LHI? Anyone had any experiences previously?

[ShilohLee]

I was contacted and sent to LHI for ratings increase on PTSD.  I was of course on edge just because and then going to a unknown contractor bothered me a bit.  But as I read on here they listed the doctors name and credentials which I used to investigate the doctor and liked what I found.  I showed up to the appointment and expected the appointment to last at least half as long as they paperwork called for which was about an hour and a half.  Appointment time was 0800 hrs and I was back out the door and in my car by 0825.  Now to the nitty gritty.  It was not bad at all.  The doctor had reviewed all of my stressors prior to me coming in and we did not speak of them at all not even in passing.  What I would have given to know that he had no interest the previous three days would've kept me from crawling the walls and being even more anxious than normal.  

Primarily it was spent doing a down and dirty DBQ where he asked about changes and I presented my notebook and letters from family and the one friend I have left.  Before I knew it we were at the end and had in my opinion not really delved in deep as I had expected or experienced in my initial PTSD assessment.  I knew it would be somewhat shorter but it was short enough that I was thrown off and even told him "it is in my best interest to go into as much detail as I can with my notes"  and was quickly told that it was not necessary.  This alarmed me and the whole time I was wondering in the back of my head if this wasn't some sort of Hatchet job and now was convinced that we had a problem.  But he reassured me that if I needed to go ahead and talk about the symptoms more then by all means go for it.  I know that I must've had the strangest look on my face maybe even the slightest bit of homicidal maniac....All I kept thinking was something is wrong....wrong wrong and more wrong. BOHICA BOHICA oh no here it comes. Its been barely 20 mins how could this be so quick?  I mean we are going up for 100% from 70% quite a bump and change in status.....

He told me that for what it was worth he was approving or submitting the paper for the increase.  Also said he was not sure why I did not have it already from the first C&P, but we all know why don't we?  Now I figure he could have lied and might have but I don't see the upside really...not that its not possible....either way...  

Now that don't mean nothing and I wont believe that or anything else until I see it when I check my bluebutton records or a brown envelop shows up in my mailbox.  

But what if....Could I finally be done fighting them and maybe get my 100%?  I mean one little NOD and three years later another C&P could I be so lucky not to have to play whack a mole all the way up to DC?  maybe just maybe....

When I was leaving I ran into the guy that was waiting along side me for an 8:00 appointment and he said " this is a new one on me" I agreed, he was there after submitting a NEW PTSD claim down the FDC (fully developed claim) route 3 weeks ago.....Three weeks ago he submitted his stuff and was there same day as me doing a C&P maybe things are picking up speed finally...maybe

Edited October 4, 2018 by ShilohLee (see edit history)

[broncovet]

Well, if LHI is doing a great job, VA will probably want to close this loophole which would permit Vets to get benefits to which they are entitled.  

[broncovet]

Ok, so did you read his report?  Did it show you had "Total occupational and social impairment", the criteria for 100%?   Did he ask about your employment?  

[Buck52]

ShilohLee

Before you had this C&P you should have come to hadit and read the What and how to get through a C&P Exam & what to expect and things you don't need to say and things you do need to say ect,,,ect,,,.its to late now to do that  but you can always contest a C&P Exam. and request another if you feel some important things were not read or look at?

.you obviously need this C&P Report to see what the examiner mention  it could be good or it could be bad?

[vetquest]

Shilohlee, I had a similar experience with a contract C&P.  The doctor told me upfront she was not there to reduce my benefits and was going to be fair with me.  I got a copy of the C&P and it was a very well written report that lead to an increase from 50% to 70%.  She seemed very concerned about my chances of suicide also noting that I was at risk.  I have had two contract C&P's, the other one for my physical conditions, and they were both well written and much better than I have had by VA doctors.

[pwrslm]

I have had 2 good experiences with LHI this year.

Edited October 4, 2018 by pwrslm (see edit history)

[ShilohLee]

lol, yeah if it was in our favor too much I would not have been allowed to go.

Strangely it must have went well as I was checking vets and ebennies and found my appeal had been granted for an increase ptsd rating (which I don't get im already at 70) and award of TDIU as well, not sure how I could get both or if that's even possible.  I am grateful to the doc although still haven't seen her report I keep checking blue button but no dice as usual.  Waiting for the envelop to see effective date and back pay bennies for kids ect is gonna drive me up the wall all I can do is hope Nashville Regional don't hose me too hard

[ShilohLee]

Also employment unemployment nothing like that even came up

[ShilohLee]

On ‎10‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 7:53 AM, Buck52 said:

ShilohLee

Before you had this C&P you should have come to hadit and read the What and how to get through a C&P Exam & what to expect and things you don't need to say and things you do need to say ect,,,ect,,,.its to late now to do that  but you can always contest a C&P Exam. and request another if you feel some important things were not read or look at?

