I Need Advice Asap

[gbachman]

I have something called Meniere's Disease. I have been going through the long drawn out process of this claim since March of 2010. Since then my symptoms have become much worse and happen daily. This has changed drastically since the initial C & P exam over a year ago. During my initial claim, I was denied any benifits for this because I failed to prove that it happened when I was in service. All I did was leave out one set of orders, and they denied me. To make a long story, and paper trail short, I filed for a NOD and have a review coming up in a few months. I have since then submitted those papers to them.

My Rep from the DAV called today and said that the VA wants to grant me a service connected disability for this now without taking it to the review board, which is awesome news, but I am wary before giving them the final answer. I guess they got the paperwork that was needed. I am also nervous that I need to act soon on this before something else gets messed up. I also do not want to accept now, without knowing something that I should, and screw myself in the long run on getting more back for this.

Update on where I am today, since the C & P exam is that I am in the National Guard for now, but getting medically seperated here in a month or so. I have almost 14 years in, and without the 15 year mark attained, I would not get one benefit as far as early retirment or medical retirment. Even with over 10 of those 14 years being active duty, with numerous deployments. I am dependant on that income for my family, and now with this disease, it will not be there much longer because I am not fit for the military. Second is my civilian job is slipping for the same reasons: the Meniere's Disease. I do not think I will have this job much longer either.

It is not like I can just quit. I have to tough everything out because I have four moths to feed at home. So my question to yall is, what should I do? Do I accept, even though my condition is worse that it was at the beginning of this process? Or do I hold out for the review board? I am not sure how these things work too well anyway. I asked the DAV Rep what he thought they were going to give me as far a sa percent, and he said he could not answer that...??? Why can they not give me a percent now? How long will it take for them to figure that out?

Any info would help out greatly! Thank you all very much.

[Stilt]

@ gbachman or anyone

Did you establish a service connection to Meniere's Disease through Agent Orange? I have this problem with vertigo (at least that is what I thought it was) where I often am dizzy and unsteady. Also, when I walk into a store from the outside I get so dizzy that I have fallen a couple of times. It is a weird circumstance. Its like the lighting inside has something to do with it. But, it can't be the lighting because up to nine months ago I didn't have this problem. I am seeing my doctor tomorrow (Thursday) and I will be talking to him about it.

[carlie]

carlie when I was having problems a while back on my dependency claim I called the 800# to inquire what the problem was with my paperwork, the person I was talking to said I needed to talk to the case worker handling my case. I'm guessing he submitted it because 2 days later I gotten a call from a person that knew everything about my claim. We got everything straightened out over the phone. I really don't understand what the big issue is about, except with Fedup, when he acted like everyone here is a drug happy junkie and praising how good he was. Now getting back to what your saying, I also never heard about a case worker either, until that phone call to the VA. So either that was a fluke or maybe there is such a thing that's not publicized. Your guess is as good as mine.

cooter,

If I offended you that is certainly not my intent.

There is no intent to make any big issue about it.

In helping with VBA benefit issues - I lock onto VBA Verbiage.

Sometimes I live it 5 or 6 hours a day.

When I approach any benefit claim issues it is one of my goals to try

and figure out what VBA is going to do to deny or discombobulate the issues.

Anytime I see verbiage that I am unfamiliar with and have not seen before,

bells go off - as it is not something that is coming out of left field.

Example: Members continue referring to "my claim is at the rating board".

As far as I am aware - Rating Boards are a thing of the past, but you never know

when VBA is going to switch something up on you.

I would like to find something more on this "case worker" and what is and what is not

their responsibility - what is there job and exactly where do they fit in.

Are they with the development team - are they a decision maker - a mail room employee, etc...

[cooter]

cooter,

If I offended you that is certainly not my intent.

There is no intent to make any big issue about it.

In helping with VBA benefit issues - I lock onto VBA Verbiage.

Sometimes I live it 5 or 6 hours a day.

When I approach any benefit claim issues it is one of my goals to try

and figure out what VBA is going to do to deny or discombobulate the issues.

Anytime I see verbiage that I am unfamiliar with and have not seen before,

bells go off - as it is not something that is coming out of left field.

Example: Members continue referring to "my claim is at the rating board".

As far as I am aware - Rating Boards are a thing of the past, but you never know

when VBA is going to switch something up on you.

I would like to find something more on this "case worker" and what is and what is not

their responsibility - what is there job and exactly where do they fit in.

Are they with the development team - are they a decision maker - a mail room employee, etc...

carlie the reasoning of the big issue statement was not an intentional low blow to you by any means! What I was trying to get across was the fact that you put me in an unexpected situation that involved VA Regs, rules, and guidelines that I have no understanding of. Nor would I know where to go to find them. I should of took your post as a prompt to find out the answer before I replied. lol. I was under the intentions that a lot of members here knew about case workers, managers, or what ever, especially the old timers such as you. As I'm finding out now those intentions are wrong. So far, PR is the only one, besides myself that has dealt with this matter. The bottom line is, I couldn't answer your question, and felt I was put on the spot to get it for you. Especially, when you searched and came up with nothing, how was I suppose to. I mean come on, you been doing this since 78". How can I rebut someone with your experience. I'll make a phone call today and see if I can come up with some answer's. I'm also going to take this as a lesson " Not to open mouth without having proof ". lol, I'm going to need your help carlie to find Regs, Rules, and Guidelines. XO

[john999]

When you send in your completed claim it goes into a black hole. You don't really have much of a clue until you get that letter saying "approved" or "denied". It drives us all crazy not to be able to track the progress of our claims. The VA set it up that way. The thing the VA really fears is accountability.