georgiapapa

Sounds like a good idea. If it does measure between 3-5 you should be ok as long as the test results are signed by a cardiologist. Good luck GP

You will be in our prayers coastie. Take care of yourself. GP

mcarter985, Do you have copies of any of your medical records related to your heart attack and follow up tests after your heart attack? The reason I ask is other factors are considered when rating you for CAD/IHD. You could have a METs measurement over 5 and still receive a 60% rating if your records show you have left ventricular dysfunction with ejection fraction of 30% to 50%, or if your records show you experience syncope (passing out). If you have had regular follow up appointments and tests with your cardiologist since your heart attack, you may have records showing your METs measurement, ejection fraction and whether you experienced syncope. Refer to 38 CFR part 4.104 (Schedule of Ratings - Cardiovascular System) Diagnostic 7005 for specific info. Good luck to you. GP

JT24usn, If you don't already do so, place some type of padding on your scar to cushion the scar from your belt or clothing. Make sure the doctor sees you remove the padding and put the padding back on. Make sure you tell him why you are wearing the padding. Perhaps he will be more likely to believe you are experiencing pain. Also, check out "38 CFR part 4.118" which is the Schedule of Ratings - Skin (includes scars). This will give you an idea of what else the C & P examiner will be looking for at your exam including scar size, type of scar, scar depth and tissue damage, etc. Good luck with your exam. GP

broncovet, I agree with you 100%. Berta is deserving of this honor and many more for everything she has done for veterans and their families. She is highly respected by friends (veterans and their families) and foe (VA). Berta spends a lot of time and effort helping anyone who asks for help and I don't see how she has much time left for herself. Thank you Berta. GP

marinevet61, I believe the IMO prepared by your oncologist will have to show how he arrived at the opinion that your brain tumor was caused by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. I am just not sure that a general statement that you have "no other risk factors for glioblastoma" will pass muster with the VA. According to info on the Internet, the only known risk factor for glioblastoma is radiation exposure. You should research TCE, PCE, benzene, and vinyl chloride to see if you can find anything suggesting these substances may be associated with brain cancers. Perhaps, if you could find some studies or medical articles showing a connection between any of the toxic agents found in the Camp Lejeune water and Glioblastoma, you could submit the info along with the IMO. Hopefully others will chime in and give you their suggestions. Good luck. GP

Oiler1995, I actually changed my settings to "allow cookies" before I was able to access ebenefits. GP

marinevet61, Did your oncologist support his opinion in his IMO with reasonable medical rationale (medical articles, toxicology reports, other professional opinions, etc.)? If your oncologist only stated it was his opinion that your tumor was "at least as likely as not" caused by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and did not include reasonable medical rationale supporting his opinion in his IMO, the IMO would not be considered a credible medical opinion for the VA to service connect your tumor and grant disability compensation. Make sure the IMO contains the reasonable medical rationale before you submit it to the VA. According to the VA, a majority of the Camp Lejeune water contamination claims are being denied due to the lack of "credible medical opinion" showing a connection between the claimed disease and the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. I hope you prevail with your claim. I served 1968, 1969 and 1970 at Camp Lejeune and received my drinking water and bathing water from the Hadnot Point water reservoir. My serious diseases are all on the Agent Orange presumptive list so I have not found it necessary to file a claim for any disease due to the Camp Lejeune water contamination. Good luck and take care of your self. Semper Fi. GP

13Bcannncocker, Congratulations my fellow cannoncocker. Take some time off to relax and enjoy your family. You deserve a break. I am glad to see you want to pay it forward and help other vets. There are so many veterans and their families who need help and not enough veteran advocates to help them. We had each other's backs when we served our country and we should have each other's backs to make sure our military comrades and their families receive the benefits they deserve. Good luck and good health to you and your family. GP

coastie, Remember the old saying, "the only dumb question is the one you don't ask." Your question is not dumb. Low testosterone (Hypogonadism) can cause fatigue, lack of energy, low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, mood changes, depression, increase in body fat, loss of muscle mass, erectile dysfunction, etc. If you have Hypogonadism, it can be treated. You may have mentioned some of these symptoms to your doctor and he is probably concerned about what is causing the symptoms. I might be wrong but I don't think this is an attempt to discredit your MDD/PTSD. Take care my friend. GP

