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Should I File Now, Or Wait?

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Sgt. Wilky

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Sgt. Wilky Rising Star

Sgt. Wilky

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Hello Everyone,

I was seeing my Dermatologist the other day, and she told me that I should file for VA so that they can provide my medications. Back in 2003, we all took field showers while in Iraq, and predictably, I got a nasty foot fungus that the Air Force said would never go away, and my Dermatologist confirmed it to me twice now. I've had to go from topical creams to oral medications and it affects the bottoms and tops of my feet. My question is threefold:

1. Should I wait to file for that until my other claims are adjudicated,

2: Has anyone experienced the VA ratings on this? I would think that the tops and bottoms of my feet would be more than 5% of my body, but I don't know how they determine that.

3. Will the VA if approved, provide medications that my private physician prescribes, or will I have to use VA Doctors?

Thanks and Semper Fi!

Matt

BOHICA

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stillhere Veteran

stillhere

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Hello Everyone,

I was seeing my Dermatologist the other day, and she told me that I should file for VA so that they can provide my medications. Back in 2003, we all took field showers while in Iraq, and predictably, I got a nasty foot fungus that the Air Force said would never go away, and my Dermatologist confirmed it to me twice now. I've had to go from topical creams to oral medications and it affects the bottoms and tops of my feet. My question is threefold:

1. Should I wait to file for that until my other claims are adjudicated,

2: Has anyone experienced the VA ratings on this? I would think that the tops and bottoms of my feet would be more than 5% of my body, but I don't know how they determine that.

3. Will the VA if approved, provide medications that my private physician prescribes, or will I have to use VA Doctors?

Thanks and Semper Fi!

Matt

1. Sometimes the VA will delay your claims if another one is filed while one is in the works. If you can stand the wait go a head if not wait until one is awarded. The only problem is you lose out on a few months pay if it is granted.

2.?

3.I have private doctors and the VA will follow their scrips to a point. They often times only give the generic or even a substitute. Some have been able to get the name brands but it dose take a doc stipulating you have to have it.

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john999 Grand Master

john999

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If you have serious claims that will net you 100%, for instance, I would wait. If you have a bunch of claims in the ten percent type range you might as well file now. You would probably get 10% per foot if the VA rated you. That is just a guess. I would file eventually. Concentrate on your major claims and win those.

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broncovet Grand Master

broncovet

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The answer depends on wherein lies your priorities. If money is important to you, then preserve your effective date by filing ASAP. However, if you would rather get in good with VSO's and rating specialists, then collect your "atta boys" and file later.

Here is the reality: NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, the VA is going to "Delay" you. YOu would have better luck stopping a Japanese Tsunami than trying to stop a "VA delay". Waiting to file your claims is not going to stop VA delays, and it isnt going to stop Tsunami's either. There is a million man backlog and delays are as inevitable as taxes.

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Sgt. Wilky Rising Star

Sgt. Wilky

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Hello All,

I talked to my VSO and she said that since all my current claims are in the DRO review process, it shouldn't slow my claim to file a new one now. I have one more question, does anyone know how they calculate the "5% to 20%" on foot fungus? I didn't file for that only because I thought it was a lame claim, but since my dermatologist says it's not going away, it's on both the tops and bottoms of my feet, and since I've graduated to oral medications now, I think that I should. I have the SMR's and my IMO and treatment records, I hope they will at least pay for my meds...

Semper Fi!

The answer depends on wherein lies your priorities. If money is important to you, then preserve your effective date by filing ASAP. However, if you would rather get in good with VSO's and rating specialists, then collect your "atta boys" and file later.

Here is the reality: NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, the VA is going to "Delay" you. YOu would have better luck stopping a Japanese Tsunami than trying to stop a "VA delay". Waiting to file your claims is not going to stop VA delays, and it isnt going to stop Tsunami's either. There is a million man backlog and delays are as inevitable as taxes.

BOHICA

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Berta

Berta

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It depends on many factors and what kind of foot fungus it is as this BVA case shows.

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp10/files3/1025553.txt

GRADUATE ! Nov 2nd 2007 American Military University !

When thousands of Americans faced annihilation in the 1800s Chief

Osceola's response to his people, the Seminoles, was

simply "They(the US Army)have guns, but so do we."

Sameo to us -They (VA) have 38 CFR ,38 USC, and M21-1- but so do we.

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Pete53 Grand Master

Pete53

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If you file make sure and say it is a new claim. I personally would wait before I filed till there was an answer to pending claims

Veterans deserve real choice for their health care.

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