I Hate The Va! I Hate Them I Hate Them I Hate Them

[SouthernBelle]

So, I'm so mad I can't see straight right now. They denied the increase again. I can't believe it, I really just can't understand how a DOCTOR'S OPINION, the DOCTOR WHO TREATS MY HUSBAND TREATS HIM! can be ignored for a lower rating. RATERS ARE NOT DOCTORS! DAMN, I'm pissed. I am sitting here shaking I'm so mad.

Edited December 15, 2008 by SouthernBelle

[sunfish34]

WOW, SOUNDS LIKE MY HUSBAND,, I HOPE YOU GET 100% I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT

PTSD UNTIL I STARTED READING ON THIS SITE, GETTING MY HUSBAND AN APPT WITH THE VA

DOC ASAP,, THANK YOU SO MUCH

[MikeR]

It took me a long time to come to term with the PTSD. I am glad I did. The appeal has been long in coming. You sound like you have your act together, this took me a while to do. Had I been on this board earlier I would have had more information to work on my claims.

[SouthernBelle]

I forgot to mention that they didn't use ANY medical records after July 2008. The records after July is when he started to really trust the doctor. He figured out that the doctor wanted to help him, not lock him up and throw away the key. So, he started talking more, and letting him know the true magnitude of his symptoms. I put in a NOD that they didn't evaluate any records after that date, but they ignored that part of the NOD. They did it again with the new SSOC. It takes him months to trust a new doctor, and the VA didn't even take that into account. They used the records where he said things like, "hi, I'm fine, my meds suck, can I leave now?" and they know they did that on purpose. I'm going to go up there again and get another set of his records after July, and resubmit them, third time's the charm, right?!

[MikeR]

I would write an explanation and resubmit, and get your local congressman involved or Senator. CC them on anything you send them. Make your letter sound clinical, devoid of emotion, just the facts.

[SeattleShay]

Belle

I'm so glad that the doc is not a part of your problem like it is in most cases, you are very lucky.

Unfortunately, you fall into the same category as 99.9% of us, with that being lousy raters. Other than fire the entire VA system and start completely over, I'm not sure what can be done.

Your husband is a very blessed man that he has you. Take my word when I say that men, in most cases, do not stick around to care for female spouses with severe PTSD they simply do not want to deal with the drama, so we are left to deal with it alone.

Do not ever give up and channel that anger into logic that will eventually win your case.

Good luck with your SSA claim.

[SouthernBelle]

Is this alright? Or should I word it differently:

I disagree with the decision dated 10 December 2008 as well as the decision dated 29 October 2008. In both Supplemental Statements of the Case Department of Veterans’ Affairs failed to evaluate the Medical Records Evidence after 17 July 2008. I am requesting a reconsideration based on this fact.