okie143

My father was 100% SC for over 20 years. When he died the VA said that his disabilities were part of the reason for his death so my mother was given his disability compensation as DIC. My mother recently received a letter from the VA telling her about the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) I cannot find anywhere on the internet about dependents receiving DIC getting HISA. Does anyone have any information on this? Thanks.

I am trying to help my brother-in-law with his claim. He was in the Navy in 1969-1971. He broke his ankle during basic training and he filed a VA claim on it and was awarded 20% SC. While in the Navy he was on guard duty in San Diego when he broke up a fight between two sailors. During the scuffle he was knocked down and a sharp object stuck in his knee up to 2 inches deep. He did not report the injury as he had been drinking while on guard duty. However, on his honorable discharge papers it shows he has a 3/4" scare on his knee. It wasn't on his enlist physical paperwork. Now his knee is giving him a lot of problems and we are trying to figure out how to file a claim for it. I can use the exist physical paper showing the 3/4" scar but there is nothing else in his records to say how he got it. The Navy didn't put a lot of stuff in medical records back then. I was also wondering if his ankle problem, which causes him to have an an awkward gait, walk. That can cause strain on the knee by being out of position. He can get two IMO stating "As Least As Likely As" the ankle causing his knee pain as well. Any help would be appreciated. Any appeals rulings that say one injury can cause another area pain would also be useful. Thanks. Ray

I first applied for disability in 1999 when I retired from the Army and was awarded 20%. I refilled again in 2004 and was moved up to 80% all SC. But was denied depression because, at the time, I could not show service connection. In July 2010 I refilled again for PTSD and lower back. It was suggested I fill by two VA Psychologists who are treating me for severe PTSD and depression. When I refilled I filled out the PTSD form and listed the stressors, dates, unit, etc., and described, as best I could, what I was experienced. However, I didn't submit any additional documents showing I was on orders for Kuwait. I had my C&P mental exam and the psychologist said I had severe PTSD and depression. He asked questions for over a hour and 1/2 and listed my unit, dates, places, stressors, etc. I am wondering if I should send copies of orders assigning me to Kuwait, awards for service in the Gulf War, and letters of appreciation from LTG Pagonis for service under his command. Or should I wait until after I get an answer back from the RO?

The local VFW club in your home town or area, Purple Heart Association, American Legion club in your home town or area, etc., are good places to get help with your VA claims, appeals, or whatever. I live in a small town in Oklahoma and have a VFW club in town where the members are very knowledgeable in VA affairs and more than willing to help a fellow Vet. They will sit down with you, help you fill out the forms, help with getting documents, etc. They have helped over 100 Vets get their benefits. So if you have a Vet club in your area don't hesitate to ask them for help. If you don't want to got to the club house then they will also meet you at your home or their home.

Yes it is claimable. I filed for a plantars wart on left little toe and I got 10% SC. I went back for two increases for other things, after 10 years and it was still there and they upheld the 10% SC rating. As yours are recurring I would think you would get even more.

I looked on the PTSD forum about being diagnoised for PTSD in-service vs post service and saw that in 2008 the Sec VA said that if a person is diagnoised for PTSD while in-service that the VA can take the "Lay" veterans word however I have seen nothing that says about post service. I was diagnoised with post service PTSD by two VA physicologists in two different states for things that happened in the 1st Gulf War. So I filed for VA disability based on these two doctors, shrinks, diagnosis and am wondering if I need to submit copies of my orders sending me to Kuwait and anything else I might have that shows I was there? One of the Va shrinks referred me to the 5 weeks full time PTSD clinic. Has anyone been to one of these full time PTSD clinics that you stay at full time?

I had my C&P physical today and the form said the Doctor was to look at plantar wart, stress fracture, thyroid, sinusitus, back, and gerd/hiatel hernia. I arrived for the exam 1 hour early as I had to drive 2 hours to get to the location. Good thing as QTC, the contractor scheduling the exams for the VA, had my middle name as my last name and my last name completely missing from all the forms. Also I only waited about 15 minutes before I saw the doctor. Then the doctor takes less than 6 minutes to give me an examination and sent me to the lab and xray then home. The doctor heard me cough a few times and he said oh you have sinus trouble. The doctor was a nice guy but you can tell he didn't want to spend much time on the physical. I wonder how much the VA is paying these guys to do physcial exams. Anyone else have an exam like that?

I am scheduled for a c&p physical on Thursday then 2 hours latter I am scheduled to take Xray's at a different location. I was told the VA contracted examiner would not see the Xrays but the radiologist would comment on what he sees. I don't understand this as the physical examiner will be touching, feeling, pushing, etc., and talking to me about my VA rated injuries but the radiologist will not even see me he/she will only look at the xrays after the xray tech takes the pictures. I guess it helps the vet as the xray might not show something that the physical examiner says he saw or touched. Does this make sense?

