My Wife Says That I'm Being Paranoid

[TravHill]

Need some guidance and input please.

I submitted a claim to open a service connected disability (Intervertrabal Disc Syndrome) on the 02 Nov 2010 due to increased severity. I had been out on doctor prescribed bedrest for a total of 3 weeks at that time. Since then (until today), I have had another 6 weeks of prescribed bed rest. My claim is still in the development phase and I am scheduled for my C&P this monday.

I have submitted my initial documentation to the VA as part of this claim, private medical records etc and bedrest notes, and that included the other 6 weeks of bedrest AFTER my claim date of 2 Nov.

Now the paranoid part.....I am worried that this 6 weeks won't be used in my re-evaluation as I think it's limited to the 12 months prior to this claim. Is this accurate, or if it's submitted before the determination is made at the RO, then it will be part of the process and considered?

If it won't be considered....should I cancel this request and resubmit and start the process over again?

Thanks and I hope I'm just being paranoid for nothing, but I don't really trust the VA.

Travis

[jbasser]

Sounds to me like she is right. You can submit evidence on a general claim anytime before a decision is reached. The time limits only apply to certain appeal criteria.

Get all doctors information in and make sure you get a copy of your bed rest issue and take it to the exam. This will ensure the examiner sees it.

J

[Gulfvet45]

you might want to also ask for a temp 100% from the bed rest order that was given to you from your doctor due to your SC problem.

GET WITH you VSO on this.

Need some guidance and input please.

I submitted a claim to open a service connected disability (Intervertrabal Disc Syndrome) on the 02 Nov 2010 due to increased severity. I had been out on doctor prescribed bedrest for a total of 3 weeks at that time. Since then (until today), I have had another 6 weeks of prescribed bed rest. My claim is still in the development phase and I am scheduled for my C&P this monday.

I have submitted my initial documentation to the VA as part of this claim, private medical records etc and bedrest notes, and that included the other 6 weeks of bedrest AFTER my claim date of 2 Nov.

Now the paranoid part.....I am worried that this 6 weeks won't be used in my re-evaluation as I think it's limited to the 12 months prior to this claim. Is this accurate, or if it's submitted before the determination is made at the RO, then it will be part of the process and considered?

If it won't be considered....should I cancel this request and resubmit and start the process over again?

Thanks and I hope I'm just being paranoid for nothing, but I don't really trust the VA.

Travis

[MikeR]

Sounds to me like she is right. You can submit evidence on a general claim anytime before a decision is reached. The time limits only apply to certain appeal criteria.

Get all doctors information in and make sure you get a copy of your bed rest issue and take it to the exam. This will ensure the examiner sees it.

J

Totally agree, once you file just keep truckin.

[broncovet]

Yes. You need to listen to your wife. The VA does not need that excuse to ignore your evidence...they have been ignoring and shredding Veterans evidence for years, and do not need excuses to mess up your claim.

But..I would hold off on panicking, because there is a slim chance the VA will get it right and you will have panicked for nothing. When/if the VA lowballs or denies your claim, "This is the perfect time to panic" (Quoting Woody on the Movie Toy Story)

[john999]

There is no telling exactly what the C&P doctor will say so just keep on going until you get a decision. If the doctor trys to get you to do anything that hurts be sure and tell him it hurts as soon as you feel pain.

[TravHill]

Thanks for the inputs.....I called my VSO this morning for clarification and she assured me that they will consider the doctors notes afer my initial file date as long as they get them before they make a decision. However this is the same VSO that told me last week that IVDS is rated on ROM only and not incapacitating episodes

I think I'm going to stand pat and see what rating decision I get and appeal if needed.

Travis