Has This Happened To You At C&pexam?

[sammy104]

My husband went in for his c&p for exam to upgrasde his sc disability. He is total dependatant , as he had massive stroke last year, and needs 24 hr care, has occasional tremmors also. I filled out the 5 page questionaire warning them of his current state of health, in addition to info specifically realated to is s c disability. He is in weelchair..and after I got him into room, they asked me to leave, and my husband will talk to the dr. I said he cant speak due to stroke. It did not matter. I guess they didnt read the formo I just gave them? I had to go to waiting room and he would be fine. I sais , no he wont he has occassional tremmors and cannot be sitting in room alone please. on and on this went till finally the dr who heard me from other room said he would go in tere rite now. The exam was over. I had no idea what they did. How was it a good exam if my husband cannot talk, and has limited mental capacity due to stroke??. He shakes his head yes to anything you ask him. How was it a correct exam if he was alone with dr and cannot speak?

[sammy104]

And to add-if the CVA can be service connected best to ask them for Aid and Attendance too-

I recently filed for A & A accrued under Nehmer.

I used the exact regs and pulled out the parts of the regs that his medical evidence (or other evidence) made him eligible for. A vet does not have to meet every part of the A & A criteria and they do put a lot of weight on what the caretaker -spouse states for A & A claims.

In part of my statement I referred to other documented situations that were possibly not in his medical or day treatment records revealing need for A & A.

I also can get buddy statement from my neighbor -if needed-who had to confiscate his weapons and certainly from my daughter and others who

witnessed how his CVA made him unable to be alone and at times extremely violent.He was 100% for PTSD too(awarded after his death) and the PTSD , as the evidence shows, aggravated the residuals of his CVA.

The VA gave him 2 days of extensive testing to separate the CVA residuals from his PTSD.

It was hard for him to be in this testing for 2 days but when the re4sults were in, they could not use the CVA as reason why his PTSD escalated-in order to keep him at 30% for the PTSD.

His SSA records also reveal need for A & A.

Is your husband getting SSA disability benefits? Does VA know that?

Has formal application been made for TDIU yet?

NO disability benefits fromSS. Hubby is 72 and has been getting SS retirement since age 65. He had stroke in 2009. He also gets military retirement, he was in Reserves 30 years. His military retiremnent started approx 1999.

RE formal app for TDIU: I should do that asap correct? I was thinking to wait till results were in from C&P exam. As I rethink everything, I should submit TDIU now? correct? let me know berta..thank you

you are great help as i can tell you really understand SPECIFICS..IN DETAIL ..as you personally went this route with your husband. Huge comfort to communicate with one who has been thru the same thing.

[sammy104]

What is he service connected for? I see just 20%. If your husband is in a wheelchair and cannot speak from a stroke it is obvious he is 100% disabled, but the question would be for the doctor to determine if it is due to SC conditions. Does he have a private doctor who could submit records of treatment and prognosis?

Thank you John. Yes hubby has many private doctors outside VA., who can submit records of treatment and prognosis. In the process of submitting TDIU, I think. I know timing is everything in most cases and I want to file TDIU at correct time. I think I have been foolish thinking they will automatically see hubby is TDIU? Hubby was never ":retired" really..at age 72 he was prominant realtor in town for over 20 years and Newsletter Editor for the local chapter of MOAA for over 7 years. He plan was same as his forefathers....he loved the work he did...he never planned to "stop" working. VA will give 100% rating even if TDIU form is not filed, correct? I am not familiar with the system..is there an added benefit to have the TDIU form actually submitted and on file?

[Berta]

They SHOULD award 100% P & T but that would warrant NSC award ( and no comp)unless you can definitely service connect the stroke to his SC arm,hand condition or to some other potential inservice cause.

"A FIBB" ..he never knew he had this problem???????????????????????

When did he find out?

"A FIBB" ..he never knew he had this problem..this caused blood clot...causing massive stroke."

Do you have ALL of his medical records?

What hospital or doctor failed to diagnose the Atrial Fibrillation?

If VA did not diagnose or treat this with full knowledge his clinical records showed he had it-you can ask for 100% plus SMC under Section 1151, 38 USC.

There is considerable info here on that type of claim.

If your husband was getting continuous medical care s0meone certainly messed up on this diagnosis.

Who was his main health care provider before he had the stroke?

What meds did he take prior to the stroke?

[sammy104]

What is he service connected for? I see just 20%. If your husband is in a wheelchair and cannot speak from a stroke it is obvious he is 100% disabled, but the question would be for the doctor to determine if it is due to SC conditions. Does he have a private doctor who could submit records of treatment and prognosis?

