C&P for Reconsideration

[paulstrgn]

I have a C&P with QTC this Thursday for a reconsideration fr my back and knees. The did not test me per the DaLuca v Brown standards. Hopefully I will be granted an increase for my back, I am hoping for 50% or higher but will be pleased with 40% (I am currently at 20%).  I will assume I will get 10% for each knee.

I received a call from QTC about an hour ago wanting to confirm an appointment for Friday at 8 am, this confused me since I have an appointment for Thursday at 1:30 pm. So I called QTC and asked what this appointment was for (it was 3 hours away from where I live) and was told it was actually for the doctor to do a medical opinion on the C&P I will have on Thursday. I do not understand why a doctor who will not be seeing me will write a medical opinion on me for a C&P that is performed by a different doctor. 

Is this normal and will they actually write two medical opinions for my back and knees? Sorry I just don't understand why two different doctors are involved (especially when only one will be seeing me).

Does this happen often?

Thanks for any and all input.

 

[Vync]

6 hours ago, vetquest said:

Never heard of that second opinion thing.  

I had the VA call me back in for a second C&P about a month after my first one. Turns out the results of the first one were "misplaced".

[Vync]

6 hours ago, paulstrgn said:

I always try to take all pertinent medical records. They have said that in the past that they have to dig through all the file to figure out what is relevant and what is not. As we know that VA does not make it easy.

That is always a good plan.

In my experience, the C&P doc may review them with you, review them after you leave, or might actually refuse copies. I have had all three happen. Just be sure you give them copies - never the originals.

When I brought copied, I had everything sorted by date order, key factors highlighted, with a leading table of contents to quickly point out specific pages.

Good luck with your exam!

[paulstrgn]

I went to my C&P exam with QTC. Not really sure how I feel about it yet, the doctor said he will write up my back problem as severe (not really sure how that will affect my rating). He listened to everything I had to say and wrote everything done in the computer. The doctor did seem surprised that I had only been given 20% for my back (he thought it should be higher). The doctor did say that one of the problem is that the VA does not have a doctor at the regional office to properly interrupt what the doctor documents from the exam. The doctor thought if there was less mistake in ratings would be made, I certainly agree with him on that point.  He seemed to understand all of my issues, now I just hope the doctor who was going to do the second medical opinion (without seeing me) will concur with everything the doctor who saw me wrote down.

In a few months I guess I will know....

[vetquest]

Sounds like a good exam.  I have had some luck with the outside contractors, they do not seem as beholding to the VA as their own doctors.

Yes a doctor to interpret the exams would be good.  What the raters have not yet figured out is that the doctor doing your medical exam is doing just that.  If he says severe it should be what stands for.

[paulstrgn]

I am hoping the examiner looks at all the documentation and takes what the doctor says. Even with an increase for the back and being rated for the knees my overall disability rating won't change (there is a slim chance it could go to 100%), but that is okay for it gets me closer to the 100%.

[vetquest]

Keep fighting and let us know what happens.