Hamslice

I pick up my wife's all the time, they just scan my drivers licence for the heavy stuff.. Hamslice

Fort lost in the woods, Misery, Hey, I went to basic and AIT there, Hamslice

In the last 3 years I got the 10,000 from the VA and a 10,000 and a 5,000 from Mutual of Omaha, $30 and $20 bucks a month or there about's, age 57. I got my wife, 10,000, 10,000 and 5,000, at less $$$ than my two combined. She is 4 years younger and a lot prettier than me. She is disabled with major medical problems, and then there is me. This is the insurance where there is NO physical, etc. Guaranteed acceptance, yada, yada, yada. Just so you know, if you do get "this type", you can only have a max of $25,000.00 each, from any or all insurances of "this type". Not including the VA, so I could get another 10,000, as the VA is not under this rule. Not sure if its a rule or just a policy. Anyway, Hamslice And please discuss your wishes before hand, i.e., my wife wants to be cremated and her remains disposed of (?), and I want to be embalmed and have a mausoleum built in my honor. So, there is that..

Talk about going to the way-back machine.. Hard roller, This thread is like 10 years old and some of the commentators have since passed away. Please, start a new post (conversation). FWIW, Hamslice

I look at it this way. If your rating was increased to 80%, and you think that that issue was correct, i.e., you just received a rating for heart disease of 60% which brought your total to 80%, all is good. And now you are not working either before or now, submit for IU (Individual Unemployment), based of all of you disabilities and your not being able to work. Now, if you do not agree with your last rating, then appeal that rating, and in addition, apply for IU. My thinking is IU is not a rate-able condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes, but rather circumstances the VA takes into consideration regards the Veterans ability to work. There are Veterans that do not meet the statutory conditions for IU, but get it because they proved the could not work, and then there are Veterans that exceed the statutory condition by a long shot that do not get or want IU. If you think you need it, try and get it. They can only say no. You need evidence to prove you can not work. The more the better. I think your possible ratings appeal and your inquiry into IU are separate issues, but can definitely be claimed together. My thoughts, Hamslice I was just rated at 90% and will be unemployed in 2 days. So, I may be interested in this path, soon..

acesup is correct on ROM (range of motion) being where its at for DDD or DJD. 10% for arthritis and or pain is pretty much the limit. However, ROM can get you a higher percentage. 40%-60% if a doctor prescribes bed rest, which they do not do anymore, so you can see the VA regs are a little behind the 8-ball regards bed-rest. That said, you do not state what joint (area) your service connected for for DDD? I can tell you that I started out with 10% for arthritis tendinopathy for my right shoulder in 2009. Since then, I have gotten an increase for that to 20% for ROM, and as secondaries to that original right shoulder condition, I have received, right elbow 20% ROM, left shoulder 10% x-ray, cervical 20% ROM and lumbar 20% ROM. All, degenerative arthritis. All diagnostic code 5003. So, that one 10% which was up'd to a 20%, got me three additional 20%'s and a 10% as claimed secondaries. Arthritis effects adjacent joints and opposite joint when overworked. My percentage increase were slow in coming, just like the arthritis. Which makes perfect sense to me. Keep plugging along, Hamslice Here is a good article or ad for that matter regards service connected arthritis; https://cck-law.com/news/arthritis-va-disability-claim/ Good luck....

Nope. No such thing as bilateral arthritis. Arthritis is each joint by itself. Now, if you look in the rating reg under "Foot", you will see that when you have both feet issues like plantar fasciitis then they are bilateral. Simple, right?, Hamslice

In the beginning, I was rated 10% for right foot plantar fasciitis. Over the years, this caused arthritis in both feet/ankles, plantar fasciitis in my left foot, and achilles tendonitis in my left ankle. Last year, I filled for an increase for my right plantar fasciitis, secondary for my left foot plantar fasciitis, secondary claim for arthritis bilateral and secondary for achilles tendonitis. I was awarded, 10% bilateral plantar fasciitis, 10% for left achilles tendinitis to include arthritis and 10% for right ankle arthritis. They lumped achilles tendonitis and arthritis of the left ankle together, which I think is correct, but will have to verify. They separated the plantar fasciitis from the arthritis which is correct and was opined accordingly by the examiner. So, to make sense of this, they rated my right arthritis and plantar fasciitis separately. And they rated my left arthritis and plantar fasciitis separately. However, they rated the plantar fasciitis as a bilateral 10%, and they included the achilles tendonitis with the arthritis. So, 10, 10 and 10.. Make sense?, Hamslice