Hubby SC is 20% for lacereated left forearm..which has caused problems with his left hand..it is very small and deformed and has lost feeling and some movement in that hand. this was b4 his stroke in 2009.

Now tho, post stroke..he has become" left handed" as the stroke paralyzed his rite side. (he was right handed prior to stroke.) Now, post stroke, he cannot grab, grasp cannot hold pen nor utensils properly..he has NO strength..when asked to squeeze...he has no strength..he can hold a 4 oz cup of milk..but not for very long as his hand shakes terribly. It is MORE deformed now, post stroke. He cannot write nor sign his name. So just looking at the SC left arm/hand, to me it is odviously 100% disabled. What am I missing to see, that the VA would even think to rate this SC disability at LESS than 100%? At the C&P exam, they did take Xrays of his SC left arm/ hand. ( They also took xrays of left leg..why? i have no idea.) What does this mean if they took xrays? Does it mean they are not convinced he problems are worthy of 100% disability?

[sammy104]

What is he service connected for? I see just 20%. If your husband is in a wheelchair and cannot speak from a stroke it is obvious he is 100% disabled, but the question would be for the doctor to determine if it is due to SC conditions. Does he have a private doctor who could submit records of treatment and prognosis?

Hubby SC is 20% for lacereated left forearm..which has caused problems with his left hand..it is very small and deformed and has lost feeling and some movement in that hand. this was b4 his stroke in 2009.

Now tho, post stroke..he has become" left handed" as the stroke paralyzed his rite side. (he was right handed prior to stroke.) Now, post stroke, he cannot grab, grasp cannot hold pen nor utensils properly..he has NO strength..when asked to squeeze...he has no strength..he can hold a 4 oz cup of milk..but not for very long as his hand shakes terribly. It is MORE deformed now, post stroke. He cannot write nor sign his name. So just looking at the SC left arm/hand, to me it is odviously 100% disabled. What am I missing to see, that the VA would even think to rate this SC disability at LESS than 100%? At the C&P exam, they did take Xrays of his SC left arm/ hand. ( They also took xrays of left leg..why? i have no idea.) What does this mean if they took xrays? Does it mean they are not convinced he problems are worthy of 100% disability?

[sammy104]

They SHOULD award 100% P & T but that would warrant NSC award ( and no comp)unless you can definitely service connect the stroke to his SC arm,hand condition or to some other potential inservice cause.

"A FIBB" ..he never knew he had this problem???????????????????????

When did he find out?

"A FIBB" ..he never knew he had this problem..this caused blood clot...causing massive stroke."

Do you have ALL of his medical records?

What hospital or doctor failed to diagnose the Atrial Fibrillation?

If VA did not diagnose or treat this with full knowledge his clinical records showed he had it-you can ask for 100% plus SMC under Section 1151, 38 USC.

There is considerable info here on that type of claim.

If your husband was getting continuous medical care s0meone certainly messed up on this diagnosis.

Who was his main health care provider before he had the stroke?

What meds did he take prior to the stroke?

We knew of A Fibb only AFTER stroke. Hubby had VA doctors at a VA facility PLUS an Internist that was contracted thru the VA, that the VA sent us to close to our home. As I read your concerns berta and I am thinking now the VA was neglegent in part, as 2 weeks prior to is stroke he was in for routine checkup and blood work..they should have seen at that visit, that since he is long time diabetic on diabetic pills,and also on high blood pressure pills..and soon to b on cholesterol pills, should have said to him.."you need to get heart tests..etc" Hubbys Internist also , who was contracted by VA , should have made him go for special testing also correct? They should have both seen his long history of illnesses and pills and connected the dots and made sure he got special testing every year correct? We had no idea of what tests to do . We just thot if you have a disese..you take pills for it..never did we think..that diabetes and other illness could lead to "A fibb" heart condition and stroke. Afibb heart condition was never a condition they found in hubbys tests from many years ago. But in recent years...there was no tests done...no fone calls to us to say he must get in for tests. I was upset tho..one year after hubbys stroke....>>>> VA left us URGENT fone message that he needed to go in for follow up physical and tests and lab work. WHY WERENT THEY CALLING US WITH URGENT FONE REMINDERS PRIOR TO HIS STROKE?? The VA contracted Internist didnt follow up on hubbys tests either...he should have been reminded by both facilities, correct? Records from tests done years ago, show no a fibb condition..i already aggressively investigated this. Now tho, did somebody drop the ball? Why no tests in recent past? I guess you could say ..VA and/or VA contracted doctor failed to make proper diagnosis of A Fibb condition, simply because they failed to give him proper tests in timely manner....shouldn't he have gotten tested yearly, or at least every other year? Thank you Berta