Carl the Engineer

I just had 5 issues examined by LHI Care for my recent VA claims. While I thought the examiner was nice and everything looked favorable, one issue was affirmed, one denied, and three referred for further work. So, too early for me to make the call on LHI Care, Hamslice

"Does the lack of any password or security cause you any concern you considering what is in the file? What if it had fell into the wrong hands during shipment?" Vync, Honestly, it would have in the past, but now I'm over it. I have embraced all of the security currently available and am going that way. Too hard to fight the man. Both my online banks, I have double ID security. So, if someone wanted to get to my money they would have to have my password and my cell phone in their hands at the same time, etc. Now, even my bank requires I use my debit card to withdrawal money even when I am standing at the counter. Also, I live in a small town and know everyone that works at the bank and they know me. And if I am away from home, again, passwords and zip codes. That, and I don't have a lot of money in the bank for when I go to the home. Better to have some cash in a can somewhere, LOL. Hamslice I could also see where giving the Veteran a pass key to get into an encrypted file would only cause another delay when the Veteran misplaced the password. You have to wait days, months, years as it is now, there would have to be a clerk on the ready for those calls.

Got mine Feb 17, 2017 on a CD FWIW, Hamslice The picture should answer most of your questions, and yes, just plop it in your cd drive and go. No passwords, PIN's or anything. As received..

Just would hate to be missing something that I could be selecting 3 or 4 times a day when waiting on claims. LOL, Hamslice

I think a lot of us on this forum are trying to get the last or little bit left on the table regards our VA disabilities. Or, have a major roadblock in an appeals or at some complex regulated rating scenario, etc. I also think that the VSO's are overwhelmed with initial claim applications from first timers. I attended a county wide Veterans benefits program (meeting) a couple years ago and there were Vietnam Veterans there that did not know anything about the VA or compensation. I am sure there are Korean Veterans as well that don't know. However, they both are becoming older and the county's other services are sending them to the VA, etc., and they start claims. Just think of all the Veterans from Korean, Vietnam and the Gulf wars that are just starting out on their VA comp adventures, especially now that Covid may have taken their employment away. Not an excuse, but I don't see some rep taking a day or 2 to get me a 10 when I'm at 90, when he has a few hundred filling out initial claims to get into the system and get some medical assistance through the VA. Just another one of my "theory's" Hamslice I have pretty much done my own claims from '08 and went from 30 to 90. And, I have never heard a "peep" from my VSO, the VFW.

OK, this is interesting, I am looking through my VA stuff and realize my upcoming (not-in-person) C&P exam is on 5/31 at 10:30. Memorial Day! Someone's working holidays, just for me, Hamslice

I don't have that apparently, Hamslice

OK, school me, where the hell is the "Issues" tab? Hamslice

OK, If you have a "very high" rating in the Reserves, the VA already knows about it and the other way around. I don't know what you mean by a very high rating, but lets just say you are at 90% and have a family. You would be getting about $2200 give or take a month in VA comp and you would not be getting anything for your Reserve duty (weekend drills) as they offset. Some Soldiers get both because their VA comp is less than their Reserve pay, but you get to choose, and most take the VA comp first cause it's tax free, and the Reserves make up the difference. Now, what it sounds like to me is you are trying to get to the 20 year mark for a non-traditional military retirement. And, you don't want your service connected disabilities to conflict with your military duty. At some point, they will collide and you probably will not like the outcome. If you have 15 years in the Reserves, you can still get your retirement at age 60, by taking a medical retirement. A bit less money, but it will be secure. And, just for a fact, LHI has your complete C-file on their computer. My LHI examiner and I had quite a chat when she was doing the control-F thing and found some interesting medical history for a 54 year old female (I am a 60 year old man). My wife's entire SSDI file is in my VA c-file because of my claim for spousal A&A. I agree with pacmanx1, don't jeopardize your future VA compensation trying to pull the wool over the Army Reserve, etc., or the other way around. I just remembered that the VA with the Blue Button also tracks my military retirement status. So, basically, everybody knows everything or will soon enough. Best advice ever, Tell the truth, Hamslice

VA math is what it is, but there is fun with the numbers. I like math and play with the chart and the computer programs a bit. I have proven the Hill and Pont bilateral program wrong in the past by using the chart and a pencil. I'm not sure who invented the chart, but might be worth my time to find out, LOL (while I wait for my decisions). Here's one, The bigger the number you start the chart, the more points you get. And remember, by reg, you always start with the bigger numbers, and with bilateral's first. As an example, a 20 plus a 20 plus a 20 with get you 49, but a 40 plus a 20 with get you a 52, and both would get you a 50 by rounding. But, like me, if you have many (12) rated disabilities, the difference between getting a one new 20 rating or getting and old 20 increased to 40 is 94 and 95. Or in other words, a 90% rating or a 100% rating. I'm an obvious advocate for scouring one's medical record to find and include anything that is ailing and can be attributed to one's military service. I am also for looking for things that are happening because of those problems and claiming them as secondary. I developed a very slight limp, which was noted to me by my wife, from my right foot plantar fasciitis. Years after my original claim, I was awarded left foot secondary. That is were bilateral's come in. To date, I get 6.3 points from my bilateral ratings. And that gives me 92, instead of 91. Remember, 80's are hard and 90's are a bitch, Hamslice

"As for the vendor reports themselves you can contact the vendor and get the reports from them." LHI Care does not release exams records to Veterans. According to their site, they are property of the VA and the Veteran has to contact the VA to get them. QTC from what you have stated before, will have the exams on the Veterans portal, so I will be watching for that when the time comes. That will be nice. Thanks for added information, Hamslice

