Question About Claim

[Sgt Schmidt]

I just received paper work from the VA asking for information on my claim for peripheral neuropathy being dx'd as secondary to my DMII. My dx was by my family PCP and when I sent the claim in thru my VSO we included a ROI for the VA to get my records or information as needed from my PCP. Should I get any additional statements from my doctor and send in or just let the VA get the information they need from him?

I've read where you don't want to over welm the VA with to much paper work on a claim because it just confuses them. This was posted on the va watchdog site by Jim.

Jeff

[navydoc2]

I would get whatever evidence I could to them. If they were unable to get the information then you would hate for that to happen.

[johnjjr]

Sgt,

If I were you, I would get a copy of the medical record from your pcp, make a copy for yourself, and send a copy to your RO. Make sure you get a return receipt so you can prove they got it. If you can afford it, go to a pvt neurologist and have nerve conduction studies done. That will tell you the severity of your PN. I had the tests done at VAMC and they DX'd me as mild. then I went to a pvt neurologist and he DX'd me as severe, upper and lower bilaterally.Severity definitly increases copensation.

[Guest terrysturgis]

If your PCP is willing to write a letter that says, "patient has lower and upper body neuropathy" send it in as instructed. That is evidence and evidence wins claims. Terry

[Berta]

Jim is right when vets and widows sometimes go into long renditions regarding their claims.

I hardly think they even read beyond page one of a NOD and in my opinion the NOD, or the I-9 or any statement in support of a case or rebuttal to a SOC should-in the first 2-3 sentences get to the meat and potatoes of the evidence.

I think you should make sure the VA has info of this diagnosis- did the doctor actually state in the clinical record that the PN was due to the DMII?

As your family doc he/she might be willing to prepare an IMO at no or little cost for you.

HE/she should use the IMO criteria here in the IMO forum but the opinion doesn't have to be complex at all -

just to rule out any other medical etiology but for the DM II for the cause of the PN.

The VA's own DMII training letter recognizes PN among the many additional secondary disabilities that DMII can cause.

If they can come up with some other half baked reason you have PN-they will try to- unless they have a bonafide medical statement of the nexus (link) to your SC DMII.

[john999]

I got SC'ed for PN for all four limbs secondary to DMII. You need a doctor's statement saying your PN is at least as likely as not due to the DMII. While you are at it you might tell you PCP that your legs hurt. This way you could get a CT scan of your legs. Many with DMII have poor circulation to the legs due to clots. This is a very dangerous and well documented secondary condition of DmII. I found out by accident that I had that problem. If you have serious PN your biggest risk is a wound to the feet that won't heal leading to amputation. I know this is a bummer to think about, but it is true. All these things are secondary to DMII.

[Sgt Schmidt]

Hello all,

I went to my doctor today and he wrote a letter for me in reference to my claim. I took the letter to my VSO and he said it looked good to him so we finished the additional paperwork and stuck it in the mail. The letter read as follows:

Mr. (my name) has been a patient at this office for over 25 years. Mr. (my name) has diabetes mellitus Type 2 which more likely that not was caused by his exposure to dioxins while serving in Vietnam. Mr. (my name) has chronic lower and upper body neuropathy which causes numbness and tingling in his hands, feet, and pain in his left leg.

Mr. (my name) is prescribed METFORMIN HCL 500 MG TA for his diabetes mellitus Type 2 and HYDROCODON/APAP 5/500MG for the pain in his leg.

It is in my professional medical opinion that Mr. (my name) peripheral neuropathy is least likely as not aggravated by, or caused by his diabetes mellitus Type 2.

I'm hoping this letter will be sufficient in helping with my claim.

Jeff