tdiu Lawyer For Dro Review

[abean]

My husband has a claim in for schizophrenia. We have PLENTY of medical records to document, our fight has been w/ service connection. We have a DAV guy, but I'm not impressed w/ him cause he hasn't even looked at claim. The DRO appeal has been pending for over a year now (Nashville) He was issued SSDI several years ago for same dx with no fight. I went ahead and filed a TDIU claim just to cover my bases...

I've been working/researching this claim myself since DAV is worthless. I try my best to keep hubby as stress free as possible. I have a full-time job and 3 teenagers, so needless to say, I've not been able to dedicate a lot of time to the appeal as I would like to cause his c-file is HUGE!

I'm seriously thinking of handing it over to a lawyer. It's getting a bit stressful for me. Good idea, or no?

[acesup]

After my claim was denied on all counts in March of 2011, I spent some time pondering whether or not to pursue it, because of the all the stress involved. There was not adequate, competent VSO assistance in my area, to the best of my knowledge, so I had gone it solo up to that point, and got shot down in flames.

After a lot of soul-searching and researching, I decided to contact a NOVA attorney. (I had seen some mention and a link on this site.)

http://www.vetadvocates.org/

I retained the services of that firm. I am confident in the ability of my attorney, and I believe she will succeed in getting at least some key items of my claim approved.

They filed my NOD for a DRO meeting back in November. There has been no action yet, but sooner or later it will happen. Meanwhile, I rarely even think about the claim, and don't get stressed, so the 20% to the attorney is a small price to pay. And as was said a few posts back, 80% beats the heck out of nothing!

You do not have to wait. Once the decision letter of denial has been issued, you can get an attorney to handle everything, and live your life.

Best of luck!

[abean]

It was honorable discharge.

He wasn't dx'd until many years after discharge, but all the paranoia and delusions stemmed from his time in the AF, and in the Gulf. Gotten so bad that he thought a chip had been implanted in his brain while in Gulf, he was spy, house was bugged, thought he brought home terrible disease (mycoplasma infection -he tested positive & dr believes he got from the Gulf), every govt agency was out to get him because of what he knew. It ended up w/ him burning down our house because he was convinced even the pets & electronics were spys for the govt. This forced the hospital stay in 2006. He was in denial he had anything wrong w/ him for very long time, but finally accepted it.

He was not treated for MH condition while in service, only skin rashes and joint problems. He was rated 0% for skin condition that left scar on nose, but denied for mycoplasma infection (which he had nexus letter for and medical evidence). This all was happening while he was slowly losing his mind so he got paranoid that if he won any money from the VA at the time, he would be harmed. He sent a letter telling the va to drop the claim, and he's sorry he every bothered them....this is in his c-file. The house fire happened soon after.

Anyways, thanks for the help and advice you guys! I appreciate it a lot!

[iraqx2]

I would never hire a lawyer unless there is so much greater at stake. I've been to a DRO at my local VA service center before. It was no biggie. It was just me, my rep from the VFW, and this one VA employee sitting around a desk.

[Pete53]

Thank you for helping your husband. It should not be to difficult to trace back with a good IMO (Independent Medical Opinion) that would link your husbands service to his current diagnosis. In fact a good shrink can do it fairly easily as it usually appears at age most people serve in Military.

Considering your time and some of the complexities I would look into getting a lawyer as soon as you can for your peace of mind and your husbands.

Good Luck

[abean]

Thanks for the replies.

I contacted a lawyer (Veterans Law Group) and faxed some info on the case including psyc records from 2 different doctors stating details of his paranoia and saying it probably started in his late teens/early twenties which is when he was in AF. I also sent in the nexus letter from his previously denied claim and the paranoid letter he sent the VA to drop the claim. Hopefully they will be able to take it from here.

Thanks again!

[carlie]

Thanks for the replies.

I contacted a lawyer (Veterans Law Group) and faxed some info on the case including psyc records from 2 different doctors stating details of his paranoia and saying it probably started in his late teens/early twenties which is when he was in AF. I also sent in the nexus letter from his previously denied claim and the paranoid letter he sent the VA to drop the claim. Hopefully they will be able to take it from here.

Thanks again!

If there isn't some evidence in SMR's (or at least within one year of discharge)

of incidents and MH problems/treatment,this issue might be very difficult to get SC'd.

The "letter he sent the VA to drop the claim" will always be considered that the veteran requested

for "VA to drop the claim".

I do not feel any medical evidence can negate his request - this would be in regards

(downstream) in trying to obtain anything for earlier effective date - (if the issue at sometime

gets adjudicated as SC'd).

JMHO