John, I'm currently, with the new additional 10 for my left shoulder, at a 92 raw score. So, with the 3 deferred, I would need a 20 and a 10 or one new 30 to make 95 for 100. It's definitely doable, just takes time plugging along. I have no biggie, just a bunch of smalls. I've been 90 for about 2 years. I have a theory, and I have a buddy in the same boat, that the powers that be, scrutinize a simple 10 a bit different when the first Veteran is currently 10 percent disabled and when the second Veteran is sitting at 94 raw points. The first Veteran's 10% increase costs the VA $140.79, while the second Veteran's 10% costs the VA $1277.67, so about $13,833.24 difference in a year, not including extra's and healthcare. My 3 deferred claims went to one examiner (RN), and now the VA shipped them off to another (Doctor). That could be normal procedure, but like I said, working on a theory, and one could surmise that they went shopping for lower rating or denial, etc. The problem is in the past, when the VA did all my C&P exams, I did have one claim referred and I could see the first exam and then why it was referred (what the examiner failed to address) and for what and then what the referred examiner opined. Can't do that now with the farmed out exams. Just a theory, Hamslice

That's the rub, In all of my dealings with the local VA clinic, everything says the regional VA Hospital in Iron Mountain, MI. As an example, I had a blood test and my annual exam at the local VA clinic, yet in my medical record it says it was done at Iron Mountain. The doc that diagnosed me for paravertebral muscle spasm, and where I went for PT, was at my local clinic, which I submitted all the medical records for, but in the evidence section of the decision, it says VAMC treatment records Iron Mountain, for all of the time periods for all of my current claims, etc. And, as we all know, we don't get to see what the rater is looking at when they make the decision. Are they looking at what I sent in? Who knows? They did take another claimed (diagnosed) disability (lumbar segmental dysfunction) and rolled that up into my claim for increase for thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease and DDD. I could understand if they had done that with the paravertebral muscle spasm, as I am not too sure with these three issues, what overlaps what. But, it was diagnosed and I did send the records stating such in. I will wait until the other three conditions deferred come in too see where this goes. Fun with the VA, Hamslice

It is also on my "VA Problem List", which I also sent in with it highlighted. I understand that if its on the list, that don't make it a diagnosis, but it should have tipped them in that direction for a look see. Just sayin, Hamslice

Sorry, Secondary to my already service connected thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. Hamslice I will add, one of the deferred claims is for an increase, and is for the thoracolumbar spine djd and ddd.

I just received a decision letter today. I was granted one increase, 3 contentions deferred, and one denial. The denial says I don't have a diagnosis for the claimed disability. But, I sent the diagnosis in with the claim, in person, at my CVSO, and I watched him put in the computer. Not sure if the rater missed the medical record, or if it was taken out, etc. Anyway, you can see what I see. Any thoughts, Hamslice

I just got a decision letter in the mail today. They included VA Form 20-0998, which is a breakdown of the 3 avenues you have. Supplemental Claim, VA Form 20-0995 is out, because you are not adding new evidence. Higher-Level Review, VA Form 20-0996. Board Appeal, VA Form 10182. My only other question would be did he get a PTSD specific exam when he was denied in '09 because he didn't have (according to VA) a stressor in his record? If he didn't have the exam, that could be the/a issue. FWIW, Hamslice Beat me by 4 minutes. Trying to type and eat pizza at the same time, LOL.. Hamslice

The short answer is you won't pay income tax on the VA pay, so you will gain a bit. The long answer is to scour your medical records and make sure you have claimed everything that still ails you. And if you were denied on some claims previous, maybe work on them and get them service connected. Get to 50 percent, and then you will get both in full. Just sayin, Hamslice

https://www.wolfandbrown.com/tag/pfas/ 425 military bases.... Hamslice

SSDI 5 year rule is pretty hard and fast. I don't know anyone who has beat that. So, if you haven't worked in the last 5 years from filing, your out. Also, SSDI is for the inability to work, which is what IU is for, so that should work to your favor. Same thing. Now, 100% scheduler, is different, as you could be 100% for a bunch of disabilities, but not one that was enough to trip the SSDI malady list. Yes, they have a list. If your ailment is not on the list, then you have to fight for it. Multiple Sclerosis is not on the list, ask me how I know. And, as I understand it from my wife's legal aid, the first look is a clerk to see if on the list, deny, then the appeal is looked at by medical person, deny, then off to the judge. Did the judge give you any hints at the hearing? Hamslice

Update, Had to call QTC to register to get my password. I can now log onto the examinee portal and see that I have an (not in person) for a "Medical Opinion" on the 31st of May at 10:30. Would be nice to know what he is opining on, LOL, Hamslice

Well, that truly is confusing. It almost sounds like they say you have a cervical disability, from being an Infantryman, however, it was not caused by your bum knee. From what I have learned, and that I have gotten secondary's to secondary's, I would have claimed neck pain second to my other service connected conditions and let them find/deny the link. It almost sounds like they pegged the denial to your knee. But, say that you have neck pain from your service. I got my elbow second to my shoulder, because of arthritis and then a bump cause of range of motion. I think you could/need to fight this with a better doctor. FWIW, Hamslice

Thanks for the reply. Hoping the news is better, Hamslice

Any updates? Part of my claim was referred to QTC after my exam by LHI Care. The QTC exam is not in person, so I don't know when that happens, but I do know the doc according to the letter I received yesterday. Hope you did good, Hamslice

Vet4422, "Peggy" is a bloggers term for calling whom ever is in charge of what you are complaining or asking about. In this case, the suggestion is to call the VA. Hamslice