tdiu Just A Vent

[dav_marine72]

Sorry for posting this here but it seems the majority of people are in this area. I just needed to let this out after finding out about my TDIU this week.

Hadit Members, Americans, and Fat Cat Politicians,

I cried this week more than I have in the last 2 years. I cried everyday for the last two years. I received TDIU P&T from the Veterans Administration this week after being embarrassed and denied by the Social Security (SS) administration. I guess I shouldn't be so mad at SS they have only caused me stress for six months. The VA has stressed me out for 14 years. It is hard enough for a Marine to break down and cry because the pain is so bad, but the mental stress is what puts you a step away from suicide. Whatever the condition is does not matter when it takes your whole life away from you and you become some kind of angry, depressed monster walking around in your old body. As if this wasn't bad enough you have to face the fact you can't pick your kids up. They were 1,2 and now 3 and 4. I can't pick them up because the pain is so severe that it makes me want to puke. I can't go a day without having multiple panics attacks where I feel like I am going to die.

Thank you BVA for denying all my claims in March 2008. My family has gone through hell the last year and a half since you lost my evidence. Thank you RO for lying to my face at my hearing and then sticking it to me behind my back in your decision. I'm 37 and the last normal day I had was when I was 23. 24 years old and your life is gone. You turn to drugs, alcohol, anything to kill the pain, the guilt, the embarrassment, the anger. I loved hearing people tell me I didn't rate VA disability pay because I was working. Yes working and then coming home and taking my day out on my family or worse yet disappearing to the bedroom because you cant sit. This country has let me down. I can't believe I actually thought joining the Marines was patriotic and I was serving my country. Serving for what? So my family and I could be treated like this? So all these people writing on these forums could be treated like this?

Now I get TDIU and it's all okay. No its not okay. You broke me and you can never take that back. Yet all I see on the TV is talk about socialism and health care, etc. How about the Veterans? I promise you VA; I will make you do your job effectively by helping any Veteran that asks me help them. I will continue to protest and fight the government until my ashes are spread out over a peaceful lake that has no agenda, no politics, no greed, no BS.

[Berta]

The TDIU award you got could be very instrumental in fighting for the SSA award.

My husband -USMC Vietnam combat vet-cried the day he got his SSA award.

It meant he was too disabled to work.For the next 2 years until he died- he actually believed he could recover enough to work again.

If you got some TDIU retro- what not consider a professional Vocational Specialist or a doctor familiar with your field of disability to write up that you cannot work due to your disabilities and you could fight the SSA denial with it?

Do you still have time from the SSA denial to request a reconsideration with copy of the TDIU award ?

[dav_marine72]

Hi Berta,

I got denied initially and then had my reconsideration denied. I saw a lawyer in between the 2 and he said it was 99.9 I would get it at the court and to do the reconsideration myself because I had done so much work. He said if they did deny that he would take my case. When I told him last week I got TDIU P&T he said you keep making my job easier. So he definitely wants a copy of the decision for the case. In CT it takes about 12 months to get in front of a judge. I have about 11 left. You know my case pretty well do you really think I need more ammo? I know it's always best to have more but I have a pretty extensive disability history and picture. I believe I was initially denied based on my age 37, and the fact I used to make over a 100k a year so my pay out a month will be $3500. I laid out my case for them just like the VA and matched my evidence to their list of impairments and even reminded them about the CFR which states if you meet the requirements for a disability impairment you are considered severely disabled and they can not take into consideration your age, education, or work history.

[jbasser]

DAV marine, The first 2 denials come from the your state Disability Determination Services. These folks are actually not SSA employees but just a group of pre determiners who look at your claim.

If you are in your 30's or 40's then there is a small chance an approval will be handed out by them. I have seen terminal cancer patients get denied at this level.

My attorney who is also a Licensed MD said that 95 percent of the younger folks have to go in front of the ALJ to succeed.

The best way to guard against a Vocational Expert from concocting a denial is to beat them to the punch by getting an IME, (Not IMO) from a licensed Vocational MD.

