Whether To Use Dr. Bash For An Imo

[Torvald]

I was able to justify a partial VA disability rating for myself by doing all the claim paperwork on my own. However, I filed my original claim a couple months after leaving service (20-year retirement), so it was probably easier to get my foot in the door so to speak, by getting the VA to at least recognize some things were service connected.

On the other hand, when my wife got out of the service herself 15 years ago, she did not file for a VA disability and has resisted doing so until lately. She thought filing was unnecessary because she could get low cost medical care from the local military hospital because she was my dependent, plus she didn't want to bother with the claim paperwork.

We've got two kids in college now and could use the disability money, plus we're getting older and are starting to worry the military hospital system might not continue to be a good system forever. If we could get some of her medical problems recognized as service connected, it would at least give her some access to the VA medical system.

Right now we're in process of tracking down her service medical records. The next step would be to file her claim. Since it's been so long since she left service, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to obtain a current Independent Medical Opinion from someone like Doctor Bash, but this is all new to us.

Does anyone know of someone who used Dr. Bash for an IMO, and how successful was their VA claim? Also, does anyone have a ballpark figure of how much he charges?

[Testvet]

I would file the claims based on what can be connected back to her in service records and then after being denied would I spend the money he charges, he wrotes VA speak and he knows how to write the reports in the manner needed for the VA to approve claims many doctors don't it varies 2-2500 but the cases he writes IMOs for have a high percentage of approval

[Pete53]

Torvald:

Sorry to hear about your wife but she should go ahead and file a claim and ask for a Medical Exam. When you get the SMR's you can fill in the blanks. Every month you delay is another month you miss if she can be service connected.

Dr Bash is expensive about 2000 bucks that I think is a good investment if the VA is hard core on service connection. In my opinion you might want to wait and see what the VA says first than stick Bask on them if they are out of line.

Waiting 15 years you are going to need three legs on a stool to win with the VARO. A current diagnosis of a service connected issue which is backed up by evidence in Medical Records and in most cases the third leg is proof that it was a problem since separation.

Good Luck

Edited August 23, 2007 by Pete53

[Berta]

You didnt mention what your wife's disabilities are.

A claim needs a current documented diagnosis and also current treatment records-

as well as the inservice cause or documentation of the disability.

Dr. Bash doesnt do mental conditions or skin disease claims.

Many other such as MedOpinions does-

I paid $2000 for two separate opinions from Dr. Bash and am glad I did.

If I need another one the MedOpinion people said 2150 then lowered it to 1750 because they did not need to have too many records for this type of pathological opinion,totally unlike the Bash IMOs.He used everything except SMRs as the disability was AO presumptive and my deceased husband was an incountry Vietnam Veteran.

As you mentioned--- you filed so soon after discharge, this was a strong factor in your SC award.

Whatever the wife's disability is -she will need a nexus-

anxiety,depression, back problems, diabetes, whatever it is-

nexus means the etiology or cause or event or accident that caused her present disability (ies)

PTSD claims rest on a proven stressor and PTSD diagnosis.

If she is a Vietnam incountry veteran and has a presumptive AO condition-

she doesnt need SMRs for that- just proof of overseas duty in Vietnam.

BTW sometimes Dr. Bash charges more than 2,000-it all depends on how much info and clinical data he has to go through.

I suggest if you get an IMO- check out the IMO criteria here under search feature "Getting an Independent Medical Opinion"

and send the stuff to the IMO doctor with a cover letter identifying any specific portions of the record that are important, as well as any SOCs etc that you have from the VA- with the reason for denial-and all C & P results that produced that denial.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Berta

[Torvald]

Berta,

Thanks for the info.

My wife has foot problems and diabetes, and thinks she was treated for them by the Air Force before she left the service 15 years ago. It's been a long time since then, so we won't know for sure until we can collect a copy of her service medical records.

P.S. No, neither my wife nor I ever got assigned to Vietnam, nor anywhere else overseas. We both started out in the ICBM missile business (I was in missile launch ops & she was in missile maintenance), and were told the Air Force had labeled us as having had access to info too sensitive to permit us to go to anywhere other than stateside assignments. Oh well, at least missiles did bring us together - we got married at F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

[Berta]

Torvald -any inservice blood work with Glucose values could help show whether she potentially had diabetes in service.

You should keep in mind-if the SMRs reveal any glucose values-that the ADA criteria for diabetes changed in 1997.

http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/dx-class.htm

A few paragraphs down the page the new criteria is posted as well as the older criteria.

She would fall into the older criteria for glucose values inservice 15 years ago.I am a civilian but I would assume the mil does complete blood work at enlistment and then at the discharge physical?

Do they always check for high glucose?

It is significant also that VAMCS often considered anything over 105 Glucose at some VAMCs and over 110 at other VAMCS prior to the new ADA criteria- as High glucose readings on blood chemistry reports and often VA docs would circle or check these values as well as any evidence in the blood work of hyperlipedimia ( cholestrol problems due potentially to diabetes)

[Pete53]

WHen I was drafted I could not give a urine sample so I borrowed some from another inductee. Also I had problems with glucose levels in Army. Had to take the damn glucose tolerance test twice. They did not like the first answer.