C&P for increase

[Navy4life]

Hi there!  Long time member but haven't been around in awhile.  I filed for an increase for PTSD in April 2018.  Received C&P last week and my rep called me today to let me know I went to 70% from 50%.  My overall 90% rating stays the same but it puts me at 94% now.  I intend to file for one more claim in the next few months and if that goes well, I will go to 100%.

My C&P exam went well.  It was about 30 minutes total but examiner told me I was progressively getting worse.  Not sure I wanted to hear that but it's the truth.  I am in therapy for over four years now and I am mentally exhausted from it.  I just hate feeling like this all the time.

What I wanted to mention is that you should always wait until the decision is completed and not try to guess your outcome.  My rep was able to read the exam, it was done at an LHI contracted facility and while the examiner checked the box for 30% under Occupational and Social Impairment, his remarks and overall assessment are what increased me to 70%.  My point is to not always freak out and think you might get reduced based on the Occupational/Social Impairment box.  The entire C&P exam, along with all your history of therapy is what will help you in the end.

 

[vetquest]

I usually do not look at my C&P until the decision is made.  Then if the decision is unfavorable I look for holes or triggers in the exam.  Some examiners are pretty foolish.  Once an examiner said she did not read a favorable medical opinion because she did not need to.  Another time a doctor said that I should not be service connected in the exam.  Unfortunately both exams had to go to the BVA level but they were thrown out because the doctor overstepped their bounds.

[Buck52]

I never could figure out why some examiners rake over the veteran with a fine tooth comb..I mean he is there to address our disability and see that we have official evidence to the fact with their opinions...why on earth do some examiners  dig deep more than they should  to try to mess up a veterans claim?

does this make them feel like a high authority or what?

I had one examiner one time took my C-FILE Home over the weekend to comb through 100's of medical records from the past  until he found something negative...I mean he went back to my seperation exam. as to which I was not claiming anything back then but diseases do manifest and some times takes years  to show up and we start having medical problems that could be related to military service  and mine was  I had to go get a specialist to rebute his opinion but his opinion made the VA Dr examiner look foolish and uncalled for.

I hope President Trump Fires all these type examiners.

[Navy4life]

Well for me, the examiner that I had with LHI contracted by the VA did review my MH notes prior to my exam with him.  It is good for the examiner to review notes in my opinion.  I don't think the examiner is looking to find something to "mess" up the claim.  At least in my experience.  I think if an examiner hasn't read my C-file or my medical notes, it would send a red-flag up.  

[Buck52]

Yes I agree  my last examiner was QTC and she had read my records just days before the exam and the exam went well /b/c she did her home work and read the pertaint medical records  like she is required to and even added a note in the records that I had more credible evidence that was missing at the exam.

. but some times the examiners look for negative things to see to it that the veteran is denied his/her benefits   for whatever reason? & the raters don't catch it  and if denied for some red flag b/c of the examiner  VA or Private & then denied....> it just creates unnecessary stress for the veteran to appeal.

I'd say after vet files NOD and gets his/her turn at the examiner or prove them they were wrong  is 90% in the veteran favor...so the veteran should get a little something for his troubles  like an Increase or approved claim  with RETRO.

IMO

Some examiners are there to help the veteran and some are there not to help the veteran   this is why I said it depends on  what type examiner we get.  

Edited June 13, 2018 by Buck52

[Navy4life]

Buck,

I don't believe the examiner has the view of the Veteran's denials.  They are only there to give medical opinion based on the questions the rater has asked of them.  They are two different animals, the medical side and the rating side.  

[Buck52]

 but the raters basically rely on these examiners opinion  they are the ones that fill out the questionnaire at the exam or after. not what the raters ask them?

 if you never had a bad examiner then you really can't give an opinion of the bad examiner, naturally if we have a good examiner  then all is ok.