hypertension Eschemic Heart Disease

[Ruffcreek]

I am a Viet Nam veteran rated 100% Total for PTSD (not permanent). Also rated for diabetes (I think 40%) and hypertension secondary to diabetes at 0%, sleep apnea secondary to PTSD at 0%, and tinitus 10%. I was diagnosed with Ischemic Heart Disease 3 weeks ago and had a stent put in 2 weeks ago.

My questions are: Do I have anything to gain by filing for Ischemic Heart Disease since I already have a rating for hypertension secondary to diabetes?

If I file a claim and get lets say 10% or 30%, will this help me in any way to get Permanent and Total?

If I file a claim will the VA bring me in for C & P's for all things I am now rated for including PTSD? Or is there a way to word the claim so that they only bring me in for a C & P for Ischemic Heart Disease?

Thanks.

[meghp0405]

If you were diagnosed with Ischemic Heart Disease, and you are a Vietnam veteran, I would highly recommend that you file a claim for it. It sounds that you had Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) which falls into the IHD catagory. Your rating would depend on your MET's result.

If you were service connected rated for sleep apnea, and you were required to have a CPAP or BIAP, this should be 50% not 0%

Do not believe that this would be the deciding factor for total and permanent. Each disability is rated and awarded on its own merits and or severity.

If you decide to file a claim, obtain a copy of your diagnosis, copy of the surgery report and submit this with a VA FM 21-526ez. and send it to the VARO in your state. this is a fully developed claim and should not take that long to adjudicate, providing you supply the documents I stated above. If you file a FDC and you submit any type of documents after, your claim will be reverted to a normal claim and depending on your VARO, could take up to 2 years.

I used to believe that when you submitted a claim, you open your claim in its entirety. I no longer believe that and the VSO's that I work with all have the same belief.

If you follow the above advice, I believe you will be fine.

[Berta]

Meg's advise to you is superb.

I have been learning a lot from her, such as this point she made:

“I used to believe that when you submitted a claim, you open your claim in its entirety. I no longer believe that and the VSO's that I work with all have the same belief.”

Many of us advocates have to rethink that point,as it was always the status quo years ago to claim anything with SC potential right from the git go.

The VA today is a different VA in many respects than what many of us used to deal with.

FDC is still a fairly new concept and a better one then the way it used to be.

“If you follow the above advice, I believe you will be fine.” She is right.

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“My questions are: Do I have anything to gain by filing for Ischemic Heart Disease since I already have a rating for hypertension secondary to diabetes?”

If you should die directly due to the already SCed IHD, or of any cause ,but with IHD significantly contributing to your death, via the FDC claim Meg suggested, and have a spouse, the spouse should have no problems getting DIC ,in the event of your death.

If you have IHD rated at some point at 60 % ,that can potentially possibly set the stage for a SMC S award,...is the 100% actually a TDIU award?

“If I file a claim and get lets say 10% or 30%, will this help me in any way to get Permanent and Total?”

Meg was correct on her answer to that .

“If I file a claim will the VA bring me in for C & P's for all things I am now rated for including PTSD? Or is there a way to word the claim so that they only bring me in for a C & P for Ischemic Heart Disease?”

If you are only claiming the IHD at this time ,that should be the only type of C & P you get.

The Blank AMIE C & P worksheets are available here and lots of discussion here in the AO forum as to how IHD claims are rated.

Many vets here such as jbasser, are experts in IHD/CAD matters in my opinion. They should have MD after their names because they understand so much about heart disease.

[jbasser]

Yes. P and T as an SMC award of S.

IHD should P and T you. What if your ejection Fraction? That will tell me a whole lot.

Basser

[Ruffcreek]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I will get a copy of diagnosis and surgery report and submit with 21-526ez form.

By the way if I have the copies of the reports to submit is it necessary to get a letter from my doctor?

Also I took my prescription's for Amiodarone HCL, Coreg, and Plavix to the VA. The lady at the VA said they will call me in for an eye exam and a couple of other tests (don't recall exactly what they were called). I'm assuming I should wait until I have my VA exams and then get copies of them to submit with the 21-526ez also?

Basser when I get the ejection fraction I will let you know.

[meghp0405]

If you have VA doctors, you do not need to obtain those records and submit them. The VA collects their own records.

as for the ejection fraction, if your results are less than 30%, your rating will be 100%, if your results are 30-50% your rating will be 60%.

[Ruffcreek]

Jbasser, Meg, and Berta

I have obtained copies of my medical records. My Ejection Fraction was 45-50% but my resting EF was 55-60%. Which one does the VA use in rating my case?

Thank you.