Louisiana Varo

[Dennis]

I am a veteran from Louisiana and new to this board . I submitted a NOD last May to the Louisiana VARO. I understand Katrina kept them out of their office and they recently reopened in Gretna.

My question is in two parts. How long should it take for a DRO to return a decision? Secondly, is there anything I should do to expedite the process or anybody I should be contacting for help?

I have read many of your posts and there seems to be alot of knowledgeable people here. Your comments are certainly appreciated.

Dennis

[Guest Berta]

Dennis -welcome aboard-

Have you called the VA at 1-800-827-1000 to see if they got the NOD?

It always pays to check-

Anything at all that you can send them as evidence will help get closer to your decision-

In the denial letter that prompted your NOD they gave specific reasons for the denial and this is what your evidence has to challenge.

If you tell us a little more -like why they denied and for what condition-maybe we could help more-

[vaf]

Hi Dennis, we're in Louisiana, too. If you pose your question through the VA's Inquiry System on their website, James Fowler, the Service Center Manager in Gretna, will answer you. I've found his answers totally unsatisfactory, but at least he answered. You may have more luck. We're getting Congressional help, hopefully, after three tries with no resolution to our problem.

If you call the 1-800 number, you'll probably get the Muskogee OK VARO. Gretna isn't accepting calls yet, at least that's what we were recently told.

Good luck to you.

[Dennis]

Thank you both for your prompt replies. I suppose a little history is in order. I was diagnosed in 1981 with polyneuropathy and medically retired from the Army. The VA evaluated me and granted 40% disability.

In June, 2004, I filed a new claim for pernicious anemia and was granted SC secondary to polyneuropathy with a rating of 10% for pernicious anemia with mild memory impairment. My polyneuropathy was found to be stable and no increase was granted.

I filed a NOD in May, 2005, based on information in the rating decision letter. In part, it states that a "higher evaluation of 30 perent is not warranted unless there is occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal) due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events)."

In support of my claim, I submitted medical evidence of sleep apnea, mild-moderate levels of depression, and moderate to severe levels of anxiety.

I have called the 1-800 number and they have my claim. It just seems like an awful amount of time has passed with no action taken.

I asked for a DRO to review and make a decision. Was that a mistake? I thought this would have been much simpler with the evidence I submitted.

In January, VA gave me a CPAP machine for my sleep apnea. Should I pursue this as SC? Would it be secondary to pernicious anemia?

Please forgive all the questions but it seems the people on this forum have alot of experience dealing with the VA and I am hopeful someone can advise me with their experiences.

Thanks,

Dennis

[vaf]

I wouldn't say it's a mistake. With the New Orleans VARO, everything's a crapshoot, anyway. We've gone both routes. I think you're fine with what you did. It just takes a long time, especially now that they can use Katrina as an excuse (and probably a darned good one). I'd be grateful to know they hadn't lost your claim altogether. That happened to us even before the hurricane.

I have a few questions, though.

Pernicious anemia very often involves thyroid problems. Does that pertain to you, and if so, are you taking steroid medication?

Do you suffer from restless leg syndrome?

Have you received any VA treatment for depression and anxiety, or did you go to a civilian healthcare provider? A mental health provider or a "regular" doctor?

Most definitely file for the sleep apnea as a secondary outcome of pernicious anemia, as there is an abundance of medical literature that links the two conditions. But you'll still need an independent medical evaluation, so have that ready in the wings.

Heck, I say file for everything, what's the worst that can happen? All it costs is the five bucks plus change to send it certified mail.

[Dennis]

Vicki, thanks for your advice. The pernicious anemia actually goes back to 1980 and is the cause of the polyneuropathy. The Army did not make the connection although they documented a B12 level of 134 in a two month hospitalization in 1980. So, consequently, the VA doesn't have it right either. There is no thyroid problem. I am followed very closely by a civilian docter in Shreveport for a heart problem that I have.

The depression and anxiety were revealed in a consult with a VA psych docter. I have not been "treated" for either although I have seen the docter twice.

Thankfully, restless leg syndrome is not an issue either.

My work had me in New Orleans this week and I saw the VA people moving out of 701 Loyola. The building is open but not very many people have returned yet. Word is that the VA will not return at all. That makes me think the Gretna location might become permanent. :P

[vaf]

I'm in the Shreveport area, too. I've contacted State Rep. Billy Montgomery's office (he spearheaded the campaign to have a Veterans Home built in Bossier City), as well as Congressman McCrery's and Senator Landrieu's office to have the VARO relocated to Shreveport. We have the previously-used federal building standing empty in downtown Shreveport, we have Barksdale AFB here, as well as the VAMC. Plus a huge retired military population center. It makes sense for them to relocate here. Gretna? Give me a break...

The depression and anxiety - with no objective test, be careful. I'd also have an evaluation done by a civilian psychiatrist, if you can swing that. One thing I've noticed in the C & P Exams at the Shreveport VAMC, is they're fond of padding and embellishing statements. They throw in the word "very" a lot in their evaluations. Sometimes, they create "facts" out of the blue. I read their evaluations that state my husband used phraseology I know he never uses.

Do you have a copy of your C & P file? It's easy to get, let us know if you need direction on that. But do get a copy. I wish I did it sooner than I did, but if it hadn't been for hadit, I wouldn't have thought to get it at all.