Can Someone Help Keep Me On Track?

[Guest morgan]

I have come to Hadit this time with a broken heart. My kind and sweet husband of 27 years died last Friday. He was rated at SMC M and was enrolled in the VA Home Based Primary Care program. He had a visit with the VA nurse on Thursday, a week before his death. She found a 101.7 fever but didn't follow up with us about it. He had had recurrent UTIs and had been on three rounds of antibiotics, so I assumed the fever was related to the UTI. The third round of antibiotic was to end the next day after the nurse visit. When I didn't hear back from the nurse, I thought the UA must have been clear. But he was still very weak and sick. I took him to a private doctor and he sent him to the hospital. We found out that he had pneumonia so advanced, on top of severe lung disease, and he just couldn't fight it off. I am devastated. I know I need to file a claim for DIC, but I just can't get my head together to find the application or know what else I need. Or how much DIC pays now. Anything anyone might remind me of, I would greatly appreciate, as I have been at home taking care of him and can't seem to think outside the caregiver box. I'm sure my good sense will come back soon, but I just can't think right now. All of our income is gone, of course, and since he was so sick, he had little life insurance.

Any help to keep me on track would be greatly appreciated. I'm just not used to not being able to think. I'm trying to find a job, too, but as crazy as I am right now, I'm sure no one would hire me. I just have to settle my heart and mind. I would appreciate your prayers.

Edited December 26, 2008 by morgan

[john999]

I wonder if you should consult with a lawyer who does these types of claims? They have the means to determine if there was negligence or malpractice. When my mother died in a nursing home the lawyer I hired was just all over them. He held them up to scrutiny like you would not believe. I would not put it past the VA to change records or delete things, so maybe it is best to get records first. The lawyers have people who will review the records, and you can believe if there is anything that is not up to snuff they will expose it if there is a decent recovery for them.

[MRRRR5]

I am sorry for your loss and will keep you and your love ones in my prayers.

[Capt.]

Hello Morgan, I am so sorry for your lose. As Commander Bob said it is beyond words to offer sympathy and condolences. You are not alone here and remember that there are many here who will give you support and prayers and later to help guide you thru the steps for the VA DIC. Right now just take your time to grieve and to have the time to sorrow that you will experience. In the Bible , Ecclesiates 3 is something that should help you thru this. The VA can wait for time.When the time is right then you can see the records and carefully go over them to see if this is a FTCA or some other misdiagnosis/wrongful death. There are many wonderful people here, and some such as Berta who have been thru this more than once, so when you are ready then comes the VA and your paperwork and those here to help will. God Bless, C.C. NEVER GIVE UP

[sjh4951]

I have come to Hadit this time with a broken heart. My kind and sweet husband of 27 years died last Friday. He was rated at SMC M and was enrolled in the VA Home Based Primary Care program. He had a visit with the VA nurse on Thursday, a week before his death. She found a 101.7 fever but didn't follow up with us about it. He had had recurrent UTIs and had been on three rounds of antibiotics, so I assumed the fever was related to the UTI. The third round of antibiotic was to end the next day after the nurse visit. When I didn't hear back from the nurse, I thought the UA must have been clear. But he was still very weak and sick. I took him to a private doctor and he sent him to the hospital. We found out that he had pneumonia so advanced, on top of severe lung disease, and he just couldn't fight it off. I am devastated. I know I need to file a claim for DIC, but I just can't get my head together to find the application or know what else I need. Or how much DIC pays now. Anything anyone might remind me of, I would greatly appreciate, as I have been at home taking care of him and can't seem to think outside the caregiver box. I'm sure my good sense will come back soon, but I just can't think right now. All of our income is gone, of course, and since he was so sick, he had little life insurance.

Any help to keep me on track would be greatly appreciated. I'm just not used to not being able to think. I'm trying to find a job, too, but as crazy as I am right now, I'm sure no one would hire me. I just have to settle my heart and mind. I would appreciate your prayers.

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I've been where you are now and I know the helplessness you are now feeling. Please accept my sympathies. I don't know your age but I can tell you that if you are 60 years old or when you do turn 60, you will be eligible for social security based on your earnings or your late husband's, whichever is greater. It was a Godsend to me.

Take care of yourself...Susan

Edited January 2, 2009 by sjh4951

[Guest morgan]

My deepest thanks for the concern all of you have shown. It has been uplifting in an otherwise depressing time. You all are wonderful. Thank you.

Today, I am having to follow behind VA and don't know what I should do. I was glad to see that VA had deposited his payment as usual for the month of his death. Auto payments were due to post in a few days -- and it was too late to stop them. I could imagine all the fees that would have been charged if I had no money to cover the automatic payments. An American Legion service officer told me that if the VA did make the direct deposit (he thought it would because of the holiday schedule), then I would be notified of the amount I owed VA from the date of death to the end of the month. I was relieved that I would have a few more days before having to deal with all of the financial matters involved. But late yesterday afternoon, VA withdrew the entire deposit. I'm wondering how VA could withdraw the entire amount. From the first of the month until the date of his death should have been his (and enough to pay our first auto payments). Does anyone have a copy of the direct deposit agreement? I'm sure he signed one, but I don't know if it included authorization to withdraw from our bank account. It seems to me that withdrawing the entire payment is stealing money from our bank account.

This is such a mess, and I have no energy to think my way out of it. My bank is open today, so I thought I'd go sign a dispute about the withdrawal, but I need to know if the direct deposit agreement allowed the withdrawal. I can only imagine how long it will take to get VA to pay what it owes to date of death. I have been very sick the past few days and I failed to take the money that rightfully belonged to him out of our account. I relied on an SO's advice that if VA made the deposit, it would notify me of the amount I had to pay back. VA has no DC for my husband, as it's not completed yet, and I didn't notify anyone of his death. He was in a private hospital when he died. It sure seems wrong that it would stop his deposit without confirmation by DC of his passing. His social security payment never posted at all, so somehow his time of death must have hit the federal system, so maybe that's the link.

Sorry for all the rambling here, but if someone can help me to know whether the direct deposit authorized the VA withdrawal, I will know whether I should go to the bank and dispute it.

Susan, thank you for the social security information. Do you mind telling me if you received the entire amount of your husband's benefit, or what portion of it?

[Commander Bob]

I'm so sorry to hear about this...

I remember reading where a widow could keep the veteran's last comp check. I couldn't find the reg., however here is a link to some info on that. http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/articleid/11945

Do you have someone close by to help you? Can you withdraw money from elsewhere to deposit in the checking account today, due to the automatic bill payments that you said will post next week. Go to the bank now, or at least call them, and tell them what happened to your deposit. If you do not have enough deposited money to cover the automatic withdraws coming up, maybe the bank can stop payment on the automatic bill payments, before you accumulate bounced check charges also...

Edited January 3, 2009 by Commander Bob 92-93