Search the Community

I searched the forums but did not see this in the appeals section. I have a pending appeal for my right foot for service connection, and I'm in the process of sending a statement to the Board of Appeals. My question is can I ask the Appeals Board for a percentage rating prior to winning the appeal for right foot service connection. My reasoning is, if I just send the Appeals Board my statement without requesting a percentage and I win the appeal for right foot service connection, then I might have to file another appeal if the RO gives me a lower percentage, and wait another 5 years for that appeal. I'm unable to find any information on filing an appeal for service connection, and at the same time requesting a percentage. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks

Hello All, I know there are NUMEROUS questions asked about the VA disability ratings, and even a disability calculator, but, my question is: my total combined disabilities are rated at 85%, so, it was rounded to 90%. I submitted a new claim for GERD, which I am expecting them to bring it from 10% up to 30%. For the disability calculation, will they work from the 90% and then factor in new claims or percentages or do they re-enter all my disabilities and so my rating could still remain at 90%? thank you!!

I just had a very interesting conversation with my VSO and wanted to check out the truth of the matter. I have never heard this argument nor does it make sense to me. I am trying to get an increase for my migraine headaches. I was having headaches 3-4x a week! with at least 1 prostrating(i would not be able to do anything, would have to go lay down and be away from noise or light or distraction due to the pain etc). I filed for migraine claim and they denied at first then gave me 0%. Now i am trying for increase. Now my VSO says i will never get the increase because i am on medication. I have been seeing a neuro doc at the va that gave me meds that have been a miracle. I have not had a migraine in a few months now. It has been amazing. so my question: i don't see how getting treatment for something changes how my va rating should be. if i lost a limb and they gave me a prosthetic, they wouldn't take away Service Rating or decrease that? How about sleep apnea; I dont get less service connection because i use a CPAP, i get more?!?!? shouldn't the fact that i require medication for the rest of my life to manage migraines show a worse condition? My VSO said its the same with blood pressure, that if you take meds and its managed then you lose your SC. is any of this true? I gave a hypothetical: what if they discover a magic pill that cures all us vets from PTSD but we have to take these pills for the rest of our lives. that means we would all loose our service connection for PTSD if we start taking them? what if we missed a dose? what if they get lost in the mail? (which has happened with my meds plenty) i just can't wrap my head around this flawed logic of a treated disability is no longer a disability. Thanks guys

I was calculating 'my already calculated' disability on http://www.vvaarizona.org/combined_disability.php# with their calculator. When I enter the number of rated disabilities (7) add 6 10% individually then my last of 30%, I get 62.7%....basically 60%. I am officially rated at 70% . The only way I get 70% on the calculator is if i add the 6 10% for 60% and add 30% and then calculate...72% for 70%. Which way is correct? If the first way is correct, has anyone ever had to pay back pay if they miscalculated? Like, 10% for over 9 years?

Ok guys and gals, im back after a few months with more information. So for a little background, my effective date is 12/12/16. It moved to prep for decision in 2 weeks and stayed there for a few months. then it went back to gathering evidence, at which time i recieved a phone call scheduling me for an exam on march 25. 10 minutes later they called back saying i could come in for an exam tomorrow (which was march 1st). I attended my c&p exam for bipolar/depression- and the examiner concluded the exam by telling me to go directly to MH because im not mentally healthy or stable. I have the results from ROI, i scanned them, and posted them online below. I am currently 80% disabled, none of which are MH related :-( (illness consumed my life beginning midway through my 4 years on AD) I know im crazy in the head, and this report only makes me feel worse about myself. please dont judge me, im receiving treatment as we speak. part1: part2: part3: part4: part5: part6: part7: part8:

Hello:) Pretty new to this site, but have read some great advice, and support, so I will ask for some input for my appeal. Back story... I filed for anxiety in 2013 (I should've claimed it in my separation exam in 2009-- but didn't want that "stigma"...silly I know) Claim closed in mid 2014. They rated me 10%... Mind you, I had anxiety in service (due to a traumatic event) and was on medication for many years. I filed my NOD in the summer of 2015 ( I know.. it took me a while to file it, but I was going through other family events, either way I got my appeal in within the year mark) When I did my initial C&P with the mental health DR... I had told them I was missing some work due to this, but wasn't on FMLA yet cause I hadn't been at my job for a year, and that was a requirement... Still.. 10% I sent in my NOD requesting a DRO De Novo Review, cause by this time I had been approved FMLA and had already lost over 150 hours of unpaid leave due to panic attacks.... also since then another VA Dr. diagnosed me with a Panic Disorder and other mental health issues, not just the Generalized Anxiety Attacks first stated to me. I know appeals can take forever.... but I submitted all new paperwork, my new exams are in the system, ..... Just hoping that they can see my issue is more than a 10% rating.. it has literally taken over my life. Do you think of what I just typed would at least warrant a 30% eval? It would be great to hear any stories of success, or not such good news on your appeal with similar background.... Thank you all, and God Bless :)

