Newbie And Lost

[TXNVYMOM]

It seems like I have such a silly questions to ask after reading everyone's post and how long it has taken some to get their ratings. But money is short and he is facing surgery hopefully in the near future, so these questions have been weighing heavily on our minds, as he's on major pain medication and surgery is looming, and it's going to be tough to find a job prior to surgery and then there's recouperating time . My son was medically discharged from the Navy for hip and back problems at the end of January 2011. He used the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) to file for his VA rating. He turned in all of his medical records (about the size of a ream of paper), his DD214, and attended all of his doctor appointments prior to leaving the Navy on terminal leave around mid December 2010. His first DOD deposit will start tomorrow and he is signed up for TRICARE, is seeing a private pain managment doctor, just had his MRI on both hips. He has had his first appointment with the doctor at the VA, who told him see you in 6 months. So here are some of my questions.

1. Best guess, how long should it take the VA to rate his conditions?

2. How are you notified of your rating.?

3. How are you paid by the VA and do you use mypay to see an upcoming deposit?

4. At what point do you decide to continue with the DOD payments or accept the VA payments?

5. Does anyone have any advice for someone at this stage of the process? Are there any pitfalls he should be looking out for??

6. Because he is seeing private doctors, should he be keeping those records and who would he turn them in to and when??

I am sure the above dates sound ridiculous, but it's taken him 3 years to get to this point, he wasn't given an opportunity to have surgery while still in the Navy. We would really appreciate opinions from those who have bravely gone before him and know how the VA system works....right now it's a pretty confusing beast.

Edited March 1, 2011 by TXNVYMOM

[TXNVYMOM]

1. "Is your son able to work?"

Maybe a sit down job, but would need to be able to stand up, sit down or be able to lay down to relieve discomfort. His brain works, but most likely fuzzy from the meds.

2. "What percent did DOD assign him from the MEB??"

30% TDRL - How would they know to pay him 100% convalesent if he has surgery with a private doctor.

3. "Does he have a vet rep and has he filed formally for VA disability?"

He has formally filed with the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program in Virginia, and now has moved back to Texas. If he has a rep...we don't know who it is. Supposedly the VA would start looking at his claim the day after discharge. Should he get a Texas rep? If so, how? They do know his address as we have been getting letters such as asking him if he want to continue his SLGI.

He did keep a copy of his medical records (great idea to scan them as he only has one), but I think that's all. Should he get a copy of his personnel file and SMR( I don't know what this is).

Thanks so much for your responses...we have a bunch to learn.

[Berta]

"30% TDRL - How would they know to pay him 100% convalescent if he has surgery with a private doctor."

He will need to file a claim for that.

The convalescence regulations are available here under a search.

"Should he get a copy of his personnel file and SMR( I don't know what this is)."

SMR Service Medical Records.

Has he received a VCAA letter yet?

He should seek a vet rep from either one of the main vet orgs or the Texas Veterans Commission state or his county veteran's service agency.

"They do know his address as we have been getting letters such as asking him if he want to continue his SLGI." Yes that is important -the SLGI but did any of these letters acknowledge his claim yet or ask for more info?

[fanaticbooks]

One other thought to help you figure out what you are doing....

Here is a link to a list of topics found on the Veterans Benefits Network website that I have posted. In it is a topic for active service members about what to do before leaving the service. You might find it helpful.

There are also other miscellaneous topics which might help also.

http://vets.yuku.com/topic/49153/Listing--links--Fanaticbooks-extensive-research--Veteran-rel

Thank him for me for being willing to protect me and mine to the detriment of his health. He is valued.

fanaticbooks

[TXNVYMOM]

"Has he received a VCAA letter yet?" I am not sure what that is...????

" Yes that is important -the SLGI but did any of these letters acknowledge his claim yet or ask for more info?"

I believe he received a letter saying they are "seeing if he needs any more doctors appointments", but we haven't received anything else regarding his claim. He was told prior to leaving Virginia his VA doctor appointments were completed. If he does need an additional medical exam...can it be done here in Texas.

Thank you all so much for your responses....they are really helpful and I am learning a ton of new information.

[carlie]

But money is short and he is facing surgery hopefully in the near future, so these questions have been weighing heavily on our minds, as he's on major pain medication and surgery is looming, and it's going to be tough to find a job prior to surgery and then there's recouperating time .

TX,

Is he going to have surgery at a VAMC and he might be eligible for temp 100% convalescence time.

[TXNVYMOM]

Actually...we were really leary about going the VA route...only because of the medical treatment he received in the Navy. Three years of jumping through every hoop they asked of him and we get down to the end and they say there's nothing they can do for his back. Then he got a second opinion for his hip. That doctor told him his hip should be surgically repaired. He got a memo that said because he had already gone through the PEB...to let the VA take care of it. So we are going to try the private doctor route with TRICARE coverage. I hope this doesn't cost a fortune because he's barely getting by and within a few months he will be drowning in bills if his VA doesn't kick in hopefully at a higher rate. His end of service was the end of January 2011...and he has already had an MRI of both hips and should find out the results tomorrow. They seem to be moving faster than the Navy in which a MRI could take 3 months to get scheduled and about another month to get the results. One time he went to get an MRI of the back and they did the lower instead of the upper portion of the back. He also went to the emergency room on more than several occasions with back pain...they never did a MRI just told him it was sciatca and go stand in the pain pill line. Believe me ..it's been a long painful journey. He has herniated disc (about 5 of them) in the the T and L regions along with DDD. I am very proud of his service, but really disappointed in the military medical system. I thought they would take care of their military personnel...boy was I wrong. I think it would really boost his mental health to be able to have something repaired and be able to get off his major pain meds.

Sorry about the long post...you asked a small question and I wrote a mini novel.

I can't thank you all enough for your help!!!!