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VA Compensation Rating

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amyscotti

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Hello all,

 

My name is Amy, and I am going through the awesome process of the VA Appeals system. Been in this system since 2015. My appeal is in reference to my anxiety and depression, that I know was unfairly rated due to other professional opinions doctors and lawyers...but why does their opinion matter.  I guess my question is in reference to what kind of percent I would be looking at for my anxiety, depression, major depression, and Bipolar type II disorder. I know you can not get separate ratings for mental disorders, and I currently have a new representative that i working diligently on my claim (thank God she previously worked to the BVA).  I am looking for constructive feedback ONLY. Below is a little background of the severity of diagnosis. I am looking just for a ball park.  BTW the reason I am going through this appeals process is because I missed a two CMP exams( which were scheduled during the holiday season), because I was working part time as a operations manager for FedEx Ground as a operations manager taking time off the calendar is completely blacked out during that period for obvious reasons. I know this because I just recently received my brown envelope that stated that even though there was plenty of evidence in folder.

Joined the RAMP APPEALS process in June of 2018, so they didn't consider any other medical evidence after the fact. Even though I had to write my congressman to get me put in the system effective January 2019. Not salty or anything....Just to receive a denial in the mail early Feb. 2019.

 

In 2009 I made a suicide attempt due to factors I will not go into detail about its been something that has been extremely hard to talk about. 

In 2010, divorced my ex-husband prior to a physical incident

I have seen several psychiatrist, and received my diagnosis for major depression in 2017, 2018 Bipolar disorder. I have been on every antidepressant you can think of, and currently trying TMS therapy again similar to ECT therapy just less invasive. 

Recently I was almost hospitalized for suicidal thoughts. 

This has affected my ability to keep employment since 2016. I do not want to apply for TDIU, because I do want to work but I keep the panic attacks under control.....I just want my life back :(

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You should compare your symptoms to that in the criteria.  Much of the criteria involves 2 things:  The degree of "occupational and social impairment".  Suicidal ideations is present "only" in the 70% and 100% categories.  However, even tho I had/have SI, I was lowballed at 30 percent for MDD.  I had to fight the VA for many years to get my proper rating.  

Here are the critieria, you know your symptoms better than I do, see which of these you fit into:  

  Rating
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. 100
Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. 70
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. 50
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events). 30
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication. 10
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. 0
9520 Anorexia nervosa
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Hi Amy,

Broncovet is correct as you are the one who knows where you fit into the descriptions above.  The best advice I can see is to make sure you are making those C&P as the VA is very quick to show you did not care to show up even though that is not the case.

What phase is your claim currently at? BVA or the appeals court?

depending on where you are at currently there will be a window and that could be any time prior to the decision, but have your information ready to send in by certified mail!  Also make sure you are not just submitting 700 pages of doctor notes or reports, get the parts that apply to your conditions.  I like to highlight the relevant areas kinda like connect the dots.  This really does help the rater as they don't have to dig through crap to get to what is important and it makes it much harder for them to deny and say there is not relevant information to link.

Not sure if you have filed for TDUI, but that might be something to do for now.

As for getting back to normal we here want to help everyone we can get back to a new normal.  I myself will never be same as i was before the military, but I have found a much more peaceful place.  Just keep at this with the VA, do the research as there is tons of information to help on this site and to just get someone to answer questions is an amazing help!

keep up the fight and remember someone before you already help beat a path to help you!  

 

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You said :

"I know this because I just recently received my brown envelope that stated that even though there was plenty of evidence in folder." and that the claim was recently denied.

Did you make any attempt to have the missed C & P exams rescheduled?

It is the C & P exam and diagnosis that reveals the criteria of what the rating should be. 

Do you have a proven nexus to your service for these MH issues?

Can you scan and post the denial here as to their rationale for denial and also the Evidence list they used?

Cover your C file #, name, address prior to scanning it.

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