Hello everyone. What I want to know is if I am getting an adequate service connection percentage. I am currently getting 30% for Bi-Polar disorder. I was originally at 10% and then applied for an increase in my percentage in 2011 and it was raised to 30%. I keep seeing and hearing about vets getting higher percentages than me and it confuses me. Like my brother in law gets 20% for a bad knee and when in my mind I compare a bad knee to constant mood swings, bouts of depression, never ending anxiety, paranoid thoughts especially in social situations whether it be at work or in social gatherings, the occasional psychotic break, and constantly feeling like I'm weird or crazy, that comes with Bi-Polar Disorder, I think to myself, "Now is being 10% higher then someone with a bad knee necessarily right?" I just have problems with understanding how the compensation works and I am wondering if I am getting screwed. Some history about me is that Bi-Polar runs in my family but I did not have any signs of it before I went to Iraq in 2003 and then I had a psychotic break while in Iraq and the V.A. determined that my Illness was already there through genes and that military service exacerbated my Illness. As you probably know Bi-Polar illness is a lifelong condition and it feels to me that it is steadily getting worse as I get older. I have been able to hold down a janitor job for almost 3 years full time but have had to take several sick days because of the stress of working and being around people all day. I'm actually worried that having a stable job for that long would actually screw me if I applied for another increase to my SD of all things. It's not like a Janitor job is a high stress environment for most people but it is the max that I can handle. So, I will be stuck in this job and pay level possibly for the rest of my life or possibly get fired for calling in sick to much and I could never be able to make a higher income even though my I.Q. is 131 and I am a hard worker. So with that all being said should I apply for an increase again to my SD?

I have a claim in for serveral disabilities. I'm on step 5 ( I think that's preparation for decision). Not taking this serious but I know some of you are really good at this by now so if anyone would like to take a crack at what you think my rating will be I'm interested in hearing it! here is a list of my disabilities that are on ebenefits: 1. Sleep apnea w/CPAP (sleep study on file) (New), Had the CPAP almost 2 years now, did 3 sleep studies to get it. 2. Bilateral heel spurs (New), (Dr.s while I was active duty said they were freakin huge, same with the VA doc) 3. Bilateral ankle instability (New), (related to the heel spurs/achilles tendon and plantar fasciitis) 4. Bilateral knee condition (New), (they click and pop all the time even when moved at rest) 5. Bilateral foot plantar fasciitis (New), (VERY high arches, I have insoles that were made for me before I separated) 6. Bilateral Shin splints w/stress Fx (New), (don't know why this would make the list I thought everyone gets these) 7. Bilateral achilles chronic pain on motion, Haylund deformity (New), (high arches make me step weird causes tendon to not line up properly and slide off those spurs metioned earlier, not cool) 8. Lumbar spine pain on motion, bilateral radiculopathy (New), (this can be chalked up now to sciatica in my opinion unless they found something on the xrays that I never heard about) 9. Bilateral hip condtion (New), (more so the left side of the hip than the right but right where the joint for where the leg connects painful numbing kind of sensation and a squishy/grinding sound) 10. Erectile dysfunction (New), (I know this is 0, moving on) 11. Cervical spine condition, (New), (limited range of motion at certain angles) 12. Bilateral shoulder condition; impingement (New), (to add to this, on initianl appt for VA doc noted both rotator cuffs grind and pop at certain points) 13. Residuals of left hand cyst excision (New), (hurts a bit where they cut it out, right in the crease of the wrist behind the thumb) 14. Right wrist numbness (New), (there's the carpe tunnel, has gotten much worse too, thumb goes numb or i lose control of it lol) 15. GERD (New), (I take 40mg of Nexium once a day, twice as needed as prescribed by doctor if I don't stomach pain is extreamly painful, will literally bowl me over and I'm worthless like i'm getting eaten from inside) 16. Hearing loss (New), (hearing test appt for VA showed my hearing is pretty good so maybe disregard) 17. Tinnitus (New), (ears ring) 18. Deviated septum; left (New), (almost completely blocks up left nostril) 19. Tachycardia pulse (New), (fast irregular heartbeat discovered while doing tests for ED meds) 20. Bilateral eye corneal scars, blephartitis floaters (New), 21. Dermatomycossi, tinea versacolor (New) also noted during my initial VA appoint the doc took down that I have Carpe Tunnel and Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) a few of those like the Ed and Tinea i think i've seen a lot of people getting 0% ratings so I didn't factor them in but I used the disability calculator at VV arizona and put in the sleep apena cause its the only one that had a clear rating on the regulations instruction and played with estimates for some of the others, worst case scenario I could come up with was 60% and best case I got 90% I refuse to believe I could get a 100 out of it haha. anyway what you guys think?