I have to quit my job...

[Sgt. Wilky]

Hello All,

I am looking for guidance, experience, opinions, and any information on having to quit because of my disabilities. I'm 80% combined service-connected, but I'm so tired of the pain and chronic fatigue that I cannot continue on with my work anymore. My wife and sons are suffering because of my grumpiness and tiredness, I can't attend a lot of their functions and spending quality time with them is difficult. I have worked as a security guard on Homeland Security contracts since 2004, after getting back from Iraq, and it's all I've ever known or done. I can't hardly walk the beat anymore and the simplest of tasks is becoming more and more difficult. 

 My intention is to file for an increase in the three separate 10% for "undiagnosed gulf war illness". My VSO and my potential VSO thinks I'm making a mistake by "bringing attention to myself" (well, no kidding) from the VA and will endure years of hassle (can you imagine my VSO saying this?). I have been under the care of a Rheumatologist, a Neurologist, and now a Pulmonologist. for over 3 years now. My Rheumatologist has filled out DBQ for me when I was being hassled before. I have had other people tell me I should be 100% TDIU, but getting there is very difficult, but I'm willing to fight for it.

 Anyway, my last day at work is May 1st so that we have some time to change our budget. My plan is to completely flip my life around as best as possible and spend time concentrating on me and my family. Any information on the fight, the paperwork, whatever (yes, I'll search through the forums too) I'm willing to absorb.

Thank you!

Sgt. Wilky

 

[Buck52]

I totally agree here with broncovet

 however if your conditions are as bad as you say   why not try for the 100%scheduler  and not be TDIU, ?

Actually most veterans would want the 100% scheduler   if your conditions meet the requirements for the 100% go for that...IU AND 100% PAYS THE SAME  BUT IF YOU START TO FEEL BETTER YOU CAN AT LEAST WORK IF YOUR 100%  IF YOUR TDIU  YOU CAN'T WORK.

IT MAYBE JUST MY WAY OF THINKING BUT IT SEEMS DURING THE ELECTION YEAR THESE CLAIMS WILL BE APPROVED MORE THAN DENIED. 

And with this new AMA system  it seems to be working out better and better on the Approval side. 

I am not sure of the statistics review on this but just from here on hadit that seems to be true.

[19k4life]

I was at 80 or 90 when I filed for increase and tdiu back in 2017. I got some increase but tdiu was denied. I did a NOD and asked for DRO review. VA received my appeal on July 30 2018. I recently was granted tdiu p&t..so it took 19 months. I don't know why it was granted but I believe I had a very good c&p exams shortly after filing NOD.

In my current job at the dmv requires at least 1 year before allowed to file FMLA.

Before filing with my appeal, I went to see a VSO at the DAV office at the main hospital..They sat with me and seem to be not so interested in helping me as well. Kept in saying I shouldn't appeal without more evidence. I had no further evidence when I filed the NOD and only thing was that favorable c&p exam done at the VA hospital. Never used a lawyer nor a va serv rep. Got out of active duty around 2013.. Started from 20%..40%..50%..70%..80%..90%..and lastly the 100% recently.. My timeline. I never had to go see a occp specialist or visited outside of va doctors.

Just don't give up sir.. Good luck.

[brokensoldier244th]

What’s the election got to do with it? Depending on the audience he talks to we’re all either the best people, or entitled moochers. He, or people in his administration with his support have said every year that welfare needs to go, and then lumps us in there. 

[Sgt. Wilky]

16 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

I totally agree here with broncovet

 however if your conditions are as bad as you say   why not try for the 100%scheduler  and not be TDIU, ?

Actually most veterans would want the 100% scheduler   if your conditions meet the requirements for the 100% go for that...IU AND 100% PAYS THE SAME  BUT IF YOU START TO FEEL BETTER YOU CAN AT LEAST WORK IF YOUR 100%  IF YOUR TDIU  YOU CAN'T WORK.

IT MAYBE JUST MY WAY OF THINKING BUT IT SEEMS DURING THE ELECTION YEAR THESE CLAIMS WILL BE APPROVED MORE THAN DENIED. 

And with this new AMA system  it seems to be working out better and better on the Approval side. 

I am not sure of the statistics review on this but just from here on hadit that seems to be true.

Okay, so I have some learnin' to do...I need to understand the difference between 100% schedular and TDIU. As of now, my opinion and the opinion of my wife (will be visiting with my doctors about this in March and April) is that as of right now, I'm not able to continue employment at my current job. I would be fine with just 100%. I don't believe that I'm permanently unemployable; but as of right now, I am.

I certainly appreciate everyone's response. I think I'm going to be on here a lot more bugging the snot of you all. Thank you so much in advance!

Sgt. Wilky

[Buck52]

Well their is NO difference in pay it is the same and the benefits are the same , but with TDIU your not supposed to work  , you can work being rating the IU but under special circumstances.

If your 100% scheduler you can work.

(JMO)> I never understood this IU rating Criteria  because if your bad enough you can't work  then you should be rated 100%  but the way the regulations read on certain S.C.conditions a veteran may not reach the 100%  so actually the IU is a good thing for some veterans.

but getting the IU is much harder, They put you under the microscope more and check all the things necessary to get the IU.

If your Service connected conditions will meet the % to be eligible for the 100% scheduler  then if I was you I'd go for that.  these different  service connected conditions can also be combined to add up!!!

you need all your ratings to combiend up to the 95% to get the 100% scheduler.

The TDIU is for veterans that don't meet the required 100% rating but has a rating under the to 100% and can't work due to his service connected disabilities, so they give the veteran the IU  to help his family.

but he can't go back to work  if he does he takes a big gamble of losing all he has got. or reduced back to a lower rating.

Back when I was rated for TDIU P&T I HAD A 50% RATING  OK I GOT 10% FOR TINNITUS  THAT PUT ME UP TO THE 60% RATE...THEN I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE  TDIU  I WENT FOR AN INCREASE AND WAS AWARDED 30% AND A COMBINED RATING OF 90% THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH RATING TO GET ME THE 100%  IT WAS AT 90% 

BUT SINCE I COULD NOT WORK DUE TO THESE DISABILITIES  THEY GAVE ME THE  TDIU P&T TO BE PAID AT THE 100%..BUT I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO WORK...I COULDN'T WORK IF I COULD.

SO IF YOU CAN GET YOUR RATINGS UP TO 95%  THEN YOU CAN GET THE 100% SCHEDULER AND IF YOU CAN WORK YOU CAN.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Buck52