Looking for some advice...

[CH88]

Hello everybody, 

I wanted to post this under the RAMP program but seems to be disabled or discontinued area to post. Anways short background is I a filed claim for anxiety and PTSD in Sept. 2016 was denied, appealed to DRO Aug. 2017, accepted to be put into the RAMP program Aug. 2018 in Supplemental claim with the initial completion date to be June 8th 2019. Called PEGGY yesterday to find out if they have had any movement and was told by individual that he really doesn't see anybody in RAMP anymore. Asked if he could dig a little deeper and he stated he would send an inquiry to the RO dealing with my claim (assuming its still in Phoenix AZ). So I checked VA.gov today and now my estimated completion date was pushed out from a completion date of tomorrow to July 10th, 2020. I thought that RAMP was a pilot program that basically the VA was attempting to complete most claims submitted for the results and find out if this new appeals process would work? Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like I should have just stayed in the DRO and not taken the risk if they are going to take the same time to complete if I didn't opt into RAMP. 

I was initially denied for mental health disabilities due to my psychologist doing the C and P exam (in 2016) stating "I cannot answer whether the disabilities started in service without mere speculation." Then the VA asked her to give an answer along the lines of most likely or not, direct, less likely, etc. She wouldn't answer and I was denied benefits. I had an IMO which gave me a an "at least likely as not" for service connection and filed an appeal. Then during this RAMP in March 2019 VA sent me to another C and P exam offsite and was given the same "at least likely as not" for anxiety service connection. I was diagnosed with anxiety, insomnia, shortness of breath/panic attacks during service which seemed kind of straight forward when applying for anxiety but I guess not. 

I guess I am asking is there anybody else out there that has a RAMP with a completion date of July 2020 or later? Does the claim seem relevant, meaning diagnosed with anxiety in service and given diagnosis of anxiety from VA mental health/private provider within few months of recent C and P? Is RAMP a long term appeals process or should I be hounding my back burner DAV rep. who seems to be busy all the time? Also I have been in a preparation for decision phase since the last C and P exam which was March 2019, for all my other claims once it hit this stage it went a lot faster. Any advice would be great, thanx!

 

Edited July 31, 2019 by CH88

[Buck52]

Yes I understand Geeky   hopefully other veterans will read your post on this  that have the same problems or fairly close.

I had a VA C&P ENT Specialist try to say that my hearing loss was ok when I separated from the military and the Test showed  no hearing loss...well I was not claiming hearing loss at the time  of my separation from military.. BUT IT CAUSED ME HAVC with the claims process for hearing loss that occurred at a later date my hearing went bad 20 plus years after my military service at age 48 I had a very hard time with it lost my job  and took me a while to get help  at the time I was in appeals back in 1998. I could not work out in public,factory work and other type work where around people to communicate .

  I mowed yards in my neighbor hood while my spouse worked her arsh off as a hair dresser working 12/13 long hours a day after she got her  beautician licenses ,  before that she was a waitress   so I felt like less a man  although I could not do the work i went to college for which was being a state Law Enforcement Officer.  so we just made do back then eat a lot of Bologna sandwiches  as to which are fairly tastee when your low on food funds and your hungry.

a lot of veterans can relate  luckily for us we lived in a small mobil home and couple acres of land  all paid for  just had our utility's to pay. but it was still hard  with no guarteed income.

I had to go get a Private specialist IMO.IME/ to rebute this VA  examiner specialist, THAT study's have show Bilateral Hearing loss can be or shown to be related from any loud  sudden noise with unprotected ear-cover (we were not giving ear protection during combat  like they do today ( but that's another issue for the new veterans the ear protection does not work.).. hearing loss  may take years and years later to show up in the Veterans problem Hearing 

  The damaged was done  to the ear-drum at the time of the loud SUDDEN noise like IED's, artillery fire ,mortar rocket fire, ect,,ect,, so based on the loud sudden noise syndrome  Noise Induced Hearing loss can and will occur in some veterans and in some it won't. so this is why we  have Audiologist to test our hearing level or percent of loss of hearing.

Hearing loss is one of the hardest claims to win  even if a qualified Audiologist says your  hearing loss is of profound and severe nature  and not expected to improve in your life time.and gives the test #'s   even with the use of both Hearing Aids.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Buck52

[GeekySquid]

28 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Hearing loss is one of the hardest claims to win  even if a qualified Audiologist says your  hearing loss is of profound and severe nature  and not expected to improve in your life time.and gives the test #'s   even with the use of both Hearing Aids.

yep it is. It gets harder (IMO) if the VA refuses to look at your entire service record and just flat out denies service connection.

My decision letter on that amounts to "Yep you are deaf but we won't look at all the files to avoid having to pay you."

[Buck52]

Geeky

with all your evidence on your hearing claim   you may want to check intpo a DRO Hearing and talk to a DRO and show him/her up close your hearing disability.and more than likely bad word discrimnation...Hearing impaired person don't pro-nous  their words correctly when speaking...

The DRO will consider your evidence and will see your having a Hard time with your hearing ect,,,ect,,,,

...but it takes a while now to get a on the DRO Hearing Review List.

.back in 2002 It took me 3 months after my filing my NOD on a denial  for increase but was Service connected at 0%...so with my DRO Hearing Review I sit along with my spouse right in front of this DRO And a Rating specialist  officer together they were on my side and approved me for TDIU P&T right then,  they expedited my claim that same day DRO GAVE ME A THUMBS UP as I wasa happy camper man...what a reliif that was  and my claim  was closed out with in 30 days of the hearing review   with no exams scheduled  that was in 2002  so I have 2 more years on my 20 year protection

However Unfortunately the DRO  Review Process works differently now as  more and more Veterans are selecting the DRO Review,  that's why it is a slower process  so its rather or not you want to test your patients  or not .?  it was much different 18 years ago.

[GeekySquid]

1 minute ago, Buck52 said:

ou may want to check intpo a DRO Hearing and talk to a DRO and show him/her up close your hearing disability

@Buck52

This is a good suggestion. In terms of sequence though I want to get the EED first by filing CUE. There are other things this affects that I cannot move forward on until I get that EED.

As I understand things I cannot have a CUE and a NOD on the same issue running at the same time, even if they come from different awards.

[CH88]

Geeky, its cool no worries. 

Buck52, I chose the Supplemental lane and provided relevant evidence as such please look at ETS diagnosis prior to getting out of service. I am just surprised that VA states that it was not service connected when numerous documents show that I was diagnosed with anxiety in service. 

ETSinservicedocument.pdf

[GeekySquid]

4 minutes ago, CH88 said:

Geeky, its cool no worries.

Thanks CH