Help With C&p For A&a

[tdak]

Hi,

What does the VA consider for aid and attendance? I do not cook every meal for myself or my family depending upon weight and preperation of meal. I cannot shower unless someone is home. I have had to have my husband wash my back and hair quite often because I cannot. I do not do laundry because I cannot lift it, so again my husband or kids do the laundry, dishes, cleaning, help with shopping. Does this count?

I have my C&P Friday and I do not know what to expect. My doctor wrote a letter some time ago, but I never expected A&A. The VA actually just sent a letter stating deferred A&A, pending info.

Do I have a chance at getting A&A by what I stated? My doctor wrote I get help with daily activities.

I just wanted to put a quick note, I have loss of use (muscle weakness/ pins and needles daily) on the left side of my body from a brain stem hump and residuals from brain surgery.

Thanks.

Edited March 25, 2008 by tdak

[donews]

Yeah, I have seen conflicting information about the need for 100% to get A&A.

[Pete53]

I think that the VA will pay a pensioner A&A on 60% or more. How someone can be on pension with 60% rating I do not know unless they are in nursing home and all their money offsets medical expenses.

The VA is very mysterious

[rentalguy1]

Like I said, neither the regs, nor the US code says anything about needing to be total or permanent. If they try this one on me for my A&A, that will be my argument on appeal. I need to search for some BVA and CAVC cases where it was granted without 100%.

[tdak]

I got my award letter in todays mail. I was happy and sad all at the same time. I was awarded separately for my migraines, tmj and tinnitus, hooray, BUT I was denied SMC.

The funny thing is the way they stated it is,..."you no longer need the regular aid and attendance of another person."

Are they saying I needed it or had it before (they should have given it to me prior) and now I don't??? (like they are now taking it away...hmmm) This was on the front (1st) page, but the reason page just states that there was no evidence, which there was a dr. letter (Neurologist).

The VA claims that I never sent them back/replied the evidence letter from March, what crap.

They even called me and took a statement over the phone, what was that. The woman on the phone said she would take that statement too. Damn!, I forgot who I was dealing with.

Now I guess I have to appeal, which I have never done in my life and I have an American Legion Rep. who will probably won't be happy to hear that I want to appeal.

I have a year, but I go back to my Neurologist the end of June and he was the one who originally wrote the letter stating I needed daily assistance.

I will ask him to tweak the letter better for me to submit.

Any suggestion on tweaking.

[Pete53]

A&A seems to be a judgement call. First your Doc writes up what you have and than the C&P or VARO checks into the loimitation and problems caused by your condition.

Being able to dress yourself, groom and bathe, prepare meals, do housework, be alone and how much help you need play heavily into the decision. I know that my C&P Doc was very interested in if I drove car and shopped and who I had to help me out.

The nuts and bolts are you have to show that you depend on help from others. Its seems that they don't care who.

I am wondering if you have A&A if VA will help pay someone to assist you in daily activities?

[tdak]

Its ridiculous. I used to get "free" help from nieces and nephews and throw them a few bucks when I had it, but now when I ask its like pulling teeth, because they live 45 minutes away and the price of gas is so crazy it costs to much to just throw them a $20 to help me out for a few hours for the drive.

I have to have someone to shop with me, be home with me when I shower(sometimes help me wash my hair, depending how bad of a day I'm having). My family cleans, does 85-95% of all household chores. If I do things around the house I am down for about 3-4 days at a time, just for overdoing it, not to mention almost daily migraines (5-6-7 days a week).

How can I pay them to aid and attend me(help me) if the VA won't pay me to pay them?

It's a catch 22. I honestly think its because I "look" good on the outside, which is deceiving and totally unfair.