ptsd Very Depressed, And Was Wondering If There Is A Time To Throw In The Towel.

[Papa]

I have been waiting for over 820 days for a claim that is still in gathering evidence. Appeals that no one knows about. P&C exams that I'm suppose to take, but the VA and QTC have no clue about this. The 1-800# were you make an appointment for them to call you back, but they do not. You can not get your Law Firm to call you back. My Parkinson's, DMII, PN, PTSD, etc. are taking its toll on me, and was wondering if there? What the crap am I talking about? Quit? My ass!! Never Never Never!! Just want to choke someone at the Houston RO.

Papa

[#1Cavtrooper]

Papa, There is a number that I have that from my understanding handles these sort of fiasco's by the RO's. It is:

Department Of Veterans Affairs

Office Of Communications and Case Management

Washington D.C.

I've had 3 Iris submitted since March 12 with no response from Houston. I faxed some paperwork to this office in D.C. today. I was told I would hear from Houston within 5 business days, and then he said it would be probably in 2 days. That leads me to believe that whatever he put on the cover sheet would definitely get their attention. If you need the contact info let me know.

Edited May 14, 2012 by #1Cavtrooper

[Stretch]

I am at close to 10 years on my appeal for Chronic Bronchitis (COPD).

In my most recent denial at the BVA an expert VA Pulmonologist was the reason for my denial.

This doctor said that I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes for over 4 decades on a continuous basis, and he also said that I worked at a toxic brush factory most of my life. There were many more errors that I rebutted.

My recent NOD explained that I have never worked in any brush factory, I have never been in a brush factory, and that I have never even seen a brush factory in my entire life. I also had my wife, who had purchased all tobacco products for me in the past 35 years; write an affidavit that says she had never purchased more than 1 pack a day for me in the sporadic years that I did smoke. I had quit for 6 years on two occasions, 3 years on occasions, and 1 or 2 years on several occasions in the past. I am not smoking now.

On one denial about 5 years ago, the RO doctor said that I had a truck stuck in my nose, as a reason for the denial.

I also remarked that I had attempted suicide within my first 4 years out of service because I had rotten dreams, loud ringing in my ears, and could not breathe. I did not smoke during my first five years out. I remarked that my private PCP had decided to send me to an ENT to have surgery on my nasal passages, and then PCP sent me to another ENT to have my tonsils remove because of constant inflammation and this within my first five years out of service. PCP told me I would have to live with the throat and lung damage. My entire respiratory system was burned out from breathing JP-5 and deisel for over 3 1/2 years daily.

The first few years out of service were dedicated to Dental problems (service connected dental trauma) that the Navy deferred to private practice, after separation, that the Navy paid for.

I sent 40 years of Medical records showing continuity of Chronic Bronchitis.

I have receipts for all of the doctors and hospital charges in my C-file. IMO's from the old ENT, etc., were in my C-file

I have almost given up on this. I told BVA to consider this evidence, make a decision, and do not send it back to the RO.

These guys are really having fun with my claim. When they read their own denials then they have to laugh at what they have and had written. Even I think it is redundantly creative and funny. The facts remains that there comments are lies.

I am optimistic. Eventually someone that can read will look a my claim.

This is an update on my claim. Someone was complaining about why people are not keeping hadit updated on their claims.

[Capt.]

Hello Papa and All,,,,,, Papa,,, It took me nearly 5 yrs to the day to be awarded "part" of the claims process .Now I have an NOD for the lungs with a request for higher schedular due to Pulmonary Hypertension.... that may take 2-3 years and the AO Ishemic Heart Dissease and Peripheral Neuropathy and some secondarys could take another 4-5 yrs with the Board of Veterans Appeals. I agree with everyone else to try and just let time take its course and try not to get too depressed. I know what that is too. It is no fun going thru this....... I think I might like to take a sharp stick to my eye rather than go thru this stuff but if you and I and other Veterans do not go thru with it then it will hurt all Veterans down the road.

The VA wants all of us to just quit or die so they can get us out of the system..... I know you are going to prevail and you will be glad of the toughness you chose to hang in there. If you need me to help you or just to talk I am only a keyboard or phone away....Nothing witn the VA is easy , but please.......please.....PLEASE......NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless, C.C.

[Berta]

I have been an active claimant for over 12 of the last 17 years with at least 5 main issues.

I added up how long each separate claim I had took to get an award.

The total time spent in VA process was 21 years in all.

I think my situation however is unusual.

Every claim I had was well supported with evidence.

I think my very first claim (Sec 1151 ) and the FTCA award affected the way VA chose handle my subsequent claims.(by refusing to read my evidence) and even my former reps seemed to definitely be working against me, and supported a clear and unmistakable error the VA made that added years to my 2003 claim.

Well I fixed them all.

I pursued my claims until I won them..

That is what we all must do.

I hate to say this again but I started out in the claims process dealing with a vastly different VA.

These days the only way for many claimants to succeed is,unfortunately, with a strong and possibly costly IMO,from a real doctor, who will take the time to give all of the medical records, and SMRS if needed, a thorough and concise review.

You already paid the VA many times over to get proper and concise C & P exams because of your service.

But the VA has forced many of you to pay for IMOs too.

There is something Wrong with that picture -when a piss poor C&P exam is done by someone who might not even be an MD or have any expertise in the field of your disability,

yet was hired and paid by the very system your service has put into existence- the Veterans Administration.

Veterans have got to start taking some real action with the H and S VAC and their Subcommittees on Memorial and Disability .

With enough proof of incompetent C & P exams, ( eventual SC awards prove how incompetent those examiners were)maybe the VA could perhaps even be forced to even pay for IMOs.( I sure dont expect to live long enough to see that happen-then again I never dreamed VA would SC IHD to AO)

It helps to take one's focus off their VA claim as they wait for a decision.

As long as they have supplied the VA with everything the VCAA letter called for,they have done their part.

If they know there might be something lacking , the waiting time means to do more leg work for the claim.

For my 2003 claim I never received a VCAA letter. This caused part of the long years that passed before an award.

I had plenty of evidence after the first year but considerable more when 6 years had passed.

The VA actually did me a favor... the more they farted around with my claim , the more time I had for accumulating more evidence.

But as I have said here before many times- VA is not the enemy of us claimants.

Time is.

And VA knows that.

.

[Papa]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Berta, you are so correct, Time, is what is hurting most of us older Veterans. In my case, my memory is not whay it use to be. I will not quit, just get so tired. I thought by hiring a top law firm would help, but so far it has not. Sometimes I think dealing with the VA is worse then being in combat. JMHO

Papa

[autumn]

[...]

The VA wants all of us to just quit or die so they can get us out of the system..... I know you are going to prevail and you will be glad of the toughness you chose to hang in there. If you need me to help you or just to talk I am only a keyboard or phone away....Nothing witn the VA is easy , but please.......please.....PLEASE......NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless, C.C.

i'll ditto this for Pappa. My MS, like yours and others stuff, progresses onwards, while VA does their thing, whatever that is.