Repeat C&P Exam

[babycourt45]

Hello all, I filed for an increase on several contentions as well as some new contentions in February 2015 and had my C&P exams conducted in August 2015.  I just received a call to schedule C&Ps for the same exams previously conducted in August 2015, with the same doctors as well as with a mental health doctor.  I suspect this is common if there is a question from the rater, my question is has this happened before to anyone else or am I just being paranoid?  Thanks for any input...

[Andyman73]

babycourt45

Hmm, welcome, gotta say, something interesting this way comes!  I can only surmise that someone dropped the ball and your name got put back into the schedule C&P exams pile. 

Maybe a quick call to "Peggy" might help.  Peggy is the "Nome de Plume" such as it is, for the 1-800 number for the VA.

You can also submit a question via IRIS on the VA.gov website.

I'm sure some of the heavy hitters on here have better ideas to pass along to you.

Again, welcome to Hadit.

Semper Fi.

Andyman

[bluevet]

I agree with andyman. Something doesn't seem right. Particularly, that the newly scheduled exams are with the same doctors. I can not think of a scenario where this would be appropriate. If one of your C&P exams was lacking something, I could see a new one being ordered, however If the Va just wanted additional information from an examiner, it wouldn't normally require you to be re-examined. If these exams are being conducted by one of the contractors (QTC for example) I would call them and inquire. If these exams are through the VA, I would call Peggy.

Edited September 22, 2015 by bluevet

[Vync]

This is the second time recently that I have read about folks having C&P exams repeated within a short time frame.

Back in the 90's, I had a repeat C&P exam scheduled a few weeks later because the doctor "lost" his original write up. With everything being electronic, I doubt that is the reason why they did this.

Did they schedule the new exams for a Friday? It would not surprise me if they are booking out a Friday with repeat exams, then as it draws closer they send out a cancellation. This is a traditional "I want an easy Friday" approach.

[babycourt45]

Thanks for the quick responses..I asked the C&P scheduler about the exam and she stated that they were asked to schedule another C&P exam with the General Medicine doctor for my Gulf War Illness contentions as well as Mental Health.  I went to the C&P in August which was scheduled for 3 hours and the doctor said that she reviewed my records and kept me in there for 38 minutes and sent me on my way.  Now I'm scheduled again for a 2 hour exam with the same doctor and the Mental Health doctor a week apart.  The exams are both scheduled on consecutive Tuesdays, October 6th & 13th.

[iceturkee]

i had one exam rescheduled because of regional's error. in reality, it was the same exam. i was going for an increase for my thoracic spine. regional ordered a lumbar comp and pen. then realized they made a mistake and reordered. all the comp and pen doc did was change the wording and do a thoracic xray.

[broncovet]

This happened to me, and it happens more than you might think.  Rememeber, it is not a requirement that a rating specialist be able to read and write English for employment, he needs only to know the hiring manager.  

You have to go to those redundandt exams.  Its an automatic denial if you dont.  The VA has a rubber stamp cut and paste denial for many things like:

1.  You failed to attend a C and P exam so your claim is denied.  

2.  You failed to appeal withing the one year period and your appeal is denied. 

3.  You dont have a diagnosis of the claimed condition so your claim is denied.

4.  You dont have a nexus so your claim is denied.  

5.  You dont have an inservice event or aggravation so its denied.  

6.  You dont have the requistie service so your claim is denied.  

These are all "automatic" denials.