Covert Surveilance

[broncovet]

It seems the VA and social security are conducting "covert surveilance" on Vets.  

https://www.disabledveterans.org/2016/02/01/covert-surveillance-used-disabled-veteran/

The takeaway from this is to not lie to your doctors, and dont exaggerate your symptoms.  

What I dont understand about this is how this Vet ever GOT those benefits.  The VA makes me verify every dotted I, and every crossed "T" with at least 3 different doctors, over a period of 3 years, before I got 5 cents from VA.  (I applied in 2002, and did not get even a nickel until 3 years later..not one nickel).  It took a full 7 years, for me to be awarded 100 percent (2009), and who knows when or if, I will Get SMC S.  

But, in the example of SMC S..its the VA who is lying.  A Veteran need not "never leave the house at all" to meet the criteria for "housebound".  This does not stop the VA from denying Vets benefits if they show up to a c and p exam for "housebound".  

This is an incorrect standard.  Reiterating what was in Howell, you dont need to prove you never leave the home for housebound, you need to show you cant leave the home "to earn an income", as opposed to not leaving the home at all.  

Read this again:

https://asknod.org/2014/08/25/cavc-howell-v-nicholson-what-smc-s-really-says/

In relevant part:

Quote

The Secretary, citing to Senate Report No. 1745 (June 27, 1960), notes that in passing section 1114(s) Congress intended to provide additional compensation for veterans who were unable to overcome their particular disabilities and leave the house in order to earn an income as opposed to an inability to leave the house at all.

The troubling part is why are they going after Veterans, when they should be going after corruption right in the VA.  

[Buck52]

Took me 2 years before I got any $$$  I first filed in 1997  although they say it was 1998...but thats ok I was denied in 1998....and Appeal in 1998 and Service connected in 1999 Awarded Service connection with 0% rating and then I filed for increase and was awarded 50% in 2000,  then Re-filed for increase on VA Audiologist  advise and then a VA ENT C&P Examiner mention/Quoted my hearing was not as bad as I claimed and because he checked my ETS Hearing test back in 1971 it was fine back then so this Veteran hearing loss was not caused by his military service...''damn idiot,''  of course my hearing was ok back then  noise induced hearing loss takes years to notice and gradually gets worse.  1971  to 1998  whats that some 27 years later...grrrr  This is what I called this C&P Dr to the DRO face to face  I said he is a damn Idiot  good thing for me the DRO Agreed

Anyway proposal to reduce was sent and I requested a DRO Hearing to get this solved in 2003...although this is not Actually an Appeal  its a  dispute between Veteran and a VA Dr

Any time a Veteran gets a Proposal to Reduce  its not an Appeal but a dispute and can Request  DRO Hearing to solve the dispute. 

Now if the DRO Can't solve the dispute from medical evidence and new evidence from the Veteran & is denied then the DRO Sends Veteran a SOC and then if the Veteran chooses to Appeal then he files the 9 to BVA.

So in all it took me about 6 years to get to 100% P&T

[broncovet]

My hearing is so bad that I cant watch tv without close captions, havent been to a movie for years, for the same reasons.  (Who wants to go to a movie, where they speak Chinese or some other language you cant understand??)

I cant do the hadit podcasts because I can not understand what they say.  Can I carry on a conversation?  Sure.  If we are in a quiet room, no outside noise, you let me see your lips, and agree to repeat what I can not hear.  This isnt the real world.  In the real world there are fan motors going, other peope talking, cars motoring by drowing out the sounds, and, we have people who are soft spoken and walk away when they tell you stuff.  

Years and years ago, before I was married, I had a friend who called and told me she had a email problem.  I had just been checking email when she called.  Well, I know a little about computers, so I offered to help her fix her problem.  She got mad and hung up, and it took several days for me to understand why.  Eventually, I solved the puzzle:  She did not have an email problem, she had a female problem, and I offered to go help her with that!  

I use this example because its easy to miss just one letter and have no idea what is going on.  Of course, I try to take everything in context..(why would she tell me she has a female problem, anyway, but this is the kind of lady she was..one who tells everything.) 

Im rated only 20 percent for hearing loss, and that is after 2 increases.  

The VA offers me a "hearing"!   Ha!  The only way I would be comfortable with a "hearing" is if what the speaker said was written below them like close captions.  People who hear well have no idea, do they Buck?  

