"veteran Friendly" Doctor Directory

[broncovet]

Hoppy pointed out that the outcome of Workman's comp. claims is often determined by which doctor the claimant goes to. It is "hit or miss"...doctors aren't categorized in the phone book as claimant friendly. So, lawyers often do just that. If you hire a lawyer to seek workmans compensation, the lawyer often suggests you see Doctor .................. because he has had experience with that doc and knows that doc will be "claimant friendly".

In a similar way, we need a "Veteran friendly" doctor list for Veterans, because, as Carlie, Berta, and others have pointed out, "Evidence wins claims". Knowing which doctor to see could easily be the difference between being awarded benefits, and homelessness.

IMHO being awarded benefits can often mean the difference between homelessness or not. Maybe WE can actually help prevent Veteran homelessness by posting 2 lists of doctors: 1)Veteran Friendlies and 2) Homeless creating Docs.

Further, I would like to see Veterans "switch" away from those Veteran unfriendly docs enough to either force that doc to become Veteran friendly, or to loose his job because no Veterans want to see him. What do you guys think?

[Julie Ellen]

Veteran Friendly Physician

Gregg L. Friedman MD / Psychiatry / PTSD

2500 East Hallandale Beach Blvd

Suite 702

Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

Phone: 954-456-1996

[Julie Ellen]

Veteran Friendly Physician

Gregg L. Friedman MD / Psychiatry / PTSD

2500 East Hallandale Beach Blvd

Suite 702

Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

Phone: 954-456-1996

 

He helps Veterans with disability claims.

[Berta]

An IMO doctor needs the expertise in the specific field of disability in order to opine on the claim.

A podiatrist cant opine on a MH claim no more then a Psychiatrist could opine on a Degenerative disk claim.

Many IMO docs however do have expertise in numerous fields that would justify their opinion.It pays to have them state in their IMos why they have the expertise to opine on the specific claimed disability.

[jbasser]

Berta sure is right.

There is one type of Doc that has the ability to give an opinion that will usually stick.

This is an Occupational Doctor that has experience in Rehab.

This doc can examine you and read your history and put it together as it relates to you working and how your disability effects you and how it effets you working.

Many of these Docs do IME's for attorneys who handle SSDI cases.

J

[LarryJ]

Hoppy pointed out that the outcome of Workman's comp. claims is often determined by which doctor the claimant goes to. It is "hit or miss"...doctors aren't categorized in the phone book as claimant friendly. So, lawyers often do just that. If you hire a lawyer to seek workmans compensation, the lawyer often suggests you see Doctor .................. because he has had experience with that doc and knows that doc will be "claimant friendly".

In a similar way, we need a "Veteran friendly" doctor list for Veterans, because, as Carlie, Berta, and others have pointed out, "Evidence wins claims". Knowing which doctor to see could easily be the difference between being awarded benefits, and homelessness.

IMHO being awarded benefits can often mean the difference between homelessness or not. Maybe WE can actually help prevent Veteran homelessness by posting 2 lists of doctors: 1)Veteran Friendlies and 2) Homeless creating Docs.

Further, I would like to see Veterans "switch" away from those Veteran unfriendly docs enough to either force that doc to become Veteran friendly, or to loose his job because no Veterans want to see him. What do you guys think?

I think that the minute you start creating a list of doctors that you want to force out of business is the day that you will find out how friendly the AMA is.

just sayin'

[Berta]

That is an excellent point you made Jbasser-

If a vet has not received an SSA award solely for- say SC PTSD-(prime evidence of TDIU) the vet can become overwhelmed in wondering what the VA really means by needing medical evidence of unemployability.

This is where an occupational specialist can certainly help with an IMO.As well as in cases where the vet is trying to prove that their SC disability should be at a higher rating.

All ratings are generated with an eye to employment problems.

I used a NeuroRadiologist-Dr. Bash for a claim to prove undiagnosed AO diabetes contributing to my husband's death. On the surface that might not seem to make sense.

But I have an MRI narrative and considerable other evidence in the clinical record to prove my claim.

Dr. Bash stated words to this affect:

He based his opinion due to his experience in readings MRIs of thousands of diabetics.MRIs which showed diabetic atrophy and lesions that were consistent with diabetic heart disease and DM related atherosclerosis.

He also could opine on the extent of diabetic cardiomegaly with the ECHO results as his radiology background qualified him to read all sorts of imaging, X Rays, Doppler etc.

The other IMO I ordered and the award came before that doc even read my stuff-

was a forensic cardiologist.

VA had asked for a CArdiologist's opinion on my claim and I had no doubt whatsoever that any cardio doc-Even a VA doctor- would agree with the evidence of diabetic heart disease.

But I took no chances so geared the IMO request for that type of opinion just in case.

The VA got a PA instead to opine and I knocked him down down by line.I also reminded the VA that as a lay person I succeeded on the FTCA case without an IMO so my 'medical' opinion on his C & P medical errors when compared with the clinical record -was quite probative.

The BVA found his IMO was inconclusive and the PA also had said he would have to resort to speculation in order to opine on the claim.

Speculate my butt- I had significant evidence and all he had to do was read it.

My point here is that any IMO doc could well have credentials that would make their opinion valid but some don't have these credentials.One thing is for sure- a real MD outweighs a C & P PA but the VA-since they pay the PA, will favor their opinion if they can.

Still a lousy C & P along with a strong IMO equals relative equipoise if the IMO doctor gives a complete and accurate rationale.

Relative Equipoise means an award.