Update: got my final determination

[Ronc531]

Finally received my final determination. 

I was rated at 10% for 40 years and had 11 knee surgeries. finally had my rt knee replaced last year. I got with someone to help me file for VA benefits for other issues besides the rt knee that have arised from my knee problems and just received my letter of determination.

A knee replacement gives you 13 months of 100% disability payments. Since it went long to determine my case i have received 100% for 14 months now. a knee replacement rating after the surgery is 30% to 60% depending on how the surgery goes. I had received a determination for some of the other claims I had made and was awarded 20% + 20% + 10%. 

Since my replacement didn't go well, I am in worse pain then before my surgery. I have been awarded 60%, the highest you can get and 3 more months more of 100% to decide if I want to appeal their decision. I don't really understand this since I received the highest rating I can get and have no reason to appeal. I feel very grateful for the decision and how the VA has handled my case. 

With the knee decision i just received and the other awards I am now at 90% total and cannot believe how lucky I have been! It's not just the monthly payment but all of my medical is now taken care of by the VA and because I am over 50% disabled the state i live in gives me a 50% discount on my property taxes that is worth over $3,000 a year. I have been able to have thousands of dollars in dental work taken care of that I wasn't able to afford.

I am very grateful for everything I have received this is going to make my wife's and my life so much better. this has come at a great time. My wife just found out that see has to have eye surgery and it will cost us thousands of dollars out of pocket. 

I have dealt with the VA in past years and always received a run around but this time they seem so different than in past years.

Thank you all for your help in the past year and hope that everyone has the luck with the VA I have had this last year.

[GBArmy]

Congrats to you; very happy that the good guy won!

[ShrekTheTank]

Ronc531,

First of Congrats!  Now onto the bad news of knees.  Typically the years following your knee replacement surgery the other knee will go bad and need to be replaced.  I know this because I have 4 family members who have now had both knees done.  So remember about secondary and bilateral conditions.  If you are having issues with it now, I would start the claim for secondary to get the ball rolling.

[broncovet]

Congratulations!   I have had a knee replaced, also, which I allege happened in service.  (Fracture in service).  Mine is not sc, the VA decided not to adjuticate my knee arthritis.  

However, Im at 100 percent anyway, so i havent appealed.  

If your knee issues prevent you from working, consider filing TDIU.  

[Ronc531]

9 hours ago, shrekthetank1 said:

Ronc531,

First of Congrats!  Now onto the bad news of knees.  Typically the years following your knee replacement surgery the other knee will go bad and need to be replaced.  I know this because I have 4 family members who have now had both knees done.  So remember about secondary and bilateral conditions.  If you are having issues with it now, I would start the claim for secondary to get the ball rolling.

Thanks, unfortunately after 40 years of the right knee being bad and 12 surgeries now the left one bothers me as well. that was one of the other conditions that they took responsibility for in the 20%-20%-10% i mentioned above.. So as it gets worse I won't have to fight to get them to take responsibility. only got 10% but at least they are accepting  that they are responsible. Even so at 90% all my medical is taking care of now it seems like it is really hard to get 100% the way they stack disabilities. 

 

[Ronc531]

11 hours ago, GBArmy said:

Congrats to you; very happy that the good guy won!

Thanks, I was really surprised, from what I have read and my previous experience it seems like it is next to impossible to get ratings to go your way. 

I really feel bad for vets that have to fight for years to get what they deserve, I feel a little guilty that I got what I did as fast as I did, when there are so many others here that deserve to be taken care of. My wife says after 40 years at 10% they owe use.

Still, I hope things are going faster for other disabled vets, I know it has been a lot different for me this time around.

[Ronc531]

9 hours ago, broncovet said:

Congratulations!   I have had a knee replaced, also, which I allege happened in service.  (Fracture in service).  Mine is not sc, the VA decided not to adjuticate my knee arthritis.  

However, Im at 100 percent anyway, so i havent appealed.  

If your knee issues prevent you from working, consider filing TDIU.  

Fortunately, I work out of my house for the most part, but if that changed I would have a hard time working unless it was a government job that would give me preference for being disabled.