Using Internet As Research

[ComputerGeek46]

During one of my CP exams I gave them documentation from the internet that I had carefully researched on the internet hi-lighting the portions relevant to my claim and it wasn't until I recieved my award of 100% PT that I perused what they used and discovered that they did indeed include the documents I downloaded from the internet by various medical professionals as evidence so wanted to make everyone aware of this as I think going back sometime Berta had mentioned this. The internet if you have it is a valueable tool even if you don't have someone in your family definately does have them help if need be. At the least I don't know how much it weighed but definately accounted for something as they reviewed and rated my claim

Edited September 9, 2012 by ComputerGeek46

[MarkInTexas]

You know......I should have brought that type of documentation with me to my own C&P examination. However, I did send a large amount of information on my own conditions from the New England Journal of Medicine, the Mayo Clinic, Ohio State University, and a few other places, along with oncology records from my diagnosis, surgeries, treatment, etc. (One of my conditions is cancer secondary to another condition). The VA has it all, and even ePeggy shows that they received it. (I used VONAPP to send it, then sent another copy by U.S. Mail.......just in case.) I hope that they take all of this documentation into the the final equation.

Although there is a wealth of information on the Internet from a gazillion different sources, I tried to stay away from submitting anything like blogs, or opinion sites, etc. I used excerpts from professional medical journals, and even a few from the WebMD website. I think I even used one from Oxford University on case studies regarding my own conditions. I'm still waiting though, so I'll keep you posted if any of those hooks caught a fish.

Mark

Edited September 9, 2012 by MarkInTexas

[ComputerGeek46]

I believe it should work as the same MarkinTexas I posted the number you asked for in a response note in success stories

[Berta]

I read a difficult widow's claim at the BVA many years ago.

That is, it sure sounded difficult at first.

The sole piece of evidence the widow had submitted was an internet print out.

The BVA awarded her DIC.

Her husband had died from an extremely rare form of cancer.There was no nexus at all to his SC conditions or any presumptive regs.

He had spent some of his military time near an obscure village in Korea.

The widow researched the village and found that this small village had been studied medically in Korea because many of it's residents had developed this same rare form of cancer.

I dont know what they finally attributed the cancer too but one internet print out of the medical study was enough for the BVA to award under Benefit of Doubt.

In many other situations however,I have seen claimants search for ,copy and submit to VA stuff that is far too generalized to help their claims.

I consider the internet a tool but it is really a weapon we need on the VA paper battlefield.

MarkinTexas did what I did for some internet medical info- I always use Mayo or Johns Hopkins or any very good medical site or abstract and even used info from a VA medical study once ,referenced by a top cardio doctor in a study on heart disease.

Also I found at the BVA site under a search, a VACO medical opinion which I felt a veteran here at hadit could use some time ago as evidence because the opinion given was not specific to the BVA veteran's claim disability and the VACO doctor had referred to some internet study too.

It seemed to me that this opinion could have applied to some other veterans as well due to the circumstances of the claim that caused BVA to request it.

Also, I had studied every medical word and term in my husband's autopsy, but overlooked one word because I thought I knew what it meant and thought that it had no significance to proving my claim.

That single word could have potentially proven my AO DMII death claim sooner,even without IMOs. Maybe. DUH.

That incident made me realize we cannot overlook or assume anything.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Berta

[MarkInTexas]

Berta, thanks for the information. The fact that utilizing some Internet research helped you on some of your claims that you've worked makes me feel better.

Glad you reminded me as well......I used a medical report from Johns Hopkins Hospital as well in my array of evidence. I agree that using professional medical journal information, which is pretty much completely all online these days, and most of which is free, can definitely be helpful.

As I mentioned earlier, I ran into several during articles and blogs out there. One Google search retrieves tons of stuff. However, I weeded things down to the professional accredited periodical information. I doubt that VA raters are interested in what bloggers say at the end of some opinion article or news release, so I made sure I kept away from that stuff.

Also, I tried to print out the "printable version" if possible of most reports in an effort to clean it up into better readable text, and to also try to keep things from being cluttered with advertisements or links to other sites or similar articles. I always tried to keep the link to the journal on the page though, just in case somebody out there in VA land wanted to access the website to confirm what I had printed and sent.

I'll let everybody know if this idea worked out in my case as soon as I know something myself. Take care.

Mark

[ComputerGeek46]

Thanks Berta you once I thought had a link with a checklist I believe detailing tips on filing claims do you still have it up I think it was you that posted a link years ago anyways I used your advice and that from Pete back then and it paid off.

Thanks Again

[WVSERVER]

I basically followed Berta advice as well. I took my service treatment records and prints out of what the symptoms of my claimed conditions were. I highlighted the symptoms in my records and on the printout sheets the attached them together.

I wont have my C&P’s until later this month I let you guys know how it worked out.