.you obviously need this C&P Report to see what the examiner mention  it could be good or it could be bad?

Also Let me say THANK YOU I have spent many hours on this site reading and researching things, this site is a valuable tool and have sent other vets here and to the podcast as well

[Born2dothis]

I just had a c&p exam. The rater said I had total and occupational impairment. What do you think. 

[ShilohLee]

I think you are good to go, the hardest part now is the wait for their evaluation to go through the system and for regional to actually get their end done and send your BBE and get your back pay squared away.  I had my appointment with doctor October 1st and on October sixth I saw on vets.gov that they had approved something and no action what so ever until 01/01/19 when I logged onto ebennies for my weekly check I saw that my active appeals were now historic and that it said they were closed on 12/31/2018 the last day of the year.   I still have yet to receive anything at all about anything.  Hopefully a nice deposit will show up or even the benefit packet at this point I would settle for even the increase on my monthly as we are barely making it with my two kids.  

The main thing is like me your doctor is submitting the paperwork (if we can trust them) for you to get your 100% unless some jack ass at regional wants to impede your flow or obstruct you unnecessarily you too will be like me counting the months of potential back pay and trying not to hawk ebennies and vets.gov for updates.  The worst part has been the last 90 days waiting for some kind of traction or a BBE to arrive....the last three or four years waiting for the C&P for the increase seemed to go by ok cuz I wasn't thinking about it and didn't have any expectations, but now that I know that I have been awarded something its like those last few minutes on shift or at school doing your best not to focus on the clock.  I think what really kills me is knowing in a way all of my immediate money problems are over as far as property taxes, repoing the car ect but not really.  

Anyways don't count any chickens yet but I would take a deep breath because if we can trust our experiences with these LHI doctors then at the very least there is now paperwork in the system and heading to regional that will end your suffering and wait or start the end of the wait...err...sorry been a long night!!!  

 

Good luck and maybe your regional office could be a fast one?

[ShilohLee]

And one more thing, in the past I was able to get on and use the blue button to access C&Ps and other reports rather quickly often within 3 days of the visit but this LHI consult and eval has yet to appear in my blue button records since October when I found out I had been awarded and they were closing my appeal.  I called my regional office who told me it was not uncommon for us not to have access and I explained that previously with other appeal I had in fact gotten the results but ofcourse this was blamed on a fluke and was told not to expect the same results this time.  Although they didn't waste any time asking me if I wanted to appeal the parts of the initial appeal that were not granted even before I received the Statement of Case sneaky sneaky are they not?

[Jared]

So, I had my LHI C&P this morning, and I have a strange feeling it is not going to be favorable.  

This was a request for increase from current, especially since I have a few 0% conditions (both knees, neck, etc...)  I went through the process to do a Fully Developed Claim for most of it.  Even submitted the Disability Benefits Questionnaires, medical reports, labs, x-rays, MRIs, surgical reports, and so on.  A lot going back to before I was retired from the Army.  

So, I had an 8:00 AM Appointment, and was seen probably at 8:03 AM.  I went in with an open mind and a positive attitude.  I was kind of impressed, running on time for a first thing in the morning appointment. 

We go in, and she asks the usual when I served, where I was deployed, what my job was, etc...,.  She asked me when I started receiving treatment for the autoimmune disorders.  I replied honestly, and went to add something, but she cut me off.  Then she matter of fact told me that it is not service connected.  In almost all of my VA and private doctor appointments, it mentions my fatigue and pain, and even going back to before I was discharged from the Army.  Then she asks me what have I had done to my knees as far as surgery and any ongoing treatments.  One surgery on each knee, plus an extra on the right since I have been out, and get injections every 6 months in each from a private provider.  She asks about my shoulders, and surgical history.  Has me get on the table and performs the usual range motion exam and asks about the pain as I move.  

Then she asks about my sinuses due to rhinitis which has been service connected, but 0%.  She looks in my nose, and then says she is going to have some x-rays of my sinuses/head taken, and tells me to go back to the waiting room.  I was in the waiting room by 8:45 AM.  Original letter says I have three hours scheduled, and audiology as a separate after.  

On the letter from LHI initially, there was a total of eight conditions on the exam (hearing loss and tinnitus being separate appointments.)  They ranged from sinuses, to autoimmune disorder, cardiovascular issues (don't know where it came from...wasn't a part of my claim) to cranial nerve diseases.   These did differentiate from my claim a bit.  Quite a bit actually.  

All she did was tell me that the autoimmune was not service connected, look at my sinuses, knees, and shoulder.

Do I need to get my appeal ready, call my congressman, or just pray?  Why would they not even look at half of the DBQs that were listed on the "services requested" letter? 

 

Jared.  

[jfrei]

On 10/4/2018 at 5:28 PM, broncovet said:

Well, if LHI is doing a great job, VA will probably want to close this loophole which would permit Vets to get benefits to which they are entitled.  

