tdiu 100 Percent Mental Vs Gi Bill

[out_here04]

I was rated 100 percent schedular (non-permanent, non-total)service-connected for anxiety/depression last year. I don't work. Don't really want to. VA turned down my TDIU claim but awarded the 100 under the category that I "may improve". I still have all of the Montgomery GI Bill and qualify for 90 percent of the new in-residence post-9/11 GI Bill. I have been military retired for five years, so I have about five years left on the MGIB clock, ten on the post-9/11 GI Bill.

In the past, some on hadit have said if you are 100 percent for mental don't even think about work or school as VA will hold it against you and lower your rating. 100 percent physical and you can toil all you can muster. (hypocritical, seems to me)

Although it would be much less difficult for someone without my diagnosis to successfully complete a full-time college course-load per semester, I feel that I want to give it a try (at least a partial)and who knows? maybe improve.

Another part of this question is that even though the new GI Bill is supposed to be super-dooper and comparable to the one given to WWII-era vets the classroom may not be for me. The Montgomery GI Bill seems to be more flexible to online work. (why the new one did not embrace the technology age is beyond my understanding). I am thinking of taking online college through the MGIB for therapy, a hobby, regain some sense of sanity. I was disqualified for voc rehab which does not allow for such trivial use anyway (have to be pursuing another career)Thoughts on this?

My VSO actually advised that I can go to school no problem as long as I never, myself, ask for a reevaluation of my sc. Maybe I'm confused about what that means. Seems to me VA would know what the other hand is doing (hold your laughter, okay don't) I think it sucks if VA holds self-improvement through its own programs against you for compensation purposes.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

[carlie]

I would certainly check out on-line classes.

To get your educational benefits the classes need to be VA approved.

Maybe Berta will chime in on this as she has knowledge on it.

carlie

[john999]

Why not just use your own compensation money to attend classes instead of waking up the VA monster by asking for G.I. Bill. If someone puts two and two together they are going to question your 100% rating if you can go to school. You are not IU. You are considered 100% schedular. You might be able to get away with it. Just never tell anyone at the VAMC or VARO that you are getting 100% and using G.I. Bill.

[Pete53]

Going to school should not trigger the VA to change your service connected disability Neither VA or Social Security will do anything. The key is if you get a job and earn a paycheck and that will do it.

Good Luck I think that school will benefit you.

[tssnave]

First, about your rating regardless of what you do about college:

Prior to your 100% schedular rating, what was your rating for anxiety?

Have you ever requested consideration for IU?

What did they cite as the reasons to award 100% non-permanent?

Have you been hospitalized multiple times or had multiple suicide attempts or psychotic episodes?

I would be concerned, depending on the answers to the questions above, that the VA gave you a temporary 100% rating based on what they believe to be transient symptoms and at your future exam date, without very strong evidence to support continuing the 100%, that they would lower your rating back to 50% or lower without ever having considered IU. In other words, they could have just skipped over a 100% P&T rating based on IU in favor of a 100% temporary rating.

** Something to consider would be to, while you are rated 100% temp schedular with the evidence supporting 100%, to apply for IU Perm & Total, especially if your future exam date is within the next year or two. **

Hope this helps,

TS Snave

[john999]

If you are rated 100% schedular you can't be rated IU at the same time. If the vet is reduced to say 70% in the future he should be considered for IU if he is not able to work.

[WHOLESALE]

Makes sense Pete....the VA does not care about school unless you have an ACTIVE claim for P&T or TDIU. It all comes down to what's in your medical records AND/OR you start maintaining work. I commend anyone that's 100% that wants to improve their quality of life and get an education.

frank

Why not just use your own compensation money to attend classes instead of waking up the VA monster by asking for G.I. Bill. If someone puts two and two together they are going to question your 100% rating if you can go to school. You are not IU. You are considered 100% schedular. You might be able to get away with it. Just never tell anyone at the VAMC or VARO that you are getting 100% and using G.I. Bill.

Edited August 7, 2009 by WHOLESALE