A 100% Single Mental Health Rating And Legally Working A No No

[pacmanx1]

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. 100%

I started a new post because I have seen a lot of post in reference to being rated 100% for a Single Mental Health Condition and working. The fact is according to the criteria above. A veteran cannot legally work and be paid the 100% rate at the same time. The reason being is that the veteran would have to claim (put in writing that he or she is having these symptoms and these symptoms are persistent). I even read that someone had checked with HR and HR said they were OK but that is not true if the person is/was 100% scheduler for any type of mental health disability alone. If the person is/was 100% combine with both physical and mental health disabilities he or she would be legal but not with a single 100% mental health disability. The veteran would also have to claim that these symptoms are persistent to his/her treating doctors and any C & P exams. If I am wrong off or just crazy please correct me.

[georgiapapa]

Carlie,

I was looking for the "like this" button at the bottom of your post but I guess you don't have one since you are one of the head honchos on Hadit.

Your response hit the nail on the head.

[Carl the Engineer]

Why do we keep debating this?, oh, well, here is my take;

UI-don't work-you said you couldn't work, so don't-if you didn't ask for it, but got it and want to work, I would let them know I wanted to work and give it back-just saying.

100% (or any %) scheduler-if you work around your disability, your good to go, I have one rated issue that says I can't walk more than a half mile because it hurts which it does so I don't do that for work because it would hurt... FYI, I am 70% (may be 80% when I get the letter later this week) with my highest problem rated at 20%, so a lot of small issues, but I can work around them and my boss is aware of my limitations and the VA knows I work and for who..

100% MH single issue-I think you could work if you could manage to navigate through that definition (the VA is all about definitions as we all know too well)-good luck-you may loose what you got-I would make my boss aware of my MH problem and rating and I would let the VA know what I was up to-any less would be sneaky and potentially problematic...

Also, when you claim a disability, beware for what you ask for.

And, VA disability is different than any other disability programs. You are being compensated for not being "whole". Thats the jigger with the famed VA math. Once you are 100%, there ain't a "whole" lot left..

Hamslice

[vet201060]

I do work but I have issues and have to take a lot of time off because of my disability. The money I get makes up for the time I miss at work. I am a 100% and I dont wanna sit on my ass. Why should a vet not be compensated for mental disability because he tries to work and still has down time every year that the compensation help the vet live a life. People are so caught up with what they can see. A mental handicap should be looked at just as a physical one is. The VA and a few VSO that I have talked to said you can be 100% mental and continue to work as long as you are not tdiu. I am not trying to convince you guys that are against mental disability vets working. I just want the guys to know what I have been told. I am 100% scheduler and work. I do miss a lot of work tho. I would think a person would not want to live if they were stuck at home without a job. . I am not good with words to get my point across. Some people know everything and will never even listen to another vets point of view or what they have experienced. .

The criteria is based on the average person and does not apply to a specific case. I was told that the average vet would not be able to handle working or holding down a position with my mental disability. Some vets succeed and some do not. I just think people cant get past how they view a physical disability compared to a mental one.

Edited October 1, 2014 by vet201060

[georgiapapa]

vet20160,

Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with your position, the only opinion that really counts is the opinion of the BVA.

Good luck to you

[georgiapapa]

Correction: I meant DVA not BVA. Of course BVA does render opinions different from the DVA ROs at times.