 Like calling the office case management a year after all the help they gave me. If it wasn’t for them I’d still be lost in a stack of  papers under a desk in The middle of the jungle... if it works fix it and when it’s broken it’s ok let it go the VA motto

[Lavish]

On ‎1‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 9:01 AM, ShilohLee said:

And one more thing, in the past I was able to get on and use the blue button to access C&Ps and other reports rather quickly often within 3 days of the visit but this LHI consult and eval has yet to appear in my blue button records since October when I found out I had been awarded and they were closing my appeal.  I called my regional office who told me it was not uncommon for us not to have access and I explained that previously with other appeal I had in fact gotten the results but ofcourse this was blamed on a fluke and was told not to expect the same results this time.  Although they didn't waste any time asking me if I wanted to appeal the parts of the initial appeal that were not granted even before I received the Statement of Case sneaky sneaky are they not?

So ShilohLee, what was the outcome?   Did you get 100%?  Did you get back pay?

[vetquest]

@Jared, go ahead and start a new post with your concerns.  When you post in a thread that is older and belongs to someone else you get lost in the weeds.

[IrishKing]

On 10/4/2018 at 10:57 AM, pwrslm said:

I have had 2 good experiences with LHI this year.

that's positive news.  I am waiting on LHI to contact me for a C&P exam on Cranial and Peripheral Nerves---Neurological.  A little concerned about how detailed or not so detailed the exam will go with respect to my TBI claim.  I believe it is only normal to be a little spooked about the unknown.

one of my recent C&P examiners said he did not want to review several thousand pages of my C-File and that concerned me.   Guess they do not get paid enough to do that.

Edited March 15, 2020 by IrishKing (see edit history)

[Flcowboydc1]

How long does it take LHI to complete and send the DBQ to the VA?

[Armybob22]

Just received a call from LHI saying that I'm up for my 5 year "PTSD Review", and I should get a telehealth appointment sometime in the next couple weeks with a contract doctor..

I am hoping to receive P&T at this point, but I'm not sure what it takes to get that??

I attend groups at the VA twice a week for the past 5 years, cant work, don't socialize outside of the VA, see a doc regularly at the VA, and take an ungodly amount of VA Psych meds...

I've been hospitalized for suicidal thoughts, I've gone through 3 months of TMS treatments, etc...

Anyone have any suggestions for me?  I'm obviously freaking out about this!!!!  Thanks everyone!

[GBArmy]

Armybob22 If you have been doing the work, you're going to be ok. If you attend meetings twice a week, that info from your doc is going to be in your records. So is your meds. If you had a recent change in meds. make a copy and bring it with you. All that stuff is in your file but it's not a big deal if you bring some of your records to any C&P and offer it to them. Once in a while they will take it, which can do nothing but be of help. What might help if you think you might get a little tight is to write down a few things you want the examiner to know that effected you recently. Did you have road rage last week; did you say or do something in front on others that was inappropriate? Remember, you are talking about how things are for you when they are bad. If it wasn't bad this morning, talk about something that was bad recently. Don't respond to "how you doing today, Armybob?" by saying FINE!!! No, it isn't fine because I couldn't sleep all night (or all week) because I was worried about this and how I was going to screw something up." One thing you could do is ask if you could be considered for TDIU. I wouldn't do that if I were say under the age of 54-55. If you are much younger, don't bother. They won't go there yet.You will be ok.

[Buck52]

7 hours ago, Armybob22 said:

Just received a call from LHI saying that I'm up for my 5 year "PTSD Review", and I should get a telehealth appointment sometime in the next couple weeks with a contract doctor..

I am hoping to receive P&T at this point, but I'm not sure what it takes to get that??

I attend groups at the VA twice a week for the past 5 years, cant work, don't socialize outside of the VA, see a doc regularly at the VA, and take an ungodly amount of VA Psych meds...

I've been hospitalized for suicidal thoughts, I've gone through 3 months of TMS treatments, etc...

Anyone have any suggestions for me?  I'm obviously freaking out about this!!!!  Thanks everyone!

Just be sure you read your medical notes after all these visit  especially the last 6 months or so maybe a year   that's about how far they read back,  but you need to know what the group therapist has said about you or the psychiatrist ?

so you don't say something and its not in your medical records, just be your self and always answer the questions honestly and don't over talk about your symptoms ,  just answer the questions   and what GB Army mention above.

  these examiners are trained to watch out for all this..if you don't know the answer to one of his/her questions just simply say you don't know mam/.sir 

be yourself and you will do ok.  if your anxiety lever goes through the roof be sure and let the examiner know.

Not sure how this will be if your having a tele-health virtual conferences ? or maybe an in person exam?

  just always be honest and read part of your medical notes before the exam. Myhealthvet notes on the blue button.