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Frustrated!?!?

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Wes Smith

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Is anyone else out there frustrated with this process? I mean crap, its getting old. I have been making inquiries about getting some help with secondary claims. Everyone I talk to say how thankful they are for my service then tells me they want an ass load of money to help me. I understand paying for a service but, $1500.00 for a freaking nexxus letter then half of what I get for a year. Christ Almighty. Being on my fixed income that is out of reach. Does anyone have any ideas on who I can talk to? I dont mind paying but it has to be within my means. 

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Secondary's are my best ammo I ever used for my compensation.

First, you don't need a nexus, from service, like you do for primary disabilities.

Second, some of my secondary victories came without any doctor records (at the time of filling).  I just said my left ankle hurts a lot and I believe it is from limping from my right foot (service connected) issue.  After I made the claim, the VA sent me to a C&P, and after that appointment, the C&P examiner sent me for x-rays.  I was awarded secondary for my left ankle off my primary right foot, etc..

Finally, as Buck stated, after the C&P and the rating, percentage or denial, than you can appeal, and with a letter from a doctor saying that your primary issue caused your secondary issue.

Now, I have also won secondary's by going to my regular doctors for complaints (real issue, like chest pain) and an exam and was given medications to control (key sometimes to success), and then after some research here and other places, made a secondary claim with this new medical records.  Civilian doctors records seem to work better than VA doctor records for me this regard.

I'm dragging on here, but one real example for fun;  I went for a physical.  The doctor was checking my pulse at my extremities and then said hmmm and went into the hallway and called a student doctor to come in and listen to my pulse on top of my foot.  The student said, yes I here that.  I asked what all the big deal was and the doctor said that I had mini-beats, between my regular beats.  After some research, I found that either my LVH (service connected at 30%), or my medications for HBP (service connected at 10%) could be causing this.  Anyway, claimed irregular heart beats secondary to both my LVH and/or my HBP.  I was service connected for irregular heartbeats at 30% secondary to my LVH.  Anyway, what I am trying to say is you don't necessarily need a letter from a doctor making the connection, sometimes your records do it.

And sometimes you just need to herd the cats a bit,

Hamslice 

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I've personally never needed an actual "Nexus Letter".  Even with my PTSD due to MST.  I got a diagnosis from a Private Doc (I have other Health Insurance than VA).  She was very sympathetic to the VA issues, and she was willing to fill out the VA Form for me that normally is filled out at the C&P.  I already had proof of the incident that occurred in service by way of Police Report.  My Therapist is awesome and filled that one paper out for me, no charge.  Everything else, I did on my own.  

Secondary conditions were actually pretty easy (at least for me).  I knew I needed to prove diagnosis of each, so I went through the VA dx codes and criteria for rating.  I documented what I needed to prove for each rating criteria and reported the conditions to my VA Primary Doc if I hadn't already been tested/treated/diagnosed for it (MRI's, Heart Monitoring, etc..)  Once the tests were in my VA file, I downloaded them...highlighted them..added those to any private records I had from being treated in the past.  I then Googled the medical connection between the primary already SC'd condition (in my case Stress or meds for allergies, etc...) and downloaded the medical documentation of the relation...also highlighted the specific wording I wanted to note and submitted.  Like Hamslice said...you can present questions to your VA PCP in such a way that their notes on the visit give you what you're looking for instead of asking for an actual "letter".

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On 9/23/2020 at 3:02 PM, Wes Smith said:

Is anyone else out there frustrated with this process? I mean crap, its getting old. I have been making inquiries about getting some help with secondary claims. Everyone I talk to say how thankful they are for my service then tells me they want an ass load of money to help me. I understand paying for a service but, $1500.00 for a freaking nexxus letter then half of what I get for a year. Christ Almighty. Being on my fixed income that is out of reach. Does anyone have any ideas on who I can talk to? I dont mind paying but it has to be within my means. 

It would be helpful for us to know what you are claiming, current disability status, symptoms, etc.  

If you are 50% and you are claiming OSA secondary to PTSD and you have a cpap that would bump you from 50 to 80% doubling your payment from 893 to 1657 and with a 6 month retro you would be getting around $4500.  I understand you dont have that cash on hand, but if this is whats needed to get you that 50% secondary you want to start putting cash away, get a second job, sell some stuff, borrow from friends/family if possible until you get it.  We all get impatient with VA claims so i know how it is and what that feels like but you need to be patient.  Dr. Anaise is who i went for for my OSA secondary to PTSD and won.  He is also a claims attorney so you might be able to work out a deal for him to represent your appeal (if that applies) in exchange for a nexus letter. Remember, as those above have said youre paying for their time and expertise...but you are also paying for their bonafides, their position. You can make the EXACT same argument with the EXACT same evidence and be denied, but their signature makes the opinion worth 100x. Im not saying its right but this is the game the VA plays. 

i dont advocate debt but IF you have a great case and IF you can swing the monthly payments even if you lose consider a personal loan from a bank, rates are pretty low so at 8% for 48 months a 2000 loan will be around 90-100 a month.  If you can swing that safely its something to consider, but recheck your finances a 100 times to make sure you dont want to just barely be able to pay for it, have some cushion.  That being said if you CAN swing 100 a month save that in a jar and try and find a few hours of work here an dthere on the side. i have a good job, but i also pick up dog poop, rake yards, etc for some side cash. dog poop is actually good money especially in the spring when NO ONE likes to clean up a winters full yard of wet crap.

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A ton of solid info in here! I would honestly have to find out more about your claim. For example, for a PTSD claims if you have a DX from the VA already, you combine that with a solid personal statement and a buddy letter. You got a really good claim and don't have to pay. 

 

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