable to providing more than just the dates of employement.

CAS

[Individual Unemployability Help]

Their HR dept can at least verify the dates for you on the form, if nothing else.

CAS

[Individual Unemployability Help]

What exactly are they asking for? I know that they want dates of past employment, and I think they ask for statements if you can get them from past employers RE: the nature of your leaving the workforce.

[Ebenifits]

'they' is your local RO .Ebenefits updates when your local RO submits. If your RO doesn't use it, then it won't update.

[New Ptsd/pain Claims]

If you have mental treatment in service, and seek treatment now, the combination of the two might be enough for some form of mental health compensation. It may not be PTSD, but even if you don't get compensation, getting treatment is probably a positive.

As for the rest, it still comes back to did you get treatment, and is there documentation of that treatment, and can it be tied to something you have now that is under ongoing treatment?

[Regional Office Fax Numbers]

Can anything be faxed to those numbers? The link says "benefits questionnaires". If we start flooding the fax line with unintended faxed information about claims, it A. could get lost/mishandled/in the wrong peoples' hands, and B. refused outright. What can we send to these numbers?

[Success Update And New Question]

They use a formula to figure out what a person can get for SSDI. Have you gotten one of those yearly breakdown forms that they send out every year? It shows the breakdown that they use-it's based on the last X number of years worked and how much you made. If you start collecting at the full rate now, instead of at age 65, you will get more than the average that you would have normally, not less.

[Ebenefits Problems]

They seemed to be having issues later yesterday and earlier today, but I submitted a 21-4138 via Vonapp from inside ebenefits around 1pm today with no problems.

[Form 9 And Soc Question]

Thanks, Berta, Ill give it a go.

CAS

[Form 9 And Soc Question]

When refuting a SOC and filing a form 9, if you have evidence that has since come in (post form 9/SOC mailing, pre-deadline) and you send it back to the RO with the form 9, do they review it once more before sending it on, or does it go off to the black hole of the BVA?

I have a IMO from my doctor clarifying a particular point in my SOC where they said my doc didn't render an opinion on if my extremity sicatic/radiculopathy was caused by my back injury-and Ive also had an MRI since then that shows considerable herniation at L5-S1 (rated) and now L4-L5.

CAS

[Obama Seeks To Raise Health Care Fees]

Sound's more like it's the GOP, not so much Obama. He signs the bills, he doesn't come up with the budget. 2.50 and 5.00, however, is not that much to ask. While I don't think fees/raises should be onerous, I don't appreciate being wrapped in the flag by the GOP and trotted out every so often for political motivation either. The "these veterans already sacrifice so much........" mantra, while true, is still just a heartstring ploy, akin to lilting music and a 'sad' looking puppy used by PETA or ASPCA. If Congress really gave a crap they would make VA funding a budget line instead of a discretionary measure.

[Reimbursment For Equipment]

Taxwise I think you can, if it was expensive enough, or even get insurance to pay for it as a medical device...unless you are rated TDIU or 100%, or on ILP im not sure if you can claim it through VA. Ive only seen 100% or IU/ILP guys able to claim stuff through the VA-and that isn't really reimbursement. They demonstrate a need for something and submit it through the VA and the VA provides it.

[Getting Non-Va Med Test Into Va Computer System]

I think those might have to be requested from doctor to doctor to be included-maybe that is why they aren't in there? They could be altered by the patient before inclusion? It might be a security thing.

[Getting Non-Va Med Test Into Va Computer System]

Weird. Ive never had any problem getting stuff into my C file, but then It usually gets included with a filing so legally it kind of has to. I also provide all my own copies, and save them as scanned PDF's with dates so I can keep track of when they got them.

[Fw: Righthaven Copyright Troll Targets Pro-Veteran Groups And Advocates]

Will do. Thanks bonzai. I think I understand now.

CAS

They actually contract with the publishing newspaper for the rights, and then they pay the newspaper 50% of what they settle for. It is a sleazy deal that both are involved in. Look up the company on Google and check out Wikipedia's entry for them.

[Fw: Righthaven Copyright Troll Targets Pro-Veteran Groups And Advocates]

I know a lot about patent trolls from being in the tech industry, but not much about publishing. If they don't actually write it, how do they buy the copywrite to the article? Isn't that solely held by either the writer or the board owner?

[Fw: Righthaven Copyright Troll Targets Pro-Veteran Groups And Advocates]

English, please? What, exactly, are the suing for, and on what basis? The use of the word Veteran? The color green?

CAS

[My Website Is Now Revised]

RIght now your page is open access with no authentication, so unless he is adding security to it, there shouldn't be any change there. If the documents are linked to a database and he takes the database down, that will kill the links, though.

Did you have him build a quick, snazzy, under construction page? :-)

CAS

[Help! Denied Foot Drop/sciatic Pain Secondary To Back]

The nonsupporting EMG got me too. (L5-S1 IVDS 40%, ED, sicatic pain, Rated 10% in right, but not left extremity) Ill be watching this one. Great question.

Maybe approach it from the sicatic pain part, and not the nerve damage? EMG's dont show pain, and MRI's show impingement, Maybe attack it from the pain angle?

[Crossbow Permit]

Since it says 'substantial' and doesn't bother to specify, they have left themselves open to significant interpretation. In my state they word everything as having to be totally disabled. Good luck!

[Reconsideration Vs Nod]

So, additional evidence submitted after a denial (in response to it) and an SOC would not be a reconsideration? FE-I am denied for sciatica in the SOC, but upon reexamination of my doctor to word the IMO correctly I am shown to have it, and it should SC. I send that in:

with my SOC to refute it-at the local level

or to BVA?

[Reconsideration Vs Nod]

And, that is what a DRO review, does. To get my local RO to re-examine my denial, I had to file an NOD, then request a DRO review. Subsequent to that, if denied in SOC, I then file a form 9 if I want to pursue it, within 60 days, to go to BVA. Where I'm fuzzy is if I can submit additional evidence refuting aspects of the SOC and still have it reviewed locally first.

But...its not my thread so Ill shut up now. :-)

[Reconsideration Vs Nod]

If you agree with their decision why would there be a need for a reconsideration?

[Reconsideration Vs Nod]

I stand corrected. Thank you Pete.

CAS

[Reconsideration Vs Nod]

There isn't. A "reconsideration" at the DRO level is still a NOD. You file your NOD and then indicate that you want it looked at at the DRO level (local) rather than the BVA level. If you are shot down at that point you can still file your full form 9 to the BVA.

CAS