Orthopedic And Gulf War C&p Exams Next Friday- Any Advice?

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

I'm doing my Orthopedic, mostly back, neck and spine exams this week and need to know if anyone has some advice for me? The first DBQ Exam that I had was not done properly so at least I get a chance to try and get this done properly. Also, I'm going to do the Gulf War Exam for some undiagnosed issues. I was at Camp Doha Kuwait during the early 90's and there was an explosion in which a lot of depleted uranium ammunition was burned from tank main gun rounds. Also, the camp issued a memo that a gross contamination of Ecoli Poisoning was found in the camp water system and a lot of soldiers got sick. Also, there was a soil analysis done and the soil had 4 times the amount of lead contamination in the soil that would be allowed in the United States. So, the was great environmental risk being assigned there that many troops were not alerted to and there should have been more precautions taken.

[Philip Rogers]

On the orthopedic exam, be sure to stop any range of motion, when the pain first starts. Don't overextend yourself, especially on your back. jmo

pr

[georgiapapa]

rootbeer22,

Good advice from PR. Do not let the examiner try to intimidate you or force your ROM by saying you are not cooperating with them. As PR stated, stop your ROM as soon as any pain starts.

Also, if you have any medical reports or IMOs (especially from specialists) supporting your claims. take copies with you to your exams and offer them to the examiner for their review. They may or may not accept them. I had a NP as the examiner during my last two C & Ps and they accepted the report copies I offered and used them to answer several of the questions on their computer checklists. They also kept the copies. Later I obtained copies of my C & P reports and found they contained some of the same language from the reports I had provided to the C & P examiners. My claims were successful.

Good luck to you.

Georgiapapa.

[Navy04]

Great advice given above bud. I just had these exams and it looks like my Back and Knee will finally be SC. I was a little intimidated because I was at the VA for some SC % Reviews, so I let the Doc push a little too far. Don't overdo it, but make sure to let the Doc know exactly when it hurts, especially when he is measuring Flexion. Good luck and you will be alright. Keep us posted

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

Thanks for the advice and you both hit the "nail on the proverbial head" from my last experience. The NP used a guestimate on the ROM Measurements that were contrary to my previous exams over 22 years? The MRI, CAT Scans, X-Rays and other records are solid evidence in my case but if they are not used then how can one arrive at accurate decsion in the first place? But, when I complained, the NP said, "Don't worry the raters will see your entire file, and figure it out later anyway so don't worry"? Unfortunatley, the raters are very busy from what I've been able to determine and the likelyhood is that they are going to use what was on the last exam rather than digging thru the vast pile of records..or even if it's inaccurate because it was viewed as official? Frankly, when an official says that they reviewed "all" of the SMR records during the exam - they should do so-without question? Frankly, I've learned a lot from this Hadit.com site and it's been a great help in understanding the overall disability process and especially the good and bad things that can happen during a FDC claims submission? I've tried to be very proactive, which is why I originally pushed for the DBQ's to be completed prior to the submission of my claim -which took lots of extra time. But, in retrospect, I think a lot of it is the "luck of the draw" in terms of who works a Vets Claim and that we can't forget that despite the technologies like the VBMS system, if the data is not put in correctly, then the likelihood or a favorable outcome is deminished considerably. Also, I've learned that mainly human beings are doing the inputs and making the ratings decisions and they need accurate exams evidence and the time to process the claims properly as well. I'm sure it's a tough job for raters and I do respect the work that they are doing to make things right for veterans as well. At first, I relied on a VSO because I was advised that I needed one, but quickly learned that my VSO was more in the role of a "clerk," but, my own expectation was that I was going to have someone advocate for me, however, in the end, I decided to represent myself by taking the time and effort to learn as much as I could about the disability claims process and be my own advocate...which seems to work best...I've kept all of my notes to write about this FDC experience later -

Edited February 23, 2015 by rootbeer22