Need Your Advice

[navydoc2]

Let me start with a little background information, I am currently rated 80% with IU. My sc are 70% depression, 10% right knee, 10% tinnitis. This increase for IU was just recent in August. The last few months my blood pressure has been out of control and The docs have increased my meds but I still have pitting edema in both legs and run about 150/90 with the med increase. My psych doc has asked if I have ever been tested for sleep apnea since I complain of lack of sleep, chronic fatigue,and difficulty concentrating. I've had to drop out of Voc Rehab due to these symptoms. My vocrehab counselor is calling me infeasible. My questions are:

Should I just apply for P&T? I've applied for SSD and am waiting to hear back should I wait for this before applying for P&T

Should I apply for high blood pressure first then sleep apnea?

Should I wait to be tested for sleep apnea first before filing for high blood pressure?

Thanks in advance for all of your help.

[sixthscents]

As for Bronco.. well I personally see nothing wrong with his post. He is clearly upset with the VA but who isn't? His point has been advocated before many times here on Hadit. I don't think it would ever happen, but the fact is the veteran is in an adversarial role when filing for benefits with the VA. The VA could accept all claims at face value prior to investigation, much like the IRS... however the problem remains that there are in many cases judgements which must be made, not basic facts and figures. The IRS in most cases deals with absolutes, the VA and veterans deal with somewhats, and more so than nots. It is the way it is.

[Berta]

Well put Bob and Broncovet's point certainly didn't mean to cast a bad light on this vet's claim at all.Broncovet always tells it like it is and he helps many many vets here.

By all means Navydoc-file for P & T.

The Voc Rehab records could be used in support of that and certainly if they SC sleep apnea that would be a strong factor for P & T -along with the Voc Rehab statement.

I was in college not long ago-I cannot imagine how I could have gotten through with any sleep problems like apnea-so that too would be good to get SCed.

This doesn't mean they will award you P & T right off the bat- but once the claim is filed you have protected the earliest entitlement date for P & T.

Since you just got IU-is there enough retro for you to consider making an investment into getting a good IMO that would help support the P & T claim-from a vocational expert? Perhaps you could get a ball park estimate of cost from this type of expert on the net.

But you might not even need that- if the Voc Rehab statement was strong enough- based on your SC disabilities.

Not only does P & T bring Chapter 35 educational benefits for your dependents, it also brings them CHAMPVA- which is excellent health insurance.

I need to make a point here-as well as a ask question.

When a veteran with 100% dies-the VA declares they were 100% P & T in their lifetime.

But I am basing this on my husband's posthumous award letter for 100% SC.

Obviously he was P & T by virtue of his death with 100% in effect (yet not awarded until 3 years after his death)

I assume this would be the case for a TDIU vet too at time of death. Any thoughts?

The VA never acknowledged getting his TDIU form and never mentioned TDIU at all-just 100%.

The EED was the same date SSA gave him for PTSD SSA award letter.

Wouldn't a TDIU vet without P & T in their lifetime also be considered P & T at death as well?

[navydoc2]

Thanks to all for the in depth discussion of my questions.

Sixthcents that was exactly what I've been thinking about with regard to real estate, should I become P&T in the near future, and especially should I get SSD, the market here has stayed pretty close to above water but you can still find some good deals and I would not have to flip them so quickly as much as keeping them occupied. thanks again.

Berta: I will appeal the chap 35 bennies and file for high blood pressure. I have an appt with the VA in about a week I will ask for a sleep study then.

[broncovet]

Larry, Berta, sixthcents..

Thanks for sticking up for me. You are right Berta, I tell it like it is, and lots of people do not want to hear that. If they just applied for benefits, they want to believe the VA that they will have their benefit check in 6 months, when we know that is VA'ola Crapola. The fact is that of people who apply for benefits, LESS than 50% will be approved in 6 months, and MORE than 50% will have to appeal, and appeals to the BVA take about 2 years and THEN they send it back to the Regional Office for "processing".

So, the bottom line is greater than 50% of people who apply for VA benefits takes more than 2 years to receive their first check. ONLY a minority (less than 50%) receive their first VA benefit check within 6 months. I would venture a guess that LESS than 25% of Veterans disability compensation claims RECEIVE their money in 6 months or less. The VA's "average" includes mostly denied claims which skews the numbers. Wit the steady diet of VA'ola Crapola that the VA feeds Veterans, it is no wonder why Vets are in such poor health.

[jbasser]

Navydoc,you should also consider a claim for the heart problems. You have the evidence you might as well get it all on the table.

If you get rated then you can put this crapola behind you.

J

[john999]

What we don't even know is how many claims are rejected and how many claims are approved each year. I don't believe the VA keeps these statistics. I don't think they want the public and us to know. Probably most claims are granted eventually but who knows if the VA does not keep such records?