diabetes I Read And Read Am A Bit Confused

[Spent warrior]

I'm one messed dude these days. Over the last few years I've really gone down hill mentally. Near suicide had me calling the VA for the first time in 40 years. The VA has been good to me.... in fact super to me. I got a lot of help and got it right away. I am in group too with my brothers (and sisters) and I find that good. Still a messed up guy, I ended up locked in the MH ward the Saturday night after Fort Hood... that so messed my head up.

I just got my rating and I have to be thankful again. I had 10% for my wound from years ago, and now they gave me 70% PTSD and 20% for Diabetes II. My total score is now 80%.

I'm older, but still have two teenagers at home, and my wife is a mess. I qualify for retirement, but I can't afford to. I need it all, including the VA disability pay to just make it (I can get rid of some of the 30% interest cc debt I have now).

I am having big problems at work and it seems I may be able to make the next step to IU if need be. Well it did and kind of like the "perfect storm" has come at work happened as the same time as my PTSD worsened.

WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE (but comment on any of this):

I qualify for a pension, but I can't afford to quit, and then wait for IU if it takes a long time. I have sick leave saved up (months). Can I go out on sick leave (stress and mental breakdown of course) and apply for IU while on sick leave, but not working? I could retire when I got my IU, or if I run out of sick leave before that. I heard you can't ask for IU while working no matter how bad, would being out on sick leave because of my mental deterioration be allowed?

[jbasser]

If you go out on Sick leave then you are considered not working.

You need a Doc to assist you. They can help by saying you are unemployable.

You should file for your IU as well as SSDI if you quailfy.

J

[Victor_C3]

I know you mentioned that you need the money, but are you familiar with FMLA?

Ask your HR department about FMLA. I don't know the specifics off the top of my head, but basically it gives you a period of 6-12 months or more of unpaid time where the company has to keep your job available for you while you deal with your medical conditions (or those of a family member). FMLA will do the following for you:

1) Provide your claim with further evidence that you are having issues at work

2) give you a period of time off (unpaid) to continue to wait for your claims to fall through (if they take that long)

3) you could use it after your sick leave runs out, if needed.

4) if you don't end up getting TPIU after you play the waiting game, you'll have your job still there for you to go back to even if you've been out of work for a long time.

[Spent warrior]

Thanks, this is very valuable information you gave me. It was mentioned I should hang arround at this forum, I think I will, I like you guys already.

[john999]

FMLA can be paid or unpaid. At some point you have to be unemmployed to get IU. The best way is to ask for disability retirement if you can. That gives you a date certain that you stopped work and gives a reason....disability. You face the dilema that many face which is the wait between applying for IU and getting it.

[Spent warrior]

Larryj.... do you agree I could be out on sick leave and apply?

[john999]

You can be out on paid or unpaid leave and apply for IU. If you go back to work then you shoot your claim in the ass. If I was you I would try and get a home equity line of credit. At some point you may be without funds while you wait for IU.

If you get desparate and go back to work that will prove you are not IU. The whole point is that you can't be working while you get IU. It sounds like your finaces are so tight that you can't go two weeks without a paycheck. I went five months without a paycheck. IU is not always a slam/dunk. Mine was not a slam/dunk and I was 70% and on SSD. From the time I went on leave without pay until the time I got IU was about 18 months. I got workers compensation and SSD and disability retirement from the post office before I got IU. It usually takes about 6 months to get near a rating for IU. That is my experience. It is just VA paperwork, and slowness not the quality of your claim. How much paid leave do you have?