brokensoldier244th

I know. It frustrates me because I DID get in and so many others didn't. I got in at the end of July right before their maintenance window closed the portal again. I check it periodically for others that post about it, and its down. The only thing I can think of is possibly a capacity issue with the Authentication database. Moving something like that, and making sure it's all in one piece and not truncated or the primary and secondary keys don't get farked is a Huge Endeavor (think, taking North Africa). I don't know why its taking so long, but I understand some of the concepts to apply even if I don't know what their specific hardware/software setup is.

I have. KIM my RO is in Lincoln, NE, not exactly a hotspot of veteran activity, but still.....I submitted my initial claim on 21JUL. I submitted supporting docs 10AUG. SO...it gets up dated, but I think it probably depends on the RO in question. quote name='justrluk' timestamp='1282151823' post='214712'] LarryJ - You've actually seen changes/documents show up in eBenefits? I've been waiting months for movement of any sort on two claims, and have seen no change in the way the system reports status yet my VSO says I should be seeing something soon....

IF you go the chronic pain route you will have a better case if you are currently being seen for depression/pain mgt, rather than just saying 'you are depressed' I second the no - cutting thing. I watched my mom get worse faster over the years after her surgery-id rather not have them go in adn then have to go in again in 5 years (my doc's words). That complaining about everything is the worst. I keep a journal-not at regularly as I probably should, but it goes back almost a year. It is specifically for 'how im feeling' and 'how my back/pain feels'.

Im not trying to ruffle. I still don't understand the rationale though-both partys are supporting the same dependents. Maybe regular(civilian) disability comp is like that, too, I don't know. Do you know why they wouldn't consider it doubling up, like they do retirement and SS offset? *shrug*

Ive researched this a bit outside of hadit, and it seems that you each CAN claim each other. And each claim the kids. *shrug* Learn something new every day.

For CHAMPVA purposes, but are you both being comped at the Married with Spouse rate as well? SInce you are both supporting each other with the same money it seems be in disingenuous, regardless of whether or not its 'allowed'. If it's legit, so be it, but I have to wonder if that Reg. slipped by someone in the past.

A copy of a doc to a VSO should be good enough-i've never given originals to mine-I scan or xerox them as necessary. THe only originals I ever gave them of anything was two signed statements on 21-4138s. Faxes and scans hold up on court all the time, and I send in copies all the time. They want the original then can get it off their own server (VA) or request it with some sort of compelling reason. I scan or xerox the form in it's entirety so there is no question what it is, and send it on.

I would think that you could only get compensation for dependents of one or the other, but not listed as each others-youd be getting it twice.

Your sciatica and radiculopathy are part of the same thing, I think. They may be able to rate each affected nerve plexus, but what you are experiencing is already rated bilaterally at 10%-not everyone has the sciatic pain along with the radial numbness. They may up the rating to 20% but only if you have partial paralysis or foot drop. Ive seen the occasional rating for sciatica, but I don't know if it was independent of radiculopathy. *Clear as mud?* :-) Your DDD could be rated higher, if your range of motion has diminished. No one prescribes bedrest anymore, though, so 40% is probably the highest you'd get there, unless you have anklyosis or fusions. You could also look into issues with neurogenic (over or under active) bladder due to those disc/nerve junctures, and also issues with the 'little you' in the extracurricular activities department. There is a lot going on in that part of your back, nerve wise. Good luck! Im rated 40% ddd and 10% radiculopathy right like, and currently claiming for svc connection in my left leg, and guy issues. I feel (literally) your pain.

Pretty much anyone on IRC can create a room, it would just have to be on a stable server, and you'd have to make sure people knew how to use IRC so they didnt' stumble into some Gorean MUD room in the dark corner of the intarweb somewhere.

So, PME wouldnt be failure to attain erection or failure to ejaculate-its more 'hyper ability' in about a second to ejaculate so does that count, or is it only inability to attain, or am I being too literal? She (doctor) has opined that it is most likely due to the nerve compression since I had no history prior to my injury in 2001. Of course there is the Paxil she prescribed for the PME and the neurotnin and gabapentin that VA has been prescribed for my back pain that have their own issues. I don't want to claim or appeal something that isn't, but then again, I never had a problem with it until after my back injury. Im 33 and my wife and I are pretty physically active in that respect, as much as we can be. I have a statement from a VA PA-C stating that I complained of urinary urgency and difficulty with ejaculation in 2003 as" being the result of my lower lumbar DDD" (but prescribed for pain only), and my doctor's statement from last week where she opines the same thing based on what disc/nerve it is, and after we spent an hour going over my service records, MRIs, and Xrays, and she actually prescribed something for it.

*DING DING DING DING DING* FTW! Pete992 Yup-if you don't ask, or think to ask, they won't either. Good luck!

