Living The Claim

[spike]

Listen,

I am giving a piece of advice here. I understand many veterans find something that is 'wrong' with them, but if you are 100% P&T I would advise against living the claim. Let it be. Let yourself work on your health. One of my friends have said a good metaphor about this....."It's like poking a bear with a stick"-Hadit member (formerly) Jay Johnson. Your asking for the VA to re-investigate your claims. If you are 100 % PT, don't start making all kinds of different claims right away. Think about it this way and I hate to say it this way. What if the person at the VA Claims office, just got in a fight with his wife, slept in the car, back is hurting, and your the first claim he or she gets. Think that they might not 'dig' into your C-file to see if every I is dotted and T is crossed?. I have heard of some vets, losing their ratings because they started a new claim and something in the time that they had the new C&P exam (something they said or did) in the exam triggered the Rating Officer to change their rating for one of their previous ratings. Maybe because the new doctors opinion was different. Take this with a grain of salt. If you don't believe it happens, I am sorry but it does.

[spike]

I really have to question some of the advice given here. Is there any belief that the reason many are backlogged is because everyone is filing for things they feel they are entitled to.....I understand if you have a legitamate medical issue for a claim. However, in my time as a vol service officer, I have had people come to me and ask for claims they "heard" they might be entitled to for disabilities they showed no signs for. In many cases, I see veterans who I think look at the VA as a cash cow. While I hate the VA just as much as the next vet, I personally think that if you continueously file a claim for this and that and you are looking for the extra money only, I think that they should deny erroneous claims. I have had people hurt themselves on their job and for some reason they hear that they should make a claim with the VA and it had nothing to do with the Service they served in.

What I was directing this issue to more than anything else is, If you are 100 P&T, don't keep poking for small SC % disabilities. I.E. if you have knee problems, I have heard of veterans who are P&T already have SC for disabilities but feel that their knees are worse and want an increase on this and that, and often ask me "Do you think that I can get arthiritis, or muscle problems" or can I get Clothing Allowance (when I look at them they don't have knee braces, haven't ever been treated for arthritius or had an x ray or ever been to Physical Therapy.

What I meant about poking the bear with a stick metaphor was this. If you are service connected, and P&T, and let's say you are Unemployable by VA standards. What do you think if a veteran calls the VARO everyday, visits the VA and writes the VA often. They may re-consider your claim and say you are not permanent and total because you can make phone calls (telemarketing) or do office work. Is it worth it for someone to do that? I hope I have been more clear.

[vaf]

My 100% schedular disabled P & T husband has been called in for a C & P in January. Still think P & T means what it's supposed to mean? This kind of thing would explain why veterans pursue new claims or rating increases, even when their comp won't change.

[timetowinarace]

I have to be SC for every condition I have that is SC.

Why? As Berta says, I don't know what will kill me in the end. If it was ultimatley from a SC condition, whether 10% or 100%, the documentation needs to exist so my wife does not lose everything while engaging in a three or more year fight for DIC.

She need not suffer because I was scared of poking the bear.

The backlog of all these smaller claims is partly due to these smaller claims by P&T vet's. History and experience has taught us to do it or go without.

Time

[john999]

Spike

I see where you are coming from with dog and cat claims. However, if the condition could be fatal or end in amputation or something like that then I say claim it. It is good to get on with your life and leave the dog and cat claims behind, but if there is money involved you might as well get it before some congressman spends it on his pet project.

[recruiterrick]

i am a 100% believer in not poking the bear, but then again i am not married. i always worry about c&p exams popping up, just as VAF mentioned above.

i am 100% P&T for mdd, and i lose much sleep over this. i haven't worked since 2003 so i think i should be ok, but there is no way i could work. if they took my 100%, boy would i be screwed. i had over 10 jobs in 3 years, the last one being the USPS, and quit them all.

[Christopher]

I don't see it at all. The only thing to fear is fear itself.

Every claim is unique..I venture to say that the only way the VA can reduce your present % is if it legitimately should be reduced.

Put in your quote unqoute "dog and cat claims".

Get what you deserve..do not be intimidated by fear tactics.

Happy Holidays!