Finally Completed eBenefits Claim after 9 months of Agony!

[CoastieAirman96]

Hello fellow vets! I just wanted to take the time to share the news of fiiiiinally finishing my ebenefits claim withiut VSO assistance. I must say, although it has been daunting throughout the 9 month process (since 5-24-15) starting it, I feel relieved that I was able to submit every piece of evidence  that was needed in support of my current 80% Combined Rating (70% TBI w/Res (in-service injury) & 30% MDD) to be increased while adding:

1) New claim for PTSD-Secondary to Pers Asslt/non-combat (Submitted ALL categorically req'd evidence)

2) Increase to TBI w/resid Submitted (1st time medical evidence of TBI which occured in 1992 prior to my USCG service TBI due to personal asssult in 2000

3) Increase to MDD that has worsened since my 2007 original award (10%) & 2008 NOD award (curr 30%)

4) Unemployability claim with ALL categorically required medical evidence, supporting statements, employmnt history w/ reasons for lvng attributed to my SC conditions as the primary cause, police reports, education docs, all to show proof of how my SC conditions have totally impaired my ability to gain and/or maintain substantial employmnt but how sedentary work & the workplace is signficant hazard or imposes significant stress so much to where Im unable to work.

With that being said, my VA mental health treating docs said the DBQ process is now handled thru our C&P occuaptional health ofc located at the VA hosp tht i go to. To warrant a possible C&P exam or not-- if there is enough VA med evidence history (past&curr) to suggest any of my above claims request is sufficient without examination being needed or not, the C&P ofc rep had to send my DBQS upstairs to the mental health team for for completion & be sent to VARO for decision.

[green]

Wish you good luck and speed CA96

[CoastieAirman96]

Hey thanks Green...sorry for the delayed reply. 

[CoastieAirman96]

So, I received mail (attached doc #2) today from my VAMC's C&P office and low and what's interesting is that 3 days before I went into the C&P office, my own psychiatrists told me to go down to the C&P office on the 1st floor for a DBQ referral since she wasn't allowed to complete the forms, to validate her position, she was nice enuff to give me this nformation sheet (attached doc #1) that happens to be a set of instructions for mental health docs and was probably not to be given to a patient/vet. What i reaaaaaally found to be interesting is the one-line sentence where i wrote the words:

(NOTE-->) PLEASE do NOT inform the patient that C&P will complete the forms...yet this C&P office broad sends me a letter stating:

(READ 2ND PARAGRAPH OF DOC #2)

I don't know what to think at this point. I went to their office on the account of my MH doc's directions and was told by this Shiela Ray (C&P) rep that she would be sending the DBQ forms to the mental health clinic to be completed by MH docs other than my own. It leads me to believe that she plans to review my med recs to fill out the DBQ REVIEW PTSD form herself to send to my local VARO or is she even qualified to fill it out as a C&P admin rep?  Otherwise, im trying to understand the point of "PLEASE do NOT inform the patient that C&P will complete the forms". 

scan.pdf

[Chuck75]

Another example of the VA telling veterans one thing, and doing something different!

Why? I suppose it's designed to keep down the chance of a veteran influencing things up front.

I don't know how many times the VA PCPs in the past were told (under the table, as well as in obsolete directives) to not generate or fill out documents that could be used

as a medical opinion in a veterans claim.

 

[CoastieAirman96]

i can see those reasons you stated as valid "manipulation" tactics used by VA docs & VBA. I tell you what though, i will be paying this C&P doc a visit tomorrow after my group therapy session with my on "informational tactics" to see what I may find out. 

[TALON II FE]

I had my C&Ps originally in April '15.  They were contracted and I still haven't seen the results, waiting to get my C-File.  I had to re-accomplish most of my claims, minus PTSD, in November with a VA Doc.  They never really answered my inquiries as to why this was needed.  The VA Doc was a vet himself.  He inferred that the contracted Doc was incompetent and he had to 'fix it'.  He 'buddied up' to me the entire appt.  At the end of the day, even though I was awarded 100%, he short-changed me.  It was a betrayal, in a way.  He recommended places to eat then followed me to lunch.  I know that sounds paranoid, but he did.  Afterwards, he did the same inside the VA building, sending me to x-ray claiming a lot of things to write up and then bumping into him in the hall 5 minutes later, etc.  He referred to those encounters on the DBQ in a neutral way, but the fact remains that he referred to them at all and they did not feel like chance encounters at the time at all.