Is The Va Getting Ahead Of Themseves

[Hughie]

Hi all,

Did some searching of the forum first to see if there was already an aswer to my quetion but no luck. I am currently rated at 10% for cluster Headaches under 8100 and have been since getting out in 97. Over the years my Headaches have gotten worse and in April of 09 while in California I put in for a re-evaluation via local County VS. I have since moved to North Carolina and finally gotten everything moved to Winston-Salem.

After getting everything moved myself. The DAV suggested doing it myself as they were afraid if they tryed taking over prolong the proccess but have offered to handle any chalenge. I had to do a lot of the paperwork over again to get medical records requested and send in my statements again which is fine but I got a compensation exam scheduled for next week with QTC and after that was scheduled I just got a letter from the VA saying they just sent requests for medical records out.

My question is "Don't they normally get or attempt to get all medical records before scheduling a compensation exam?"

I am also affraid they don't have all my statements since these were sent in with my forms to request medical records.

[Berta]

Wow the VA did the right thing- they are supposed to look for and consider any obvious potential secondary conditions even if the vet didnt claim them but they usually NEVER do that-

Make sure you keep copies of everything you send them and also always get a proof of mailing and send your reps a copy too.

[Berta]

PS

"The DAV suggested doing it myself as they were afraid if they tryed taking over prolong the proccess but have offered to handle any chalenge. I had to do a lot of the paperwork over again to get medical records requested and send in my statements again which is fine but I got a ...."

They lost credit for the increase- the POA would not have added any significant time to this at all.

I bet their reception of this award and the 2 other claims will be a little more aggressive now-since you won the first round.

[Vync]

Hughie,

Congratulations on the increase. Btw... which RO processed your claim?

I'm curious because my C&P exams were about 5 weeks ago and my claim is still in the ratings dept.

Berta,

I don't mean to detract from this topic, but are they really supposed to do that? If they identified a potential secondary condition and even diagnosed it during a C&P exam (which was never provided to the Veteran), what recourse would the Veteran have and would they be able to get a corresponding EED based on that?

[Hughie]

Winstan-Salem proccesed my claim. Once I got it transfered from Sanfranciso after my move they were very responsive and quick.

FYI: already got my back pay and was payed at the higher rate in my May direct deposit.

[lugnut]

Yes, very quick, I got a letter last week saying they had everything but needed more information concerning two seperate claims I didn't apply for but that I had described as a condition of my headaches. I assumed I was in for a long wait but instead got the 30%. The Max is 50% which is hard to get. Will wait and see what comes of the now seperate claims before going back to the DAV. I can only hope they seperated them for a good reason and not just to shoot them down.

They were for:

Condition for numbness in hands and feet due to medications taken for cluster headaches.

and

Lightheadedness due to medications...

Hughie, what are you taking for headache meds?? lugnut

These are both due to medications currentlly prescribed by the VA to treat my cluster headaches. Also known and "acceptable" side effects.

[Hughie]

Topiramate which is the generic for Topamax.