tdiu Handling Your Own Finances

[Steppenwolf]

Yesterday when i met a new service officer and told him that i wanted to request TDIU he informed me that some mental health issues that are TDIU require someone else to manage finances.

Don't think i ever heard that before. If there are circumstances where this is true how do i find out what they are?

He also informed me that a NOD was the wrong way to ask for an increase in %.

[SLEDGE]

I'm with you, the filing fee is virtually a moot issue.

I commented on it because another veteran might not understand something regarding that issue.

I'll try to give my opinion about the following issue.

" Why couldn't anyone see the dots connected? Everything is already there and when i got an IMO that said what i have now is connected to what i had then the judge says there weren't enough arrows and pictures to help her see the connection. "

My personal opinion is that the judge is either biased against you personally,

or against the medical issues involved, or she is stupid, could be both.

When you show a judge a signed and dated medical statement of FACT, from

a licensed medical doctor, that statement should be as good as a fingerprint or DNA

in establishing the truth of the situation.

Maybe your case has several medical opinions, from VA cronies, that say no connection

and only one that says 'connection' from you.

In that kind of a simply situation the majority might rule if the judge doesn't like your face,

or profound ignorance on the part of the judge prevails.

If the judge has to have more information as to the etiology of your current diagnosis and when it began,

go through a private sector doctor and build up a solid case for your team,

a medical expert rebuttal of the previous VA 'Reasons and Basis'.

Any lawyer should have a respected doctor who can read the medical evidence and point out, plainly, in terms that an ignorant lay person can understand (your judge) exactly why you should prevail on your claim.

Rebuttals are not cheap but, they can be worth their weight in gold (benefit money).

In my case they wouldn't even read that stuff.

However, I know for a fact that I was already shot down no matter what I gave the VARO, you probably are not.

If you are hiring a lawyer, just do what the lawyer says.

sledge

[Steppenwolf]

I'm with you, the filing fee is virtually a moot issue.

I commented on it because another veteran might not understand something regarding that issue.

sledge

If the fee issue help another veteran that's a good thing and i certainly don't mind that you picked it out to comment Sledge. That said you can see how quickly it spins off to being the subject. A similar thing happened in another post that i started about the instructions and meaning of said instructions in VA FORM 4597. The attorney yesterday commented on how ambibuous that form is even for attornies trained in VA Law. Perhaps that's why no one has a solid answer.

A few others here have commented on how and why possibily the case is biased. i think that is what the DAV and attorny's see that the BVA "erred". But at this point, as i mentioned a few times the focus here should now be on the TDIU and roll the dice on the other two issues. But if there is a chance in hell that i can keep all of the balls in the air while waiting for my NOD hearing i think i have enough new and old evidence to win them too.

If i had not had one experience with a VSO who really took the time to delve into the complexity of my case and watched over it while he gave me a list of things to do including a very important part which was to ask my doctors if they were willing to re-write their letters more than once with wordage suggestions; i would have never won my case. It wasn't that the evidence wasn't there, it was knowing the words that the VA wanted to see. That letter that the judge didn't like is a typical example of a well written letter that is missing the "MAY I" like the Simon Says game. i'll even give the judge credit for languaging what it was that she wanted to hear from the BVA and VARO.

If there is anything that might help other veterans maybe i should copy her remand instructions and post them here.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

[SLEDGE]

Looking at the comments written by a judge could be an enlightening process.

Especially if the comments contain wording suggestions for other claimants.

sledge