tdiu Independent Living

[Tony]

I am completely disabled. Eligible for Soc. Sec. but only rated 70% (waiting for application to go through)

I recently moved from Alabama to Illinois. The Alabama Voc Rehab representative said that I was eligible for assistance through Independent Living. But because I was homeless at the time, he said that he would fill out all the paperwork and set everything up so that when I found a home I would be all set. I bought a home with my SS back pay in my hometown in Illinois.

He forwarded all my paperwork to the Voc Rehab in my area. She then set up a meeting with my wife and I. When I arrived at the meeting, she told me that I was ineligible for the program because I was not approved for unemployability or 100% yet.

I'm not overly confident of her abilities because she spent most of the meeting saying that she had only been at the job for a year and she didn't know what she was doing. She also stated had never looked at my file prior to the 15 minute meeting.

She basically said to call her back if and when I got my unemployability.

Thanks for the help,

Anthony Barthel

written with the help of meredith (the wife)

[Pete53]

She does not know what she is doing. You are eligible for ILP because Voc Rehab already said so. Ask to talk to her supervisor. People like this at Voc Rehab need training or get rid of them cause they are hurting Veterans.

You can get ILP with 70% any moron knows that.

[Tony]

Thanks. Will try again.

[allan]

Tony,

a veteran can qualify for ILS benefits with as little as 20% SC. You do need to be 100% disabled. Qualifying for Social Security disability already shows you are not able to return to work.

Veterans recieving VA Pension benefits also qualify if they are 100% disabled and at least 20% VA SC.

TDIU,(unemployability) has "NOTHING" to do with ILS benefits or Voc rehab other than another way of proving your unable to work.

Expect to train the Voc rehab agent helping you on what ILS benefts are and refer to the CFR, MRI codes to do it with. VA spends very little time traing them before putting them in a position to make claims decisions.

All the codes and information you need on ILS benefits can be found by doing a search on Hadit.com.

Voc rehab is independent of VARO rating dept, so if you need to get copies of your Vocrehab records, you need to request those through the nearest VA vocrehab regional dept nearest you in writing.

They have a tendency to deny the first time you apply. Just appeal it if they do.

Edited May 8, 2010 by allan

[halos2]

I was granted Vo Rehab at 30% sc (and was 100% ssdi). Realizing this would not work out for me they next put me in the Il program. After almost a year later I was increased to 50% because of a claim I had an appeal on.

So this person does not know the rules/regs regarding Il at all. Follow advice offered here...see supervisor.

[Pete53]

Nice to see you Posting again Allan.