hypertension Disability Rating Increase on EBenefits

[DICK HILL]

Last week I posted that I had been scheduled for a duplicate C&P examination later this month for some items that LHI had already done back in April 2015.

I was on Ebenefits last night and it showed “gathering evidence and said Decision Letter Sent.  I then went into “Disabilities” and it showed my disability rating had changed from 50% to 70%.  (GREAT NEWS).  Also the summary of benefits letter has been updated to reflect my 70% rating effective 1 October 2015.  And current benefit paid letter reflects combined evaluation at 70% and benefit amount $1,334.71 effective 1 October 2015.  I looked at the “Rated Disabilities” and the “Pending Disabilities”.  See them below:  I have not yet received any back pay and I have not yet received anything in the mail.  I have several questions below.  

 Following was taken from Ebenefits on 5 Oct 15:

Rated Disabilities

Disability        Rating    Decision    Related                Effective Date
cervical condition        Deferred        
pes planus, bilateral        Not Service Connected        
hearing loss, bilateral                            30%    Service Connected            09/14/2010
cardiac arrythmia manifested by frequent premature atrial complexes with normal conduction    
                                                              10%    Service Connected            12/01/1988
minimal fullness of the hemorrhoidal plexus    0%    Service Connected    12/01/1988
plantar fasciitis, bilateral    0%    Service Connected            12/01/1988
headaches, atypical migraine type by history    0%    Service Connected    12/01/1988
hypertension        Not Service Connected        
degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine with spondylosis and intervertebral disc syndrome                

                                                               20%    Service Connected            10/20/2014
??   osteoarthritis, left hip                       10%    Service Connected            10/20/2014
??   osteoarthiritis, right hip                    10%    Service Connected            10/20/2014
??   radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic nerve 
                                                               10%    Service Connected            10/20/2014
tinnitus                                                    10%    Service Connected            09/14/2010

Pending Disabilities

Disability    Submitted    Type    Actions
Degenerative Arthritis (pain In Thoracic Region And Low Back With Minimal Ostephyte Formation On Thoracic And Lumbar Vertebral Bodies    10/20/2014    INC    
Pes Plantus (bilateral) Secondary To Plantar Fasciitis              SEC                                    10/20/2014    
Plantar Faciitis    10/20/2014                                                      INC                                     10/20/2014
??   Hip Osteoarthritis Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis     SEC                                    10/20/2014    
??   Lumbar Stenosis With Right Forminal Stenos Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis     10/20/2014                    SEC    
??    Displacement Of Cervical Intervertebral Disc Without Myelopathy Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis           SEC                        10/20/2014
??    Lumbosacral Sponylosis Without Myelopathy Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis     10/20/2014                   SEC                           
??    Cervical Spondylosis Witouth Myelopathy Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis           10/20/2014                  SEC                        
??    Lumbosacral Radicultits (right Sciatica) Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis               10/20/2014                 SEC                       
??    Degeneration Of Lumbosacral Intervertebral Disc Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis 10/20/2014               SEC                      
??    Spinal Stenosis In Cervical Regions Secondary To Degenerative Arthritis                       10/20/2014               SEC

My questions are:

- It says cervical condition deferred. Does that mean it needs another C&P examination before it can be rated?

- Does anyone know why the question (??) marks are beside the disabilities in both the rated and pending disabilities area?

- I was service connected on 1 Dec 88 at 10% for Degenerative Arthritis (pain In Thoracic Region And Low Back With Minimal Ostephyte Formation On Thoracic And Lumbar Vertebral Bodies.  This disability is no longer shown in Rated Disabilities.  The rating is 26 years old.  I thought after 20 years, a rating was protected and could not be taken away and could only be increased.  Requesting an increase was a part of my current claim.  Also, I was service connected on 1 Dec 88 at 0% for Plantar Fascittis.  This disability is no longer reflected in the Rated Disabilities.  Requesting an increase was a part of my current claim. 
 
- Although Degenerative Arthritis (pain In Thoracic Region And Low Back With Minimal Ostephyte Formation On Thoracic And Lumbar Vertebral Bodies and Plantar Fascittis no longer appear in the rated disabilities area and it does not say they have been deferred, can I assume that they will eventually be rated or have I lost the ratings?  

Anyone’s thoughts on this will be greatly appreciated.

Dick Hill

Below is what my current claim was submitted for:

Disabilities Claimed: DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (pain in thoracic region and low back with minimal ostephyte formation on thoracic and lumbar vertebral bodies (Increase), PLANTAR FACIITIS (Increase), PES PLANTUS (BILATERAL) SECONDARY TO PLANTAR FASCIITIS (Secondary), HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), LUMBOSACRAL RADICULTITS (RIGHT SCIATICA) SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), LUMBAR STENOSIS WITH RIGHT FORMINAL STENOS SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), LUMBOSACRAL SPONYLOSIS WITHOUT MYELOPATHY SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), DEGENERATION OF LUMBOSACRAL INTERVERTEBRAL DISC SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS WITOUTH MYELOPATHY SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), DISPLACEMENT OF CERVICAL INTERVERTEBRAL DISC WITHOUT MYELOPATHY SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary), SPINAL STENOSIS IN CERVICAL REGIONS SECONDARY TO DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS (Secondary).

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[killemall]

I cannt help answer your questions but I can give you a huge congrats on the 50 to 70%

[Navy04]

Congrats on the Increase bud, Good luck and keep us posted

[garion]

Sometimes the VA rename and combine disabilities. 

Could they have changed and combined it to this? "degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine with spondylosis and intervertebral disc syndrome                

                                                               20%    Service Connected            10/20/2014"

When you get your letter, it will explain all the changes they made.  You can also call your VSO and he or she could explain the rating. 

Congrats on the increase!

 

[Vync]

Congratulations on your increase!

They sometimes defer items which need more work so that they can get your rating to you sooner than later. It is hard to say why they might defer them. They could be waiting on medical records, C&P results, etc...

[DICK HILL]

I just noticed that the summary of benefits letter and current benefits paid letter both reflect my combined rating at 70 percent, but the effective date is shown as 1 October 2015.  Shouldn't the effective date be the date that VA received my claim (20 October 2014)?  I am assuming I should get retro pay back to 20 October 2014.  Is that correct?

 

Dick Hill