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Bilateral claim - Knee and ankles

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Foxhound6

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Hello all! I am contemplating filing my intent to file for bilateral knee and ankle. I have service connected Internal Derangement of Left Knee @ 30%. I have had it since I was SC'd for it sometime in 2012 after i exited AD. It has been some time and my other knee screams as well as both my ankles. My plan is to get an IMO done for the issues and submit it. My main question is: for the ankle  that is on the same leg as SC injury, is this considered a bilateral secondary as well or is that a separate secondary claim for the knee? If there is anything else that I may be missing with filing all this correctly, please feel free to let me know! Thanks for all the help!!

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If you go to the IMO section, you will see my threads that I started, for Haggard, L, and Steingart.

Because I'm the one that continue to state we need to find more Vet friendly docs, besides the 3 known ones in Tucson, Oklahoma City, and Bethesda. They're getting old, can't do this forever, and need young blood today for tomorrow. For that it doesn't help if you're in BFE and the doctor is on Easter Island. 

Have Haggard do the basics for you: meet and greet, ROMs, view the CORE Institute x-rays and scans, and then the knee DBQ. This will be your new current status. 

Post on Haggard thread when you make the appointment, then, post again with the exam and your thoughts--so that these threads grow.

Then make an appointment to see Dr L. Take you c-file, Haggard DBQ, and CORE Institute scans dvd and record, to Dr. L. Have Dr. L do his IMEO. 

What do you call an orthopedic surgeon that didn't go to surgery school? a Physiatrist - Physical medicine and rehabilitation. They're as competent and are specialist.  

BTW 30% is pretty much the max for your knee. My ankle was injured in service, but the damage was later to my knee, and my ankle is pretty much fine and going through the appeal process right now for my knee as secondary to my ankle.

"Scans" mean x-rays and cat and MRIs, imagines.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I believe bilateral would be on opposite sides injured, so if your left leg is s-c your bilateral would be if your right leg was also injured. But no matter what; it is all going to be determined by what is in the IMO letter from the doc. His/her analysis is the key for your claim.

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Foxhound6

If you get a good IMO, as planned, you should be ok. I agree with you, do the ITF now and scout around for a good doc and an IMO for you. You may be developing additional issues, like hips, back or spine problems as well. So if you have any symptoms for those additional issues that can be secondary, pay attention to them as well. And then meds prescribed for pain, etc. Be sure to read up on the warnings for those because they can lead to stomach and GERD issues. It is a slippery slope you are on. Pay attention to what your body will be telling you.

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3 minutes ago, GBArmy said:

Foxhound6

If you get a good IMO, as planned, you should be ok. I agree with you, do the ITF now and scout around for a good doc and an IMO for you. You may be developing additional issues, like hips, back or spine problems as well. So if you have any symptoms for those additional issues that can be secondary, pay attention to them as well. And then meds prescribed for pain, etc. Be sure to read up on the warnings for those because they can lead to stomach and GERD issues. It is a slippery slope you are on. Pay attention to what your body will be telling you.

GBArmy

Indeed. Thanks for the assurance. Fortunately, with the opioid problems in the states, I don't get pain meds, but I do take a muscle relaxer time to time. I am waiting on an appeal for my back as I felt its due to a trauma injury versus my knee (asked a question on that, will update once I know more on outcome as its pending in RAMP). My hips do hurt but I feel if I can SC the back, I can secondary the hips to that. But knee could also work I suppose. Hard to tell whats causing it lol. Just may be easier to secondary hips to knee instead..

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  • HadIt.com Elder

In any case, you are tuned in. You'll do ok. Keep at it; keep reading (and contributing) to Hadit. What you learn try to share so others can move forward too.

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2 hours ago, GBArmy said:

In any case, you are tuned in. You'll do ok. Keep at it; keep reading (and contributing) to Hadit. What you learn try to share so others can move forward too.

Absolutely. Only been on the forums for about a week and a half but already know TONS more than I did. I plan on updating all questions i ask with final results.

Also, any clue as to the final question? With my left knee being the SC'd leg, does the same ankle fall under bilateral OR as a secondary to the knee but separate from bilateral from the opposite knee and ankle? Thanks for all your input!

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