Opinons On Dr. Bash

[rdawg]

I'm thinking of plopping down a couple of grand for an IMO from Dr. Bash. I've researched his name thru the BVA decisions and see he has been successful on some occasions but has also lost some. What I can't do is research the cases where Dr. Bash is used and S/C is granted or denied and does not go to the BVA. Maybe all of you could help. Can you give me some examples of your experiences with him. List the conditions, whether or not he had access to your SMR's/c-file or both and if S/C was granted.

Thanks...I look forward to some interesting reads

Rdawg

[john999]

If the IMO is in an area of Dr. Bash's expertise I think he probably can't be beat. I thought his fee was high, but if it is a matter of getting a big retro or getting 100% benefits it would probably be worth it. Since the lawyers are getting in on the act in June their may be a lot more doctors who will be up to speed on how to write an IMO for the VA. There are many who know how to do it for SSA because they work with SSDI lawyers. I think the Lawyer-veteran link is going to be a growth industry in the future.

[Guest fla_viking]

Dear Fellow Veterans & Friends

A proper medical opnion linking current condition to service and proving the conditon is SC is somethng the VA refuses to do in many examinatons. The courts have ruled many times about the VA failures to ask for the right examinaton or having Dr who break the law themselfs.

I would say a IMO that links all the dots is more important than a lawyer. Dr Bash is expensive up front but allot cheaper then hireing a lawyer. lawyers will get 20 to 30% of monies awarded. Dr Bash is a one time fee and you can stand on his IMO all the way up to the courts.

I have never used Dr Bash, But I have seen the format he uses to write the IMO and I wish I had that from the start of my claim, it really tied up all loose ends and answered everything that needed to be pointed out. That is one thing the VA trys to avoid and that is answering all the questons in its examinatons or denying the veterans acess to the procedures in the first place

Terry Higgins

[rdawg]

Thanks to all for the opinions. It seems 99% are in favor of Dr. Bash. I've researched the claims he's written IMO's for and , for the majority of the claims, his opinion was the deciding factor in a grant of benefits. The cases that were denied and not overturned by BVA or Veterans appeals court seemed to be very difficult to win anyway. They had problems to overcome like an intercurrent cause such as a work related injury to the same area of the body, or the veteran was a smoker and he had COPD.

So, after much research and thought, I'm going to plunck down the 2g's for Dr. Bash and hope for the best.

Thanks again for all of the input.

Rdawg

[marinejay]

That's what i did, If you went around trying to find a doc to do an imo it would have costed you more in denials and time wasted. My mom told me this " it's better to pay more for it now than in the future, because it will cost you 2x as much".

I hope your IMO helps your case. And at the same time as a backup you can get a doc in your area to write anther one using dr. bash as a template. The only thing i will say is go through your medical records and highlight the impt info that will help your case and write little tidbits beside it. It saves time in getting your imo done.

marinejay

[Guest allan]

Pete said:

"I would rather have an opinion from Dr Bash than hire a Lawyer"

me too but I might have to get a lawyer to get the VA to read his stuff.

This post has been edited by Berta: Yesterday, 08:20 AM

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Hello Berta & Pete,

I don't believe the DVA is the best place to seek a clear diagnoses, for a neuromuscular disorder of unknown cause.

It takes someone who is a specialist. After looking at my options, Dr Bash was the best I could find in the country. I may have never recieved a clear diagnoses without him.

As it remains, three of his IMO's, along with medical treatises he's submitted & commented on, and additional evidence i've submitted have all gone unread or simply ignored.

Is there attorneys that take on a class action, on behalf of multiple cases of vets & widows that are having their claims illigally held in limbo, in order to obstruct justice?

Allan

[sixthscents]

Wow, it seems like the subject of Dr. Bash keeps coming up, again and again and again... So, I'll add my 2 cents worth. It seems to me that an outside medical opinion, which was documented and had all the test the VA would require for the injury or illness to be diagnosed and to show the extent of injury from ANY doctor would be a good thing. Dr. Bash seems to know all the VA keywords, and differing terminology i.e. IVDS vs. DDD or DJD etc.

While I have not used Dr. Bash, if he is familiar with these terms then it would be difficult at best for the VA to ignore his diagnosis if it is properly supported by clear medical evidence that is objective rather than subjective. Take for example the sesitivity skin test done for neuropathy, that is subjective in that the patient is telling the doctor what THEY feel, and there is no other evidence to support that. However an EMG, properly administered is very objective in that it simply cannot be faked by a layperson. Further loss of deep tendon reflexes is an objective sign in that it also cannot be commonly "staged" or faked.

So, if Dr. Bash's opinion, or ANY outside medical opinion is grounded on objective testing (by the way THE objective test for neuropathy for the VA is an EMG, not an MRI or Myleogram... its my experience that they hold an EMG's evidence to be very significant) then it would follow that their diagnosis would be very hard to refute. The VA will squirm and try to lowball it, but if it is properly grounded they'll end up on the chopping block.

Now, it does seem to me that the VA has probably circulated in the in-house memo system something about Dr. Bash, and this MAY cause some raters to look at his diagnosis as being weighted toward the veteran instead of the facts. PLEASE NOTE I said MAY, not will... personally I support any physician who is willing to learn the VA system and help veterans. Yep, it'll cost, but probably if I was unable to properly deduce what the VA wanted in the way of evidence, and I could not get my private physician to properly diagnose it by VA terminology, well I'd probably use Dr. Bash.

With that said.. in the end it is each veteran's decision. Weigh the facts, define the situation and if you think he'd be of help and have the money... heck I'd use him. However, go into to it hoping, not planning that his testimony will fix the claim. The VA disreguards their OWN doctors on occasion, as most of us have seen so they very well may disreguard his. If so, then the money was wasted... but, if I needed a doctors opinion and couldnt get it any other way... I'd spend the money and hope.