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.

[3trnamvet]

This is just my opinion !! Its not unheard of for the VA to make an offer, it happens all the time. However, I would never agree to an offer until I knew exactly what I was agreeing to. Once you accept an agreement then it becomes very hard to change.

Good Luck !!!!!

[cooter]

What I can't figure out is, wouldn't you think that if they had an offer for him, they would of gave the full details of the offer before contacting his rep?

[carlie]

When you submit a claim its appointed to a case worker (manager) in the claims department at VA. A case manager works on numerous claims at the same time. Call 800-827-1000 and make a request to speak to your case worker. More and likely he/she would have to call you back.

I've been around VBA claims since 1978 and I have yet to ever hear until now - anything at all to even insinuate that "When you submit a claim it is appointed to a case worker (manager) in the claims department at VA."

Here's a link to some old flow charts that are still in use - like I posted - I've never heard anything about a case worker at VA.

http://www.gao.gov/a...00/h100146t.pdf

Maybe other's will chime in.JMHO

[Chuck75]

Be very suspicious when the VA "want's to do something for a veteran".

Next, if they want to deviate from "standard practice", there is a reason. If at all possible, finding out what it is can help tell you what is really going on.

If they will not tell you what % is involved, there is no real reason to allow them to deviate from "standard" practice and law, other than the hope that less time will be required.

I did find what seems to be a good reference concerning Meniere's. It's remotely possible that a change in treatment might help.

This in turn, might help you in delaying discharge.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001721/#adam_000702.disease.prognosis

[cooter]

I've been around VBA claims since 1978 and I have yet to ever hear until now - anything at all to even insinuate that "When you submit a claim it is appointed to a case worker (manager) in the claims department at VA."

Here's a link to some old flow charts that are still in use - like I posted - I've never heard anything about a case worker at VA.

http://www.gao.gov/a...00/h100146t.pdf

Maybe other's will chime in.JMHO

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.

[Philip Rogers]

If I recall, correctly, the case manager is the person in charge of securing and seeing that all the evidence is present before the claim goes to the rating board (now just a single rater). I talked w/mine a few times before I won my claim. I don't think I have the same one, now. I last saw him a couple of months ago, at the VA, and he said as soon as he can sell his house, he and his spouse(also a VA employee) will retire and move to FL. He's a really great guy, which is more than I can say for most I've met.

pr

I've been around VBA claims since 1978 and I have yet to ever hear until now - anything at all to even insinuate that "When you submit a claim it is appointed to a case worker (manager) in the claims department at VA."

Here's a link to some old flow charts that are still in use - like I posted - I've never heard anything about a case worker at VA.

http://www.gao.gov/a...00/h100146t.pdf

Maybe other's will chime in.JMHO