Thanks Navy. It was the cookies. Working fine now. GP

The December 2014 date is probably the date of our last COLA. It is confusing but they always list the last COLA date. July 2014 will probably be your effective date. GP

Has anyone else been having problems logging into Ebenefits the last couple of days? Every time I attempted to log in yesterday and today, it returned me back to the log in page. I even changed my password and verified my user name but it still returned me back to the log in page. GP

Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability. Google 38 CFR part 4.16. GP

jefmil50, Go to ebenefits and check your "Benefits Summary Letter" under "Downloadable VA Letters." Any changes in your rating status are usually shown there before the BBE is received by the veteran. Good luck and Semper Fi. GP

OSC, Sounds like you have a decent VAMC and VA PC in Manilla. I wish you luck with the C & Ps. Keep us posted. Good luck and good health. GP

Good advice Buck.

You are welcome.

52d, If you had a rating for bilateral fasciitis, this would have pushed your rating up so you would have received the 70% combined rating. You can find info about bilateral rating factor at 38 CFR part 4.26. GP

I agree with you Pete. That is exactly where the calls need to go. The people at the call centers provide very little help. GP

Theresa, After reading your excellent email to Allison Hickey, I feel like you will eventually win this battle for your Dad. He sounds like a great person and a wonderful Dad. You are lucky to have him as your Dad and he is lucky to have you as his daughter. I have a feeling Allison Hickey knows a storm is coming and its name is Theresa Hall. You have put Ms. Hickey on notice so I believe she will probably be responding back to you soon. I hope your Dad gets the compensation he has earned and deserves ASAP. Just a side note, I was a cannoncocker with the Marine Corps in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. I was in a 105 Howitzer battery and I definitely understand how your Dad could have injured his leg so bad. Howitzers are dangerous if you are standing in the wrong place when they are fired. I would also be surprised if your Dad doesn't also have serious hearing loss and tinnitus. If he does, he should file claims for both. Please express my appreciation to your Dad for his service. Good luck to you and Semper Fi to your Dad, GP

52d, I also got a 64. Check and make sure you don't have another 10% rating because one more 10% rating would compute to 68 rounded up to 70%. If not, I would call 1-800-827-1000 and see what they are showing for your awards. It is my understanding from a post I read this morning you can go to your Ebenefits account and click on "Dashboard" and get a breakdown of your different ratings. I haven't tried it yet so I am not sure. Good luck. GP

highoctane, Congratulations on your award and good luck on your appeals. Your effective date was the day you retired which just happened to be the COLA date for VA and also the date of your last pay raise. Semper Fi, GP

63SIERRA, In my opinion, your statement, "still can't communicate real time with the RO" is the main problem claimants have with the VA? It just does not make any sense to me as to why the VA doesn't see the lack of real time communication between claimants and the RO as a major problem. If claimants could actually talk to the RO, it would help the claimants and the VA. Claims could be completed faster. Claimants would get their compensation and other benefits faster. The claims backlog would be reduced. A lot of appeals would not be necessary. The appeals backlog would go down. Confidence in the VA would go up. Complaints would be reduced. Morale in the VA would improve. VA costs would be reduced. Note: I used the word "claimants" rather than "veteran" because I also wanted to include veteran's family members who also need to communicate with the RO (e.g- DIC claims, etc.). Am I wrong? Doesn't it make sense for claimants and the RO to be able to communicate directly with each other real time (telephone, email, in person) or am I missing something? JMO. GP

rootbeer22, Veterans should be permitted to have audio recorders during the C & P exams so there is no doubt regarding the questions asked, responses given, etc. JMO GP