diabetes Va Ratings Boards

[George2002]

I was discharged in 02/1988 from the Army with a 10% disability rating. Have not used the VA until July 2008.

In Oct 2008 I had a C & P exam, using VA doctors. I think the Agent Orange/diabetes is a given (?) at a minimum of 20%. Before I started using the VA, I had private health care insurance. Massive heart, artery, kidney problems through the first 6 months of this year. Advised to file Social Securtiy disability, which I did. Still awaiting an answer. It is my understanding that the heart/artery problems are secondary to the diabetes, which is a result of Agent Orange. Is this correct?

I also had a C & P exam for PTSD, again with a VA shrink. The shrink stated that he was recommending that I be rated at 100% disabled. The stressors are in place, i.e. Bronze Star, Air Medal, CIB, hostile fire, 11C MOS, etc.

My questions are:

After the exam, how long will it take the review board to make a decision?

Does the review board normally take the recommendation of their ratings doctors?

Thanks,

George 2002

[sniper53]

I was discharged in 02/1988 from the Army with a 10% disability rating. Have not used the VA until July 2008.

In Oct 2008 I had a C & P exam, using VA doctors. I think the Agent Orange/diabetes is a given (?) at a minimum of 20%. Before I started using the VA, I had private health care insurance. Massive heart, artery, kidney problems through the first 6 months of this year. Advised to file Social Securtiy disability, which I did. Still awaiting an answer. It is my understanding that the heart/artery problems are secondary to the diabetes, which is a result of Agent Orange. Is this correct?

I also had a C & P exam for PTSD, again with a VA shrink. The shrink stated that he was recommending that I be rated at 100% disabled. The stressors are in place, i.e. Bronze Star, Air Medal, CIB, hostile fire, 11C MOS, etc.

My questions are:

After the exam, how long will it take the review board to make a decision?

Does the review board normally take the recommendation of their ratings doctors?

Thanks,

George 2002

I had 2 c&p exams in dec 2008. 1 was for ptsd, my first one. does a c&p exam mean i am closer to getting rated for service connection? :D

[broncovet]

Sniper..

I see that you are new..welcome to hadit. I recommend opening a "new" post to get questions answered about your particular case as the people who answer questions may prefer to stick to "Georges" issues in this post so that things dont get confused about which Veteran we are referring to.

George: We simply dont know how long it will take. There are 57 Regional Offices..some of these are better than others and faster, too. If you read the Docs c&P report, and it sounded favorable to you, that is certainly a good sign. Unfortunately, I had a C&P examinar state, "Veterans hearing loss is most likely due to military service" and still had it denied. Upon appeal, however, it was approved, in no small part due to the examiners statement.

However, the Regional Office continues, in my case, to try to deny my benefits even after BVA approval. Not every one has these issues..some cases get approved cleanly without problems..and I have a Vet friend who applied for benefits in 1973, and has been in a wheel chair from war wounds for 35 years and has yet to be awarded any more than NSC Pension.

(NSC Pension is about one third the amount of total disability that he deserves.)

I do not like to be the bearer of bad news..however, I would rather you hear the truth from another Vet, because some VSO's will lead you down a path making you think you will get your full benefits in 6 months, and I say you have a better chance at winning the lottery than getting total disability approved by the VA in six months. JMHO

[broncovet]

George..Welcome to hadit! I agree with Poolguy..it may/may not be difficult to "get around"

secondary conditions. In theory, "secondary factors" will also be service connected to the original condition if the doctor opines something like, "Veterans heart/kidney conditions are most likely caused by AO due to military Service".

In practice, this would appear to be possibly another excuse for the VARO to deny at least part of the benefits due to you.

Shreddergate is alive and well, in spite of the so called ban on shredding due to the "October incident", so keep copies of everything you send the VA.

[Berta]

"also had a C & P exam for PTSD, again with a VA shrink. The shrink stated that he was recommending that I be rated at 100% disabled. The stressors are in place, i.e. Bronze Star, Air Medal, CIB, hostile fire, 11C MOS, etc"

With the CIB and this report, you should be rated for PTSD-

obviously the shrink thinks it has caused you to be unemployable and due to service.

Have you filed for TDIU yet?

The rest of your claim-

similiar to my main claim-

I had to prove my husband (100% SC PTSD) died due to complications from undiagnosed diabetes.

Heart disease, specifically atherosclerotic heart disease, and LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy) are two medical red flags that indicate long standing and untreated diabetes-if there is no other possible medical etiology.

Many types of Kidney disease also have the same association to diabetes-

"It is my understanding that the heart/artery problems are secondary to the diabetes, which is a result of Agent Orange. Is this correct?"

As likely as not they are but this will take medical evidence of the connection.

"How can I get around the secondary factors for the heart/artery problems. I had both untreated high blood sugar and high blood pressure/heart problems for several years prior to going to the VA for treatment."

How do you know this- do you have private medical records that indicate high glucose, abnormal Creatinine, BUN, and/or ALT factors?

Did you have other documented symptoms of diabetes?

The reason I ask it that this info is critical to your claim as far as the secondarys go-

I was able to find documentation of untreated diabetes-not only in my husband's VA medical records,but also in his autopsy results, his MRI and ECHO reports, as well as within the testimony of VA employees in an EEOC case he had against the VA.

I the had to prove how this undiagnosed and untreated DMII caused his cerebral vascular disease and his heart disease-which conteributed to his death.

I then got 3 IMos which concurred and await a decision now.

This claim was filed 5 years ago next week.

Have you received a VCAA letter yet from the VA?

[Berta]

Correction- SIX YEARS next week-<br /><br />my medical evidence -sent since 2003- was finally read by the VA in December 2008.<br /><br />Do you have diabetic nephropathy as the actual diagnosis of your kidney disease?<br /><br />This has an association to HBP which also can be associated to DMII.<br /><br />Do you have copy of your complete VA medical records as well as your private medical records?<br /><br />Make sure the SSA knows of the statement that the VA shrink made as to your unemployability due to PTSD.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Edited January 30, 2009 by Berta