ptsd Retiring End Of 2014, Should I File Bdd Or Wait And File Near Retirement Date

[Warone]

Hi, I'm new on this forum. What would work better for me? I expect to get something for PTSD, OSA, back pain, neck pain, Tinnitus, Insomnia, and maybe some others. I'm wondering if I will be better of filing BDD or after I get out, or does it even matter?

[carlie]

I'd file through the BDD program.

jmho

[meghp0405]

Depends on the individual.

You can see a transitional service officer 6 months prior to your retirement. He/she will review your medical records. Some do and some don't. Some will just ask what is wrong with you and go off the list you provide them. You want you service treatment records reviewed! Once this claim is submitted, you will be set up with your C/P exams prior to your retirement. Once you retire your claim will be sent to Winston-Salem VARO located in North Carolina if you are stationed anywhere east of the Mississippi. If you are stationed west of the Mississippi, your claim will be sent to the VARO in Utah. The bad thing about the BDD claim they take forever to get adjudicated. I've seen some BDD's take up to 27 months after submittal.

The other option is submitting a Fully Developed Claim. I submit FDC's one week prior to the military members retirement/ets date. They are submitted to the VARO in the state you will be residing in. Depending on the VARO determines the length of the claims process. The longest time I have seen for a BDD claim is 8 months.

Another issue you may want to consider is this; if you submit a BDD claim, you receive your rating decision, if you want to submit an notice of disagreement or submit for a disability secondary to a current service connected disability, your claim (because the original was a BDD) will be sent back to the VARO that adjudicated your claim. Occasionally, a veteran will move and request that there c-file be transferred. Many times the VA will do this except for BDD claims. The VA will NOT move a BDD claim to another VARO. Has something to do with the statistical data of these claims that the VA is compiling.

I am a strong advocate for the FDC, because in most cases it is the most beneficial to the veteran. I have referred (only a couple) to the BDD process. The individuals that I referred to the BDD process were helicopter pilots in the Army and had lucrative jobs upon their retirement and didn't want to take the time off from their new jobs to take care of appointments. Which, I refer back to my first sentence, depends upon the individual.

What installation are you at? I recommend that you obtain a copy of your complete medical records and have them reviewed now. If there is anything that the reviewer finds that may need further exams/x-rays/mri's you have some response time to get back to your doctor to obtain referrals, etc.. Example your back/neck pain. Find out what is causing the pain, VA will rate disability for diagnosis's. Pain is a symptom not a diagnosis.

Edited December 27, 2013 by meghp0405

[Warone]

thanks, great information. You've definitely sold me on the FDC. The review you're talking about by the "Transitional Service Officer" is that the same as the VSO connected with the DAV usually? I'm currently stationed at Ft. Rucker, Helicopter pilot. Any recommendations of who to review my records? I would love to get the filing/claims/benefits right the first time and not have to deal with it anymore.

[meghp0405]

thanks, great information. You've definitely sold me on the FDC. The review you're talking about by the "Transitional Service Officer" is that the same as the VSO connected with the DAV usually? I'm currently stationed at Ft. Rucker, Helicopter pilot. Any recommendations of who to review my records? I would love to get the filing/claims/benefits right the first time and not have to deal with it anymore.

give me a few days and when I get back in the office I'll find you a point of contact. I just did 2 claims on pilots from Rucker that came up here (Fort Knox area) to retire. Small world.... I was stationed there 6-84 thru 10-86, our son was born there and wanted to go back but stayed in this area...

[Warone]

Okay, standing by. It is a small world, I'm retiring out of Ft. Rucker, but moving back to Tennessee( probably Headersonville), after. We love that state.

Thanks in advance.

[meghp0405]

Okay, standing by. It is a small world, I'm retiring out of Ft. Rucker, but moving back to Tennessee( probably Headersonville), after. We love that state.

Thanks in advance.

You definitely would be ahead by doing a FDC and submitting it to the Nashville, VARO. Actually, they are pretty good in adjudicating claims.

I would contact these folks at the below address/number;

VA Regional Office

345 Perry Hill Road

Room 1-116

Montgomery, AL 36109

P-334-213-3365

I would contact them , make an appointment and tell them you want your medical records reviewed prior to submitting a claim.

Tell them that you want to submit a FDC to the Nashville VARO, due to that is where you will be retiring.