Summary

[cowgirl]

How I got to Oz!! starting at the bottom....

Results: "All reasonable doubt has been resolved in your favor and entitlement to IU is granted because you are unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of sc disabilities. The effective date of entitlement is xxxx following the last day of employment." (iu)(2009)

But wait, because I was in receipt of SSDI, I submitted an NOD for the denied IU claiming unable to work due to sc disabilities. The decision letter was awarded with one examiner recognizing that I am 'unemployable due to combined symptoms of service connected conditions' in contrast to the other "examiners opinion" - 'vet is able and capable to obtain and retain gainful employment. You should be able to obtain and retain gainful employment in office sedentary occupation.'

So, making it to 70%, I submitted my original IU claim to the Rater denied with exam results and mental health letter saying 'ability to perform sedentary gainful work.' Recieved significant sc increase (total sc = 90%). So next I applied for and recieved SSDI using a self functional report supported totally with VA service connected disability conditions.

By then I found another vso and another vso - getting really together after finding HADIT (2006). Finally I got requested increases for sc disabilities with mental health and other conditions - that worked up to compensation with dependents. (40%..60%) good! Years of unemployment weighing me down, I tried temp work with disabling physical and mental health conditions, never gainful and exhausted.

Then a few years later went to the VA health clinic for physical care and a nurse suggested mental health. I started seeing counselors, vocational and mental. Vocational rehabilitation processing was exhaustive waste of time for me but the mental counselor got me started figuring it out.

At discharge I started my claim story with the VA and was given minimal service connected (sc) ratings and written feedback suggesting I 'sick call' listed in my claim. There were several exams, physical, mental, etc. I did not write a well supported claim, I did not submit good documentation or identify in writing where to locate said conditions in my service medical records. I had poa with a elderly vso with vintage dust on near everything in the office - my claim too. (20%)

Edited November 19, 2009 by cowgirl

[Vync]

I think she was going lite on the details.

[cowgirl]

Updated and corrected lead post; bottom to top - guess its my story!

Other details later...thought I'd start somewhere in hope to help another vet succeed in less time.

[cowgirl]

Ok, fergot to drop a nickel in it.....its posted now!

giggles~! least my boot tips are up!

.....and yer point is?

gotta watch these cowgirls all the time..........otherwise they keeps fallin offn their horseys.