Bkorea70

I hear you guys always talking about which specific VA office has your claim. It sounds like some of you know the person who has your claim. The only thing I know is that I had a VSO help me file my claim to the Chicago, IL VARO. Since it has been filed I just keep getting letters saying the VA is still processing my claim. But I'm not sure how far along my claim is. How do I track down my claim and see who is working on it? When I call the 800 number, they just tell me my claim is still pending and that's it. I would like to be better informed on my claim status like it seems most of you are. Thanks!

Hi, Does anybody know about temporary 100% disability compensation??? I had a surgery for a service connected injury at a VA Hospital. I was out of work for almost two months for recovery per the VA surgeon. I have filed a claim to receive 100% compensation for the time I was out of work recovering. I know off the top of my head you must be on bed rest, recovering from surgery, etc... for at least 6 weeks for a service connected injury to receive temporary 100% disability for that time period. Does anybody have any experience filing for the temporary compensation? Do any of you know any more details about getting the temporary disability? Any information would be helpful! Thanks!

A little background first: I have 20% for DDD in my lower back, and 20% for pinched nerve and herniated disc in my neck secondary to DDD in my back. I had discectomy in my lower back while in service due to an injury that started in airborne school in 2003. I hurt my neck at the same time, but army doctors never did anything about my neck while I was in service. Once I got out of the army in 2006, I started seeing the VA for my neck and back problems. The VA did a fusion in my neck in March of 2010. I filed a new / increase claim in April 2010. The claim was for increase in DDD in lower back, increase in urinary incontinence (previously rated 0%) which was caused by the pinched nerves in my neck, and a new claim for temporary 100% disability for the two months I was out of work due to recovery from my neck fusion, which is service connected. I know if you are in a hospital, on bed rest, or recovering from a service connected injury surgery for six weeks or longer you are entitled to 100% temporary disability compensation. So, I filed these claims together with the help of my VSO a month after my fusion in my neck. It has been over a year now and the only information I have gotten to this point is the nice little letters from the VA saying they are still working on my claim. I haven't even received an appointment for a new C&P exam. I called the VA to check several times and they always tell me that it is pending. The last time I talked to someone at the Chicago regional office, she told me that they hadn't received any evidence from me yet and they had no record of my surgery for the temporary 100% claim. Well, let's see! I sent a huge packet of evidence pertaining to my DDD in back is worsening and the evidence for the urinary incontinence. I sent the original form back from the VA allowing them to pull my records as well and the girl from the VA said I sent the letter back denying the VA to pull my records. And, how is it possible for the VA to have no records of my fusion in my neck when I did the surgery at the Milwaukee, WI VA hospital??? I didn't have the surgery at a civilian hospital, but a VA hospital!!! That really confuses me! So, I am trying to figure out what I should do at this point. My VSO says to keep waiting. I am afraid my claim slipped through the cracks somewhere and it is not getting processed at all. The first to claims I filed were completely finished within six months. This time, it's been over a year and I still haven't received a C&P exam. I know you guys have gone through similar experiences, and I am looking for any input and advice you can give me, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am half tempted to call my congressman or something to that nature to try and get the ball rolling, but I don't know what the appropriate next step for me is. Please let me know what you would do in this situation??? And just to confirm, I should definately get back paid to April 2010 if the VA finally decides and gives me an increase, right?!? Thanks so much for the help!!!

