Alcoholism /abuse As A Secondary

[Raven]

Anyone heard anything of alcoholism or alcohol abuse as a secondary to depression? If one had this diagnosis, can health problems caused by alcohol abuse also be secondary (IE liver, etc)?

[frosty69]

this statement really gets me;

However, when the determinative issue involves a

question of medical causation, only individuals possessing

specialized training and knowledge are competent to render an

opinion. Espiritu v. Derwinski, 2 Vet. App. 492 (1992).

most of the jerks at the VARO's, don't have any specialized training and knowledge in medical causation and are not competent to render an medical opinion, but they do it all the time, then people wonder why the veteran is on a uneven playing field, and get the above quotes on all decisions, that the veteran is a lay person, and we know we are, but so are most of the people who determine our claims. I have had these people rebuffed a doctors favorable opinion, by saying that the doctor didn't have all my medical files in front of him/her, so they couldn't make a decision like that, but if the doctor rules against you, then that is fine with the VARO's, with no questions asked.

[Guest Berta]

Well put Frosty-

what gets me is that lately they have been telling some vets who get a good IMO from a real doc that the real doc didn't examine the vet, therefore the opinion is not good -well that is crapola-

vets should not have to get an expensive IMO in the first place-but they often need one to succeed in their claim-

or the vet orgs should be picking up the tabs on IMOs-with all the money they save from not giving their SOs continuous viable training-

A vet in say NY might have to contact an expert from California to study their med recs and render an opinion-by mail.

It is ridiculous that the VA is starting to use this ploy to knock down IMOs when the VA doctor might give the vet-at best- a 15 minute C & P and never even look at their c file. And then the VA can somehow consider that as a more probative opinion than an IMO doctor who might not have the vet in their office,yet will take the time you have paid them for, to completely go over all the medical records.