Ten Year Old Forgotten Claim Now In Administrative Review.

[leadbelly1981]

Hi I served three years in the Army from 2000-03 as a 11c with an honorable discharge. I ets from camp casey korea and had filled a claim during my exit exam for my left knee and left shoulder. Both were approved for tendonitis and i was rated at 20 %. At the time of my exam i also complained of lower back and hip pain on my left side. I belived it was due to my left knee. We were road marching and running a lot in korea, thats what the infantry does. In 2004 when i got my 20% rating for my knee and shoulder the claim for lower back and hip pain were deferred.Fast forward in jan 2013 i went to the county vso and had them help me file for an increase for my shoulder it has continually gotten worse. The claim took a year and at the end i was granted 30%. The weird thing is when i received my rating in the mail the old claims were addressed stating we see that your claims for lower back pain and hip pain in nov 2003 are unreloved sorry for any inconvenience. Online on e benefits the claims for lower back pain and left hip pain just appeared one day and are in administrative review. My question is what do i make of this what do i do?

[63SIERRA]

yes proceed very cautiously, it sounds like the va is fishing., I would highly advise you drop an service orgs involved in your claim RIGHT NOW.

You can get very good advice right here, by the people who are responding. If it gets too stinky, they will know it, and get an attorney involved, there are attorneys that will help vets for free, and some you must pay., Theres ALOT of money on the line, and Va knows it, and will try to hoodwink you.,

[leadbelly1981]

Is a statement in support of my claim a bad idea it is form 21- ----, i forget the other numbers. Basically i would this is a statement in support of my claim from Sep 8, 2003. That was deferred by the va feb 13 2004. Then explain that my condition has worsened and is affecting my daily activities. Is this a goodor bad idea?

[63SIERRA]

hold tight, dont send nothing yet. what state are you in? look up NOVA attorneys. then find one in your state. call them and explain situation.They are pro bueno which means GRATIS.. !!! FREE!!! Or someone on here might contact you, that is a paid attorney. they will be very aggressive to get you what you should get, but they get around 30 percent of the backpay. one wrong statement or submission can ruin your claim. Its a dog eat dog system.

[leadbelly1981]

Thank you i will look them up. I did call the va yesterday to check the status of the claim and the claims worker suggested that i send a statement in support of claim and he sent oakland a message saying that i would do that with in 15 days and not to make a decision entill they receive my statement.

[leadbelly1981]

This is the statement i wrote but didnt send it.This statement is in support of my claims for lower back pain and hip disorder which were filed on september eighth 2003 and ddeferred by the v_a on february 13th 2004. Before I joined the army I had no hip or lower back pain and I had no need pain I was pain free and in good health during my enlistment I started having pain discomfort swelling caused by the wear and tear off road march is with your that work 12 to 20 miles long this cause injury to my lower back hip knees feet and ankles since my ETS these issues have progressively gotten worse specifically my lower back pain pain in my hips and my knees on March 10th 2014 I called and spoke with a VA claims worker who is knowledge that the VA had not completed my claims from 2003 he was also very understanding about my pain and situation he advised me that I should write a statement in support of my claims I also expressed to the claims worker that I had taken steps since my ETS to try to alleviate my pain but without success I have been to the VA for my pain as well as to chiropractic care and massage therapy but my condition has worsened overtime because of this my quality of life has been negatively affected mi pleasurable activities reduced to include running and hiking I have gained 80 pounds because of this currently my pain is effecting my ability to work because I am a driver in addition my left knee has gotten worse and I compensate with my right which causes hip and lower back pain please consider my statement and your decision thank you

[leadbelly1981]

Here are my rating decisions both 2003 and 2013. I need some input please sorry for the delay I had trouble getting them on here and thank you Tbird for the help...

Rating Decision Feb 13, 2004.pdf

Rating Decision Nov, 21 2013.pdf

Edited March 12, 2014 by leadbelly1981