I can't comment on your claim, but I do have a concern. The VA healthcare system and the VA compensation and pensions are two distinct and separate entities. If you do have health problems, and you go to your annual physical, you should be using that to help you get better or maintain your health. I do not understand the adversary actions regards your PCP or NP, or the person who takes you blood pressure. They are there to help you. Now, if you have private healthcare, then I would suggest you get your healthcare there and forego the VA clinic or hospital, as its seems to not be helping you and could be causing you additional problem, i.e., high blood pressure. LOL.. The VA comp and pen is a whole other system and should be approached from a very adversarial position as its "you against them" for money. I go to my VA clinic and or hospital and appreciate everything they do for me. Free visits, free prescription and travel pay when appropriate. Nothing they, the VA healthcare side, have ever done has been detrimental to my claims in any way. FWIW, Hamslice

I travel 2 hours one-way for my VA appointments. The last time, I had an appointment at 7:30 am, and another at 12:00 noon. Kind of shoots the whole day. But, its free, and free is good. Just sayin, Hamlice Got to run over there for an eye exam this month. Not sure I'll get travel for that. LOL.

Your exam looks similar to mine I had in December timeframe. You have a few more issues, but similar. The glaring error I find is the examiner states that your ROM is abnormal in both feet, however, fails to document the numbers for you range of motion. You need to be rated on ROM if you are going to receive a higher rating of 10%. You have a couple more yes's, but I have shoe inserts and ankle brace 100% of the time. If you look at the rating table, see where your stats fit in. There is four criteria for 30% and 4 for 60%, etc. I met 2, but, 10% criteria, I met more and that is what I got. I read VA archives regards plantar fasciitis cases and that is what the rulings say to me. You're are over a barrel unless you can get the ROM numbers, cause that can give you a better rating. I just got my letter today, and I will have to go to the reg and see where they got my rating from. In the past, I got 10% on most of my joints from arthritis off the bat, but a coupe I got increases to 20% because of ROM. My guess is, you should get 30% bilateral, but you will get 10% bilateral. Because they VA will lowball you. I usually wait a while (1-2 years) and then file for an increase. Works for me, Hamslice

Received the "white envelope" in the mail today. November 5, 2018, sent in claim, January 14, received the letter. 5 contentions. So, start to finish, there you have it, Hamslice

My claims (5) for increase and secondaries went quite fast, 2 months total. My C&P exams where done at a VA hospital and were on myHealthyVet within 3 days. I think Congress needs to address this and make the VA post outside contractors as well, and in the same time-frame. Anyway, good luck on moving that much when you're at the top of the rating chart. I was at 81 and went to 91 with one new 30 and three new 10's. Hard to make big move when you're near the top. I need a 40 to make 95 now. Every two years I get everything evaluated to see if any have progressed. Seems to work for me. Just can't expect to world right away. Keep us posted, Hamslice I have not got my letter yet to see if there is any movement there either. Got the requisite life insurance brochure today, so the letter should be right behind it... LOL..

I don't know why everyone jumps to CUE right off the bat. To me, this looks like a simple appeal for the earlier date. Looks like the rater didn't see and or consider the older evidence. Did you include this older evidence when you sent in the claim? Doesn't look like it, but that's OK, you thought the VA would look for everything. LOL. Research this site for "topsheeting". Looks like that could have been what happened here. Your evidence you have posted looks great for you and an earlier date. You have a winner... If they deny the appeal, then I would look into a CUE. But, I think this was just someone being lazy... FWIW, Hamslice I could be all wet too, as I have little to no knowledge about the CUE.

This goes with most things these days. Keep asking "different" persons until you find the one that gives you the best answer, especially when dealing with the VA. When someone tells you no, it usually means they don't care or don't have time for you. You are just a number. Keep digging, Hamslice