Almost Arrested At Varo

[Commander Bob]

Bob

To use them as a way to document your disabilies is good. ... I go just to keep my oar in the water like you. Going will help your PTSD claim

Hi John,

I had to go to the VA and have an artificial leg ordered, so the vender could get paid.. You could buy a new Toyota, for the cost of one of those babies, these days.. After decades of PTSD misdiagnoses and incompetent treatment and reprimands, I stopped using the VAMC for PTSD assistance in 1996.

Funny, In my recent VARO - PTSD (code # correction) denial letter, the VA rater only went back to 1996 regarding my PTSD. My service and VA records go back to 1968.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Commander Bob

[john999]

Bob

I wonder if it would help you to hire a lawyer to try and get the earliest effective date for your PTSD. You might have a CUE somewhere. For them to deny a PTSD for a guy with your experience is so outrageous you might be able to get some major retro out of them. I think they are covering up potential costly mistake or error.

[Commander Bob]

Bob

I wonder if it would help you to hire a lawyer to try and get the earliest effective date for your PTSD. You might have a CUE somewhere...

Thanks John,

You are so right. That's my plan. My file is dripping with CUEs and EED mistakes. I swear, sometimes I feel like taking the Gov. to the Hague. I just wish it didn't have to be this way.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Commander Bob

[john999]

What I have found is even when faced with obvious errors and EED mistakes the VA will try and just stonewall you with denials. It takes someone who really knows the law to keep filing the right paperwork and legal briefs. Say they owe you 30 years of retro for a claim. Nobody at the VARO level wants to accept responsibility for such an award. I think the BVA is not far behind on just stamping a denial on someting that means hundreds of thousands of bucks. That is why they made CUE so difficult for most vets to understand. It is hard to grasp why some gross error is not a CUE and another error is a CUE.

I did my DRO for a CUE with a lawyer. He was certain the error was obvious. We got denied. Now we are at the BVA. Who knows what will happen, but at least I have someone who actually understands the concept arguing my case. You can't expect that from some VSO. They are too busy trying to recruit life members for their organization.

[halos2]

This reminds me of a few years back after requesting my Complete C-file, 6 times, and only receiving partial copies, and alot of blank pages with copy stamped on them, I requested an appointment to come down there/review my c-file/get copies and be on my way. They set up the appointment 3 weeks later, I get down there all 157 miles one way, and they tell me "SORRY THE COPIER IS BROKEN!" I responded with "WHAT A FOUR STORY BUILDING AND YOU ONLY HAVE ONE COPIER!!"" **

They tried to brush me off, but I told them I came down here all this way, I want to review my files and tell you what I don't have copies of...they got all indiginant saying they could not let me review my folders without someone observing me...so give me someone!!!!

A lady sat with me as I placed sticky notes galore on 100 pages that I did not have, finally only half through and 1 hr later they said "WE CAN'T PAY SOMEONE TO WATCH YOU MARK ALL THESE PAGES YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE...I said I wanted to talk to the manager, and they said WHY?? TO TELL HIM YOU WON"T SEND ME MY C-FILE, MADE ME COME DOWN HERE TO GET COPIES, AND TELL ME COPIER IS BROKEN...they assurred me someone would copy my files and mail them to me in a few days, after I wrote up a complaint paper for these issues, plus told my VSO. Next week I got a couple of big fat envelopes of records. Who knows if I got them all.

** This could have gotten very volitile, as I was really pissed off regarding their inconsideration/dismissal of me/feelings/trip/mileage etc.

Point being triggers could potentiate my being thrown out, as I had been VERY aggravated, but did go to the bathroom to compose myself, then went back to view my records, after I half-assed composed myself.

Another game of jacking with vets, trying to push our buttons.

I was not able to come home that day, too upset, had to spend the night in that town, and leave the next day.

SOME VARO WORKER'S

ARE A FUC*NG JOKE!!

OUT FOR THEMSELVES NOT THE VETS!!

BEING THROWN OUT WOULD HAVE HURT MY CLAIM MORE! Remember to think of yourself and the effects of the outcome, before you act. Harder said then done sometimes too. So I can relate to your situation too! :)

[john999]

halos

Chances are you did not get your entire c-file. I found out that I only got about half my file when I had a BVA hearing. The BVA judge had this huge file. Me and my lawyer had about 1/3 that much material that was supposed to be my complete file. We were already being denied due process at step One. In any sort of legal procedure both sides are supposed to have access to the same material. Not at the VA I guess. They do legal and adminsitrative stuff the old fashioned way....they cheat and lie and misrepresent. Those who work at the VA are our servants. In fact, the janitor at the VA has more rights than we vets.