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New To Forum, Exam Upcoming On Psoriasis And Arhtritis

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diablogun

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Hi all,

I'm a new guy, and I've been perusing the posts, but haven't seen much about my condition. Next Tuesday I am going to my ratings physical (is it called this?) to have my service connected disabilities rated. I have Psoriasis and associated Psoriatic arthritis, and am wondering what I can expect from the rating. I have been on immunosuppressive drugs for more than 3 years for the Psoriasis, so according to the schedule that should be 60%?

For the arthritis, I have it in my back, knees, wrists, hands, and to a lesser extent in 1 shoulder and both ankles. Does anyone have any idea if they lump these all together, as it seems to indicate under ratings code 5002? Any information offered is much appreciated, I am pretty new to this process.

Thank you in advance :-)

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Well, this is just my own opinion, (based on 12 years experiance and how I got to 90% sc for Psoriatic arthritus) but here goes,

the only things the va respects (and even then only about half way) are attorneys and non va medical evidence.

The va claims adjudication system is in a state of transition. Alot of their problem/process originates in the fact that they are still operating with a 1920's mentality that you are not disabled unless your limb/s are missing or dont work, your not disabled. Technology as it relates to medicine has simply passsed them by. Also, just like social security, which began as non adversarial, that to has changed. Simply put, the only way anyone is going to get anything out of the va anymore is to have a lawyer and insurance so that you can be treated by doctors outside the va. There is a differance between non va dotors and va doctors. va doctors are company doctors, they see more patients than they want to, non va doctors are trying to build practice. You have to choose which one you are going to use. Private practitioners (PP) hate patients who jump back and forth between them and the va, while the va docs could care less. I no longer tell a PP that I go to the va if I am seeing them. I very rarely discuss the Indipendent Medical Opinion (IMO) until threee or four visits and I do not say why I want it. I usually say my insurance company promoted a question about one. If I do otherwise, I state that that is my objective at the first visit, usually with a speciallist to whom I have been refered to. If they are going to crawfish, I want then to do it before they have a chance to run up a big billl. If I get it I can apply it to my claims. I can predict with a large amount of certainty that the rates have told you that they could not seee evidence of your Psoriatic arthritis in your xrays and denied the claime based on that. Psoriatic Arthritis does not show up on xrays until it becomes Psoriatic Mutaligens, and only 10% of the people who develope PA develope PM. It doesnt mean you dont have PA.

As to the va RATers, simply put, I dont like them, I have never had anny SOC where they completely followed the law or applied all of the medical evidence provided with the claim. I have had them ignore, malign, and misapply clearly expressed medical evidence in any way that they could to deny claims, until it became obvious that if the claim went to the board that it would get tosssed back in their lap as the denial being ludicriss. But denials saves them (the US government) the interest on the money. And I think thats what alot of it is about.

As for you decision to get a lawyer, I got myself to 90% on my own. it took me eight years. I went from 10% to 80% over night. I had a cue case and the va knew it. But they refused to grant me my back pay. I had previously tried to use the DAV. I now despise that organization because they refused to help me when I refused to join them. After I got myself to 80% I was going to have to appeal to the CAVC. This was because I had the VFW representing me, and from what I read of what they sent to the Board, it was like they asked the Board how they wanted them to write the appeal so it could be turned down before it was ever written. The VFW cannot, from what I was told, afford to retain attorneys to represent veterans. Again, I am not a member of the VFW ether. Both the DAV and the VFW get their power from the number of members that they have, IE election votes. I then decided to get an attorney. How do you find an attorny, you go to the internet, type in cavc, and click on the box that says practitioners. Did that mean that my claim was instantly solved, no but alot of the BS stopped. I dont have to deal with the stresss. Im waiting, but at this point my life wont be made any better by a lump of money. I have alot of claims, the va should have offered me TDIU when they first received my claims as to the duty to assist. But the duty to assist is just lip service. If they had I probably would have never presented another claim unless it was really important, meaning something I would die from that would effect my childrenn and wifes benefits. But no, they played the game, so now They will never get rid of me. They can deal with the frustration of dealing with my claims after Im past 100%, and if anyone thinks this really delays other veterans claims, they are fooling themselves, because the va's whole game plan is to delay any claim as long as possible, regardless of the circumstances. Dont geve up, dont get mad, dont beg (they like that-they know they are pushing your buttons) just keep pushing.

I'll keep pushing as long as it takes. I went from 70% to 90% from 2005 - 2009. I have a pretty good rep at the DAV, but like I said I'm sure she's overworked with the number of new vets coming home. She told me I need to file for an increase for psoriasis due to the weekly medications/injections. I thought this was already started in MARCH. This is why I get frustrated. I get left out of the loop on how things are going. I'm not smart enough yet to really work issues myself, but can't seem to get those that are to actually help and provide status. I read in another forum that if you call the 800#, and requested a FAX, you could get more information. I'm going to call and see what happens. As to you comment about private practitioners, I agree. My cardiologist refused to sign anything that could possibly tie my current heart condition (cardio-vasospasms) to psoriasis or other currently existing (and rated) condition. He's in it for the money, but not in my corner. I'll try a few and will let you know how it goes.

Last - can't thank anyone enough in this conversation thread. You've all really helped me get through a very tough month.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I think that the VAMC, the VARO and all the raters have not a clue about psoriatic arthritis. They don't know how to treat it nor diagnose it.

It was like me in 1969-70 trying to get any help with panic disorder and 1991 a claim for it with the VA.

We had a couple members here who understood it but the VA is pretty much clueless.

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Update: had my C&P for request for increase for Psoriasis on 9/16/10. Didn't even see a doctor. The practicioner took measurements of areas and scars, listed the scores of medications and frequency, and took personal history statement. That was it. I was done in less than an hour and really don't have a great feeling about the whole thing. I was honest, answered all her questions and added 'life impact' to each response. We'll see what comes of it...

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