Question On Getting A Imo

[jecsb4]

Hi All,

I am considering getting a IMO but the doctor I am considering has written a memo / letter for me a year ago. Assuming that I get this Dr to write a IMO will they consider it as such, or no, due to the fact that I have a letter from them already.

The key point for using this Dr as a IMO is that I had an exam last year and the Dr knows my SC condition has gotten worse.

If the VARO wount consider this a IMO then I suppose I could just submitt new exam findings as regular additional evidence.

Thanks

[Ricky]

If this doctor knows that your disability has gotten worse and he states so in his IMO along with why it is now worse then it should not be taken as repetitive.

[Berta]

I would suggest that-when you submit this additional IMO- you state in a cover letter that it is neither "redundant to nor cummulative" of the initial IMO.

The VA rejects IMos that they find are cummulative and redundant-

I specifically stated this when I submitted my second IMO from Dr. Bash.

If the VA sees two medical opinions with the same letterhead -they can easily disregard one of them unless they know it is not a duplicate of the original one.

In my second IMO from Dr. Bash he made this very clear but I also submitted a statement too supporting that.

Edited November 10, 2007 by Berta

[Berta]

The VA too is prevented from 'doctor shoppin'- AKA "fishing expedition" as we called it in th3 1980s-

If the VA has competent probative medical evidence to award the claim and then VA quackola to dent the claim- these opinions have to be weighed and if found to be "equally" for and against the vet wins under Relative Equippise (the Benefit of Doubt Doctrine)

But as I always remind- VA owns the scale and if a IMO does NOT comply with a full medical rationale and the other IMO points I posted here-

that scale becomes tipped against the veteran-

Any vet who has IMos and the VA has gotten a begative opinion- should cite MAriano V Principi so they dont go doctor shopping for another opinion.

VA has never rendered an opinion yet on my IMOs-

I have their VA opinion and my second IMO knocked that down- in a response recently to VA-

(this claim has had conisderable movement lately-due to that response and it has only been there for almost 5 years)

I clearly cited that Mariano prohibits them from trying to get another VA medical opinion- they already had their chance-

(but I ordered another specialist IMO-just in case)

the War of the Words is not only frustrating but the VA war games can cost $$$$$ -yet this is often the only way to succeed in a claim- with an IMO from a real doctor.

SOmetimes I think- if a VA doctor can bungle a C & P what the heck are they like if they also see PTs in the VA clinic and make diagnoses under VA health care exams- too-

the stuff in C & Ps- to me is often blatant medical negligence-

but it not a'treating' procedure-therefore no basis to file FTCA-