tdiu Advice

[BUZZ]

I AM A 90% VET AND THE DAV REP TOLD ME TO GET THE DOCTOR TO WRITE A LETTER STATING THAT I CAN'T WORK BECAUSE OF MY HEADACHES (50%) THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS IN MY TREATMENT NOTES ABOUT MY HEADACHES AND WILL NOT WRITE THE LETTER.I'M NOT WORKING NOW AND I THINK I SHOULD STILL PUT IN FOR TDIU,DO YOU THINK I SHOULD STILL BE WITH THIS DAV REP OR GET SOME ONE ELSE TO HANDLE THIS.

[texal1]

I'M A VIETNAM VET WITH 90% DISABILITY RATING. I HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR IU. I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CREDIT FOR SSDI REQUIREMENTS. I'M PUTTING ANOTHER CLAIM TOGETHER FOR SECONDARY ILLNESSES FROM MY DMII GETTING WORSE. ALSO, WILL APPLY FOR TDIU. MY QUESTION IS "IF I TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT SS AT 62 WHICH IS 8/1/2013, WILL I STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE TDIU? THANKS FOR YOU HELP. ALSO, IF I DO GET TDIU, WILL MY EARLY SS, AFFECT MY TDIU PAYMENTS. ONLY REASON TO APPLY FOR EARLY SS IS SHORTAGE OF $ AND BAD, BAD HEALTH.

[DEWY]

Buzz: I am curious about your headaches. I am also 90% rated and recently visited a neurologist who said I was suffering from migraines. I received a head wound in RVN. Are your headaches classified as migraines and are they a result of a head wound(s)? My headaches are isolated to the left side (wound side) of my head and although I didn't constantly suffer from them until the last few years, I relate them to my head trauma. Is any of this similar to your experience? I'm considering the filing of a claim for "sc" migraines but I also know the time span from the great war to now weights against me.

[BUZZ]

DEWY I ALSO HAVE MIGRAINE HEADACHES RELAYED TO AN INJURY IN VN.MY PAIN IS ALSO ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEAD,THEY JUST KEEP GIVING ME DIFFERENT TYPES OF PILLS THAT DON'T HELP AT ALL .ALOT OF MY PAIN IS FROM MY NECK AND I THINK THAT IS CAUSING MY HEADACHES.I GET 50% FOR THEM.I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH.DON'T GIVE UP AN KEEP ON GETTING TREATMENT,ARE THEY SC. LOL

[Guest]

I AM A 90% VET AND THE DAV REP TOLD ME TO GET THE DOCTOR TO WRITE A LETTER STATING THAT I CAN'T WORK BECAUSE OF MY HEADACHES (50%) THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS IN MY TREATMENT NOTES ABOUT MY HEADACHES AND WILL NOT WRITE THE LETTER.I'M NOT WORKING NOW AND I THINK I SHOULD STILL PUT IN FOR TDIU,DO YOU THINK I SHOULD STILL BE WITH THIS DAV REP OR GET SOME ONE ELSE TO HANDLE THIS.

Buzz, have you reviewed your treatment/progress reports? Most doctors will not write letters but I have found out that doctors will write statements in your treatment records or your progress reports. Review your records to see if there is any statement that may help you in them or try to get your doctors to write a statement in your records that states that you are unemployable and give a good medical rationale.

Hope this helps

[Chuck75]

The service organization's reps knowledge, effectiveness, etc. varies greatly depending upon the individual rep and type of claim. I'd agree that the DAV's reps in my area are not very effective. The VFW is making an attempt to do better than they were with part time reps. The state's veteran's affairs department has reps as well, generally one or more per county and city. Filing basic claims that are fairly simple in substance seems to be the major focus of efforts. I don't know if that's due to the number of claims and veterans, or the knowledge levels of the reps.