Why Am I Awake At 4 Am?

[NavyWife]

I'm awake at 4 AM because I can't stop thinking about my husband's VA claim. Here's what I'm pondering:

Can I trust the VA to do a PROPER & FAIR C&P exam for an increase?

He got lowballed at his last C&P exam. Why would it be any different this time?

If I can't trust the VA, then he needs to get an IME.

But for an IME the doctor is supposed to review the c-file. After four months of waiting VA still refuses to send him the C-file. Do they do this on purpose so that we can't get the proper evidence for his claim?

Why is my FDC taking so long? FDC's are supposed to be done in six or seven months but his has already been there for four months and it still at the 1st step- Under Review.

What thoughts about your claim keeps you awake at night?

Edited January 14, 2014 by NavyWife

[Notorious Kelly]

Ha - 4 am is lunch time!

I think the Serenity Prayer may come into play here - all you can do is all you can do. At some point you have to be at peace with letting The Process work and be prepared to appeal if the results aren't acceptable.

[71M10]

You were awake because you care!

Unfortunately there are many in the Federal Government who should be awake at 4am, but they sleep soundly, without a care about the system they are supposed to be managing. A system that is to justly provide EARNED benefits to those who have served this country as members of our armed services. The waits veterans endure would be unacceptable for distribution of welfare benefits or settlement of insurance claims. The President and Congress pushed for distribution and settlement of claims for BP oil spill victims within 90 days, but Veterans who have EARNED these benefits and essentially paid for them with bits and pieces of their own bodies, they can wait, there is no urgency.

NavyWife, pause at the end of each day before going to bed, confirm all that can be done is done and sleep well!

[63SIERRA]

it all depends on the doc he gets for his cp . Some are very vet friendly, and do the right thing, some are more " company man" oriented, and are thinking abt where the moeny is actually coming from, to pay for that CP exam. If I were you I would go with your husband, and voulenteer information that will help his case. If the doctor gets his tighty whities in a wedgie abt it, he is likely a ' company man' AND IS NOT GOING TO GIVE A FAVORABLE REVIEW ANYWAY.

If that is the case, all you can do is request a copy of the cp report, review it, and if its wrong, call VES and tell them thier doctor is incompetent. Rerquest a new C&P exam, and bring an IMO with you. Like I said, the doc should look at it as your helping them, make a ACCURATE assesment. if they dont then thry dint have thier head in the right place,

I personally had a CP doc, botch an exam. I called the VA on it, and they sceduled another CP exam, with a different doc. HE WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT .

There is more than one WIZARD to go see. It is supposed to be TOTALLY fair to the veteran. If you feel it wasnt, then call them on it.

Going with your husband also gives more credibility, as a witness if needed.

[63SIERRA]

You were awake because you care!

Unfortunately there are many in the Federal Government who should be awake at 4am, but they sleep soundly, without a care about the system they are supposed to be managing. A system that is to justly provide EARNED benefits to those who have served this country as members of our armed services. The waits veterans endure would be unacceptable for distribution of welfare benefits or settlement of insurance claims. The President and Congress pushed for distribution and settlement of claims for BP oil spill victims within 90 days, but Veterans who have EARNED these benefits and essentially paid for them with bits and pieces of their own bodies, they can wait, there is no urgency.

NavyWife, pause at the end of each day before going to bed, confirm all that can be done is done and sleep well!

damned good advice brother .!!

[john999]

Out of 10 C&P exams over the years I have had one or two good ones and some really bad ones and some that were criminal. I have IME doctors. Most work for cash so I have a fund for that. It is our livelihood we are talking about so why not have insurance.

[Navy04]

Navywife,

I know how you feel. I had my SSDI Mental exam yesterday, my wife took me. I was so nervous and the exam was hard for me, but the Doc was actually decent. I was lowballed last year on my PTSD from the VA, because the Navy medically retired me for Crohn's. The VA gave me 30%, and the other day when I went to see my VA Psych Doc for Trauma Treatment, she said "How come you are 30% and not a 100% for PTSD, it makes no sense to me" WTH, that is what I say. I spent 3 months in a Mental Hospital in 2012, and they said that I could not be cured. You would think since I spent 5 years in OIF and OEF, that I would not have to keep getting screwed. I submitted my FDC in Sep 2013 too, and my claim has not moved at all either. I submitted 2 IRISs and the VA wrote back stating that Waco RO is averaging 10 months for FDCs, WTH. So much for a so called faster claim process. I have my SSDI Physical DR appointment on 2/3/14, and I hope it goes as good as yesterday. Good luck to you and God Bless. I am so grateful to have a wonderful wife that supports me. I was active for 10 years and she was always waiting for me to come back from one Country or another. She takes care of my girls, works hard, and gives me my medicine or rubs my body when I just cant take the pain anymore. You are a wonderful person, and don't let this crappy Govt that keeps screwing us get to you. We will all get what we deserve in the long run, good or bad.