 

 

Here is a rather interesting part:  Contrary to the VARO decisions, my hearing did not get all that much worse, but different people interpret the hearing schedules different ways.  Yes, my hearing got worse, but, the way I interpet it, it should have been 80 percent or better all along.  We discussed this some time ago.  

I virtually can not have a conversation with grandchildren as they have a soft voice which I mostly can not hear.  I can get a few words, but its just too frustrating.  I wear hearing aids, but can not wear them all the time for multiple reasons.  People think when you have hearing aids your hearing becomes normal.  That is like saying if you have a wooden leg, you can go normally.  It isnt even close.  

I think I am eligible for new hearing aids in 2019 or 2020, and I am looking forward to the newest "noise cancelling" technology that can cancel stuff I dont want to hear, like blower motors, and voices in the background, but amplify the speaker near me.  

 

[Vync]

For me it took five years on appeal to get SC and another 12 years to reach 100% P&T. More proof that things go downhill over time. I'm not confined to a chair, but my cane sure does come in handy.

I liked this part of Ben Krause's entry:

Quote

I want all of you to consider this result when seeking disability compensation benefits. It is important to accurately state your condition to the best of your ability. Then find a private doctor to evaluate your condition(s) and provide any reports to VA. This is a good way to ensure your case is accurately conveyed to the agency. If they make mistakes about how they interpret the data that is their problem.

Last week I visited my PCP doc at the VA and brought test results from outside of the VA. She then turns to me and urges me to pick treatment at the VA or at my private doc, not both because it is difficult to keep up with it. I referred her to the VA Patient Bill of Rights which says we have the right to choose our provider. And then I indicated that I brought in records for review so she is not in the dark. That's the VA for you...

[broncovet]

I agree.  If you tell the truth, and the VA messes that up, how is that your fault??  It took me a long time to get my benefits, but I sleep well knowing that they cant pull any funny stuff, even tho all docs disagree on stuff and I have had probably 30 different doctors over the years.  Some of my evidence was favorable, and some was not.  Still, they knew about the unfavorable evidence (whether they read it or not is not my concern, but they could have) before they awarded benefits, and I agree I deserved the benefit of the doubt regarding conflicting doctor reports.  

If every doc said exactly the same thing, you know that would be a fraud, because we are all different, and docs have differing opinions also.  

[vetquest]

I really would like to know how this individual so totally scammed the VA.  

I worked for twenty-five years after I got out as medically unfit to continue service and did not receive 100% until ten years after I lost my job due to a service connected disability.  They made me jump through so many hoops it was just unreal.  I agree though that if you tell the truth and stay at it you can usually get the benefits you need. 

[Buck52]

 I agree with broncovet...

I got use to reading lips over the years  and like broncovet mention  we just don't hear what is being said correctly  ,we can hear people talking  even if one on one  but don't have a clue as what is being said  unless were in an closed &  very quiet room with no fans running or car noise or outside noise of any kind.

  For years I's just nod my head yes as if I understood a conversation  and some times that did get me in trouble.

bad  ,word discrimination  is part of severe hearing problem .

I tell my kids and grand-kids to speak loud to me and clear...when they were little I didn't but now there teenagers  they know when talking to me or asking me something to speak up loud and clear  this has cause family problems for me because they never want to go any where with me in public  like grocery store, restaurants /movies  ect ect,, as to which I can understand why.  they practically have to speak very loud and others around looks at us like what the hell....

Note: to broncovet

Oh did do know now at the Movie Theaters  they have over the head headphones for the hearing impaired   you need to ask for them at the inside counter, there free to use.

Veterans can recieve New Hearing Aids Every 4 years.

   you will need to take another hearing test from the VA, so the Audiologist can determined what type hearing aids would work better for your loss of hearing problem.

  you have 6 different name brands to choose from....> as to if we had to buy them  you be looking at around 4.000/5.000 a pair. They take mold impressions of the inner ears and send the mods to the lab so the aids will fit your inner ear..I use two BHE Aids.   but I never did like them you have to open them up to turn them off. Ive lost boo coo battires , but I order them from VA From Denver Co  usually they send me 6 month supply & yeah for free.

Anyway  and then after they come in you go back and get them adjusted/fitted.

.  but its ever 4 years for new aids.

. I have had 4 sets made so for. , one time the dog got mine and chewed the sh*** out of them I was honest with the VA I told the VA Audiologist what happen...  but the VA went ahead and made me New ones  (a lot of it too is how you have a good re-pore with the VA Audiologist )

usually there nice as can be if they know your not there trying to get compensation.

I learn that too along the way.

 

..............