They are out there and these guys know the SSA like tha back of their hand and can present the disability picture in a way the Voc Specialist cannot dispute.

I hope this helps.

J

[Berta]

If you feel an opinion from a vocational specialist or a doctor will consider incorporating the TDIU decision into a solid rebuttal for SSA-by all means consider getting this type of opinion.

The decision itself will have keys to why and how VA granted TDIU.

However as you know SSA regulations are different.

I got copies of a few SSA regs at the local SSA office years ago but they all might be available on line at the SSA site.

Your age and past wages should not matter- they should solely focus on the SSA disability criteria to determine if you are unable to work.

Their criteria is different from the VA's TDIU criteria but I sure would fight them on this.

[Jayg]

Sorry for posting this here but it seems the majority of people are in this area. I just needed to let this out after finding out about my TDIU this week.

Hadit Members, Americans, and Fat Cat Politicians,

I cried this week more than I have in the last 2 years. I cried everyday for the last two years. I received TDIU P&T from the Veterans Administration this week after being embarrassed and denied by the Social Security (SS) administration. I guess I shouldn't be so mad at SS they have only caused me stress for six months. The VA has stressed me out for 14 years. It is hard enough for a Marine to break down and cry because the pain is so bad, but the mental stress is what puts you a step away from suicide. Whatever the condition is does not matter when it takes your whole life away from you and you become some kind of angry, depressed monster walking around in your old body. As if this wasn't bad enough you have to face the fact you can't pick your kids up. They were 1,2 and now 3 and 4. I can't pick them up because the pain is so severe that it makes me want to puke. I can't go a day without having multiple panics attacks where I feel like I am going to die.

Thank you BVA for denying all my claims in March 2008. My family has gone through hell the last year and a half since you lost my evidence. Thank you RO for lying to my face at my hearing and then sticking it to me behind my back in your decision. I'm 37 and the last normal day I had was when I was 23. 24 years old and your life is gone. You turn to drugs, alcohol, anything to kill the pain, the guilt, the embarrassment, the anger. I loved hearing people tell me I didn't rate VA disability pay because I was working. Yes working and then coming home and taking my day out on my family or worse yet disappearing to the bedroom because you cant sit. This country has let me down. I can't believe I actually thought joining the Marines was patriotic and I was serving my country. Serving for what? So my family and I could be treated like this? So all these people writing on these forums could be treated like this?

Now I get TDIU and it's all okay. No its not okay. You broke me and you can never take that back. Yet all I see on the TV is talk about socialism and health care, etc. How about the Veterans? I promise you VA; I will make you do your job effectively by helping any Veteran that asks me help them. I will continue to protest and fight the government until my ashes are spread out over a peaceful lake that has no agenda, no politics, no greed, no BS.

You said it well, very well. Since 2004 I, and worse, my wife, have been reduced to beggars. You're absolutely right. They can never repay what they've taken.

It could almost- almost- be bearable if it was just work overload. But like you (and so many others)

I have been given the run around. Waited endlessly while my file was passed from one reter to another because, probably, it was a larger, multi-issue, file. Like you, I have been lied to, records ignored, omitted and selectively misquoted. C&P exam reports were so falsified as to be farcial. If you or I falsified government records like they do, we'd be in prison. But not them. Ohhh no. They get bonuses for a job well done. Bonuses while my wife begs the power company for just another week and don't turn the power off please. B)

Enough. No point my going on about it (again) too.

There is one difference. I do not regret my service. I would do a lot of things in it differently, yes. But I would go again.

At least your determination, your dedication, is very positive. Frankly, my wife and I have talked about the same thing. But we have to get ours first. We have to take care of our own, first.

Hang in there Marine!

(but I was a doggie :D )

Edited September 20, 2009 by Jayg

[dav_marine72]

Did i say i wouldn't do it again? If so i must have been lost for a sec. I'm a hard core Marine. 12 years of chronic severe pain does a job on you.