But you have been rated before-so a lot of what was on the original -526 you wouldn't fill out again. The 526EZ says you are filing a new claim or an increase claim AND you have provided them with EVERYTHING they would normally expect to get, other than their own records, which they should get anyway. Id use that one, 1. because it's new, and looks really well thought out, and 2. if you don't (and no one else does) they will go back to doing it the other way because they couldn't show any gain with the new forms. The old way was: Fill out 21-526 All 15-20 whatever pages of it......wait.....fill out 21-4138 if you had anything else to submit......waaaaaiiiiiittttttttt.........etc. and if you were doing an increase, just do a 21-4138 (since you are asking for an increase to something they already have you rated for). I did it the old way since I didnt know about the new forms. Im already rated, so I did a 2 page 21-4138 with my claim, statement of how im affected, statement noting which documents are highlighted where with dates/names etc of treatment providers, and then an enclosure list of everything in there so they don't lose anything. *shrug* same as the new form, I just didnt have a form to tell me how to do it that way , and a lot of people might not think of being that detailed. I have all my SMR's though-first thing I did while outprocessing, and I have a copy of my Cfile prior to this current claim so I know what they are looking at. Many don't . CAS

They've deployed some new forms more recently than my original filing, im seeing. I told him to go with the 21-4138 (which they are still readily accepting) but then noted that LarryJ posted the link to a new form. Seems to be part of their program to help with the backlog. There is a 21-526b (a short form version of the initial claim form for the first time filer) and then that 21-526EZ which looks to be a form that says "here is what Im claiming, and here is all the relevant documentation already provided, other than your own (VA) stuff". I do my claims that way anyway (the 526EZ), I just include it all with the 21-4138, but there are probably vets that wrongfully assume that all due diligence is always done with getting information in support of claim. I provide it all to them on my own so they don't have to, and indicate that I don't want them to wait for more info other than any C&P's or exams that they already scheduled me for, then I list the dates of those on there too, and waive the 30 or 60 days in writing. Kind of the same thing this form does, but the new forms tell you what you need to put in there a lot better than the old ones did. CAS

I forgot about that -526 EZ. Thats pretty slick and pretty much removes the 21-4238 from circulation over all, since it looks to cover both new claims AND increases?

A 21-4138 will do it, either the old one or the new one (I think its called 21-4138b). There is even a PDF that you can type on if you google 'fillable 21-4138', or you can go through VONAPP and type it up there, but you probably won't be able to attach 33 documents. I did my 21-4138 via VONAPP to get it in the system, then amended and fleshed out my claim with the PDF fillable 21-4138. Printed it all out, organized my papers in chrono order with the newest at the top (along with anything I requested from VA Records office for recent treatment) just so its on top in there. Highlighted the whole mess for the finer points. My top form was my "statement of claim" where I called attention to the various highlights on the documents by citing them like a term paper. It allowed me to organize my thoughts and I write like crap (illegibly) so being able to type helped. I dropped the whole mess off at the RO on the way to work the other day. I checked Ebenefits 2 days later and they list all my supporting docs that I included as being part of my claim, now. Good luck. CAS '

Im kind of interested in this thread? What are the legal ins and outs to being a VSO? How does one get to be so? Can it be done in a way that is legal, while someone has a full time job (like the advocate type position referenced here, but without the legal hassle)? I find im spending a lot of time here, and I spend a LOT of time over the years at VBN (going on 9 years there). I gues since ive done my own claims, talked to others about doing theirs, done voc rehab, Ive seen what a difference a won claim, or Voc can make in a person, including me, and Id like to pass that on down the line.

Got it. Thanks! CAS

It looks like they are saying that a goodly lot of it has no evidence of worsening during the military service, and with no treatment records while in they don' t have a lot to go on to form a nexus. Your back movement ROM looks pretty good, and since a back injury claim is based primarily on ROM and then separately if there is neurologic defects, you don't look like (clinically) that you have too many issues.

When you scan next time (if you do) you might want to consider scanning as a "document" or "greyscale" and reducing the DPI down to 100 or so. Those scans are pretty big. Thanks for posting them, though, that reallyh helps! ------ NM- I just opened them and saw that the one is 6 pages-thats why its huge. :-) CAS

It may be, then, that you are 'new' enough that you don't have that option enabled yet. I had to 'earn' edit privileges on my posting, IIRC. If you feel comfortable doing so, send my your findings and ill post it for you. CAS

For those of you that have multiple claims, how does the VA quantify and work those? FE: I have a claim for SC, a claim for increase of same for the other extremity, and a claim for dysfunction (SMC) all on the same form . Do all three get worked as a total group, or are they counted as three separate claims, with the possibility of different statuses and different appointments/approval tracks for each one? Will they notify me, whenever, about all at one time or separately and approve/deny/award separately or only when they are all done? Thanks!

doublepost.