Va Shrink Screwing Up My Claim

[labonte1000]

hi, I think the va shrink is trying to screw up my claim. I'm 10% for anxiety and, I recently got a copy of my medical recored, and she says that I always had this since childhood and that I was a fussy and fitful child. which is all totally wrong, I wrote her an email telling to change this because I never said that, I said when I was young, I was sometime a little on the she side, but never had anxeity when I was young, Do the VA shrink try to do this to screw up claims or what. This is BS! What can I do, My VA primary care told me to file for an increase, which I already did, but when they find this i'm going to lose the 10% i already had because of some dumb shrink. please help what can I do to get rid of this or change this.

[labonte1000]

Sorry Josaphine this wasn't a C and P exam, this is my VA primary care shrink. I will make a appointment with a patients advocate tomorrow to try and change this. I have my C and P exam next week for my ED claim, we'll see how that goes. Does anyone know how much a IMO would cost me, without insurance. My laywer said it would be a good idea to get a IMO also, because its outside the VA. I didn't look into it yet, but if anyone knows the price roughly please let me know, without insurance paying cash? thanks everyone for all the help and support and all the best to each of you! <_<

[Josephine]

Sorry Josaphine this wasn't a C and P exam, this is my VA primary care shrink. I will make a appointment with a patients advocate tomorrow to try and change this. I have my C and P exam next week for my ED claim, we'll see how that goes. Does anyone know how much a IMO would cost me, without insurance. My laywer said it would be a good idea to get a IMO also, because its outside the VA. I didn't look into it yet, but if anyone knows the price roughly please let me know, without insurance paying cash? thanks everyone for all the help and support and all the best to each of you! <_<

labonte1000,

My IME cost me 2700.00. I did have to be present for the examination.

It was 450.00 and hour.

If you have not been out of service too long, then you can get one

much easier than I could, as my claim goes back to discharge of 1964.

I needed a Psychiatrist to go back so many years.

Berta likes Medopinions.

You can call them and they will tell you the cost, for I am sure

yours does not go to the extent that mine did.

Just look up Medopinions and give them a call.

Always,

Betty

[labonte1000]

Thanks Josephine!

[free_spirit_etc]

I bet that was upsetting. And you certainly want to get another doctor because it is hard to work with a doctor you don't trust.

I imagine that as you are already 10% they have already established that your anxiety did not pre-date the service, so they might not even notice the remark.

The sad thing is the VA so many times ignores the obvious - and focuses on the one tiny detail out of context, that vets have to read everything with an eye for that ONE thing they can take out of context and magnify.

Unfortunately, when we have to spend our time worrying about this - they can get us side-tracked spending all our energy on the side issues - that even if we do PROVE them, we do not prove our case.

Your case is for an increase. That should focus on how your condition has worsened and the way it affects you.

They should not be able to take away your rating based on one comment that can't be supported.

EVERYONE has some anxiety in childhood. But as you did not have anxiety that required treatment - it isn't a "condition" that pre-dated the service.

You might want to hold off on spending big bucks for an IMO that would just show what has already been decided once for SC (that your anxiety was caused by / started in the service).

Because they could just say - Yeah. We knew that. However it isn't an INCREASE.

Do what you can - and what you feel you need to - about the unfair comment in your record - but keep your eye on the INCREASE - and don't let them pull you off course.

My husband was in the hospital at the end of his life, fighting for his life. He chose to remain full code (wanting EVERYTHING done to save his life) until the very end. The hospital psychiatrist wrote "denies suicidal tendencies..."

NO Kidding...

Sometimes I think they just have their standard phrases which they babble out onto the paper in some kind of order...

Free

hi, I think the va shrink is trying to screw up my claim. I'm 10% for anxiety and, I recently got a copy of my medical recored, and she says that I always had this since childhood and that I was a fussy and fitful child. which is all totally wrong, I wrote her an email telling to change this because I never said that, I said when I was young, I was sometime a little on the she side, but never had anxeity when I was young, Do the VA shrink try to do this to screw up claims or what. This is BS! What can I do, My VA primary care told me to file for an increase, which I already did, but when they find this i'm going to lose the 10% i already had because of some dumb shrink. please help what can I do to get rid of this or change this.

[labonte1000]

thanks, I contacted the patient advocte for the boston area and wrote it in an email because it was long and detailed. He's supposed call back, I asked if I can change doctors because I can't trust her, we'll see what happens next.

[Josephine]

Free is absolutely correct. You are already S.C at 10% and now taking

medication for your anxiety.

Don't worry about that expensive IME at this time, for your claim is never so involved as mine. ( my discharge was in 1964 with my " psychiatric records" in the archives for the last 40 years and never ask for by the VA.

You should be smooth sailing.

Wish you the best on your C&P and keep us posted.

Always,

Betty

Edited January 22, 2008 by Josephine