In 1999 I applied for service connection for stress fracture of the lower left leg, it happened on active duty and was recorded in my medical records. I was denied SC because they said they could not find a record of it. So I appealed, snet them copies of my medical records, which they had already, showing service connected, and they awarded me 10% SC. In 2004 I applied for re-evaluation of my SC disabilities and I got 30% on my lower left leg stress fracture because it comes back when I walk more than 1/2 a mile. They didn't do an Xray and the only way it showed up on Active Duty was with a whole body scan with nuclear stuff shot in the blood. Now, 2010, I am being re-evaluated again and they want to do an Xray. I told them the Xray would not show anything because it only comes back if I walk more than 1/2 mile, thus I am restricted on walking, standing, etc. Anyway I was wondering how this will turn out now. If the Xray doesn't show a fracture I guess I can appeal and tell them it only comes up when I walk more than 1/2 mile. Anyone else have this problem?

I talked to a vet the other day and he said he was 60% SC and 40% Non SC for a total of 100% disabled. How does that work? Does he get paid at the 100% rate or just for the SC %? He didn't go into details about his disabilities nor about his pay so I didn't pry.

I didn't state the RSO correctly my RSO is VFW, and the person who told me the info I mentioned before was the VA rep at the unemployment office. We have to go there for them to fill out the form for eval/re-eval. The VFW here says they don't get involved until the ratings come out.

Yes I have chronic pain and the va rated me, initially, at 40% for arthritis of the spine SC. Now I have DDD with neuroformanal stenosis and the va prescribed me narcotic pain killers and wants to put pins and screws in my back. I was given 10% SC for tinnitis and now I have lost some normal speech recognition and the va gave me two hearing aids that don't work very well. During my 25 plus years in the Army the doctors, mostly PAs, would only due Xrays and not find the DDD but they wrote notes to tender and pain reproduced at L4/L5 S-1. I don't have anything to hide all my SC ratings are legit and some have maintained steady due to meds and some have gotten worse. Will let everyone know how it turns out.

I was evaluated in 1999 for service rated disabilities and given a % on my back and denied for depression and hearing. Since then my hearing has gotten worse, my back has increased to DDD, and my depression has been diagnosed as PTSD by three different VA physichologists. I applied for re-evaluation the other day and when I received my packet, from the va, it states they are re-evaluating all my other service rated disabilities as well. The VSO I talked too to apply for re-evaluation said they would only check what I requested. Did the VA pass a policy that they have to check everything even if only one area got worse, none have gotten better.

I am having trouble trying to figure out how to say my lower back problem has increased to a point that I cannot work any longer. Some history: I had service connected back problems throughout my military career. I retired in April 1999 after 25 years of service to include the Gulf War. I applied and received disability on my lower back and the VA classified it as arthritis. Worked for over 6 years and went back to the va for re-evaluation of all my service connected problems. Was upgraded to 80% overall with 40% on my back. Started to work at the post office carrying mail in a postal vehicle and my back gave me a lot of trouble. One day my back pinched my nerve running to my legs and I could not walk any longer. The post office started an OWCP claim and I was out of work for 6 months. Saw a neurosurgeon who only wanted to put screws in my back but diagnosis me with neurofornial stenosis with loss of achilles reflex. My primary care doctor also diagnosed the problem and wrote a letter saying I could not work any longer in a job that requires me to twist, bend, stoop, stand, or lift more than 25 lbs. The post office told me they no longer had a job that I could do and they sent me home. I filed and received a disability retirement from the post office. Now my questions: My lower back gave me numerous problems throughout my military career. It was diagnosed as service connected. My primary care doctor wrote a letter stating my diagnosis is degenative disk disease with neurofornal stensos and loss of achilles reflex and could not work any longer. Question: Will the VA say wait a minute we said he had arthritis but now it is degenative disk so is it a natural thing or was it caused by his service? I back was doing fine in the military for carrying ruck sacks, ammo, weapons, etc., but started to hurt as I was getting closer to retirement. It was one of the reason I decided to retire. I spent 25 plus years in the military. Should I file for reconsideration on my back as I cannot work any longer due to my back? Just looking for some advice. Thanks. Ray

Thanks for all the responses. I was awarded FERS Disability Retirement and about to be rated for PTSD in which I am seeing a VA therapist. Since I am new to this site can you direct me to the explanation for some of the acronyms you are using? For instance TDIU. I know it means total disability I unemployablity but don't know what the I stands for. Thanks.