A little background first: I have 20% for DDD in my lower back, and 20% for pinched nerve and herniated disc in my neck secondary to DDD in my back. I had discectomy in my lower back while in service due to an injury that started in airborne school in 2003. I hurt my neck at the same time, but army doctors never did anything about my neck while I was in service. Once I got out of the army in 2006, I started seeing the VA for my neck and back problems. The VA did a fusion in my neck in March of 2010. I filed a new / increase claim in April 2010. The claim was for increase in DDD in lower back, increase in urinary incontinence (previously rated 0%) which was caused by the pinched nerves in my neck, and a new claim for temporary 100% disability for the two months I was out of work due to recovery from my neck fusion, which is service connected. I know if you are in a hospital, on bed rest, or recovering from a service connected injury surgery for six weeks or longer you are entitled to 100% temporary disability compensation. So, I filed these claims together with the help of my VSO a month after my fusion in my neck. It has been over a year now and the only information I have gotten to this point is the nice little letters from the VA saying they are still working on my claim. I haven't even received an appointment for a new C&P exam. I called the VA to check several times and they always tell me that it is pending. The last time I talked to someone at the Chicago regional office, she told me that they hadn't received any evidence from me yet and they had no record of my surgery for the temporary 100% claim. Well, let's see! I sent a huge packet of evidence pertaining to my DDD in back is worsening and the evidence for the urinary incontinence. I sent the original form back from the VA allowing them to pull my records as well and the girl from the VA said I sent the letter back denying the VA to pull my records. And, how is it possible for the VA to have no records of my fusion in my neck when I did the surgery at the Milwaukee, WI VA hospital??? I didn't have the surgery at a civilian hospital, but a VA hospital!!! That really confuses me! So, I am trying to figure out what I should do at this point. My VSO says to keep waiting. I am afraid my claim slipped through the cracks somewhere and it is not getting processed at all. The first to claims I filed were completely finished within six months. This time, it's been over a year and I still haven't received a C&P exam. I know you guys have gone through similar experiences, and I am looking for any input and advice you can give me, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am half tempted to call my congressman or something to that nature to try and get the ball rolling, but I don't know what the appropriate next step for me is. Please let me know what you would do in this situation??? And just to confirm, I should definately get back paid to April 2010 if the VA finally decides and gives me an increase, right?!? Thanks so much for the help!!!

DISABLED VET WANTS TO LIVE IN SOUTH KOREA AND STILL GET VA BENEFITS I have been searching the last couple months on the topic of VA care and just dealing with the VA in general if I live in a different country. I have been able to find very little information about this topic. I am certain that I will continue to get my 40% disability pay, but I'm not sure about some other things. Maybe you guys can help me. My wife and I plan on moving back to South Korea where I met her and was stationed for 3 1/2 years. Here are my questions. Does the VA have any medical facilities in South Korea or approved facilities? My guess would be that I could go to a military base for medical and the VA would cover that.Who would be my primary care doctor living in South Korea?Who handles new claims or increases to current claims?Where do I go for my compensation exams?Does anybody know who within the VA I could contact to find out more information?Does anybody have any solid information via a website that will give me more details about living abroad in general and more specifically about living in South Korea? I've looked at the U.S. Embassy and State Department websites and they give you very little information.I want to make sure I will still receive VA care and be able to file claims and/or increases while living in South Korea. I would hate to move there and then have the VA tell me they don't have any support in South Korea and I would either have to come back to the U.S. to deal with the VA or I can't get any claims processed or medical care.

DISABLED VET WANTS TO LIVE IN SOUTH KOREA AND STILL GET VA BENEFITS I have been searching the last couple months on the topic of VA care and just dealing with the VA in general if I live in a different country. I have been able to find very little information about this topic. I am certain that I will continue to get my 40% disability pay, but I'm not sure about some other things. Maybe you guys can help me. My wife and I plan on moving back to South Korea where I met her and was stationed for 3 1/2 years. Here are my questions. Does the VA have any medical facilities in South Korea or approved facilities? My guess would be that I could go to a military base for medical and the VA would cover that.Who would be my primary care doctor living in South Korea?Who handles new claims or increases to current claims?Where do I go for my compensation exams?Does anybody know who within the VA I could contact to find out more information?Does anybody have any solid information via a website that will give me more details about living abroad in general and more specifically about living in South Korea? I've looked at the U.S. Embassy and State Department websites and they give you very little information.I want to make sure I will still receive VA care and be able to file claims and/or increases while living in South Korea. I would hate to move there and then have the VA tell me they don't have any support in South Korea and I would either have to come back to the U.S. to deal with the VA or I can't get any claims processed or medical care.