Another Grant. Again, use an IMO

[MikeHunt]

As I've stressed, use a doctor's opinion. You will win.

Go to your state's Military Affairs department to file- They have the best financed VSO- in my state, it happens to be they chose The Legion- Yours may be different.

Don't communicate with the VA- use the VSO. You are in, essentially, a trial- Calling the other side wouldn't be a good idea- and it isn't here. In short, they're not telling the Legion they called to drop your claim.

This site is becoming FAR to confusing.

[broncovet]

I agree with your assesment that Vets should "use an IMO" and you will win, even that is more than a little bit challenging for many Vets, especially broke ones, and that does not apply in every case.   

My IMO cost a modest $600, and I put it on a credit card.  However, when I first applied, back in 2002,  $600 may as well have been 6 million dollars..I didnt have it and was losing my home.  

Many IMO's cost MUCH MUCH more.  

As far as VSO's, well that is a crap shoot down a rabbit hole.  Some VSO's have VBMS access, some do not.  Some have a VBM, others do not.  Some are familiar with Caluza elements, some are not.   

NOT "every" Veteran needs an IMO.  For instance, if you dont have a documented "in service event", then an IMO is meaningless, and a waste of money.   And, not every Veteran can drive to their State VSO, mine is about 300 miles away.  

As far as the site being "far to confusing", it is certainly not MY idea that VA makes benefits confusing.  They even speak their own language..as did you!  When I first applied I had no idea what an IMO or  even VSO was.  

For example, the VA often has different benefits and different rules, depending upon the time you served (war time, not war time), whether or not you are a Nehmer Veteran, etc., etc.  

This is why its best to supply as much information as you can when asking questions:  When did you serve, when did you apply, are you already sc, and for what conditions, etc.  

It just requires different answers for different Veterans, its not "one size fits all".  For example, Vietnam Vets, eligible for Nehmer, have certain presumptives and this makes things easier (sometimes).  Other Vets, who served in Vietnam sometimes have a hard time proving they served in VN.  

Trust me its not my  idea this is so confusing.  I think the VA does this to save money.  Many Vets "just take the VA employees" or VSO's word for it, and "someday" I will be able to calculate how much a VSO's bad advice cost me.  THe VSO told me I should not appeal a zero percent rating.  That was a very bad, and costly idea.  

[El Train]

If the VA C&P disagree's with your outside IMO, you will lose.  Even if the VA C&P examiner is a NP vs your outside IMO from an MD.  Maybe you will win on appeal, I don't know.  I know, because it happened to me.  However, if the evidence is there, the VA probably will agree with your outside IMO.  I had several claims where the VA agreed and disagreed with my outside IMO's.  The claims I did win put me at 100% P&T with SMC-S.  Otherwise I'd fight the hell out of the ones they denied.  Having the IMO's certainly will help advance your claims in a positive directions.  The burden of proof is on the veteran for sure. 

[63Charlie]

This site is AMAZING.

So much information shared by those who have gone before us.

Some members remain to voluntarily help other vets learn the complex VA disability process.

[USMC_VET]

On 10/9/2020 at 12:16 PM, El Train said:

If the VA C&P disagree's with your outside IMO, you will lose.  Even if the VA C&P examiner is a NP vs your outside IMO from an MD.  Maybe you will win on appeal, I don't know.  I know, because it happened to me.  However, if the evidence is there, the VA probably will agree with your outside IMO.  I had several claims where the VA agreed and disagreed with my outside IMO's.  The claims I did win put me at 100% P&T with SMC-S.  Otherwise I'd fight the hell out of the ones they denied.  Having the IMO's certainly will help advance your claims in a positive directions.  The burden of proof is on the veteran for sure. 

exactly, i think the important thing to always remember is that alot of what we do in a claim is less about ENSURING WE WIN THE INITIAL CLAIM and about setting ourselves up for an appeal if it happens.  It is perfectly possible a VA NP can say your headaches arent that bad, and your neurologist says they are really bad and they go with the NP. upon appeal that isnt going to fly.  Yes we should win when the evidence presented meets the requirements for SC or a grant level but the world is as it is.  

on the issue of IMO's/confusion on hadit @broncovetis  on this.  I am in a position financially where i can afford to get IMO's as i need them for the most part. Not every vet is.  In some cases a IMO is really the ONLY way to win, in others its not 100% necessary but makes it much much easier.  In the later cases some vets are going to have to do alot more work of bolstering their claim with sworn statements and visits to whatever specialist they can find that will help them out and write up helpful exam notes or even a DBQ. Some claims are as easy as getting a good VSO + IMO and calling it a day, others are not.  There was alot of information on this forum both question i asked and ones i researched from others questions that made huge differences in how i approached claims, evidence i submitted, how i submit it, and case law to cite and research, etc.  

[GBArmy]

Agree with USMC_VET You often set up your claim to win on appeal of the initial denial. One thing to add about costs of IMO's. If it's not presumptive, you're going to need the nexus. Yes it is costly; but then, I know very few people who go to college for 8 years or more and then work for free. But the good news is, some, not all, will work out a payment plan with you so you don't have to front the fee up front. It is getting competitive with some of these doctors and some will extend a  hand. It's up to the veteran to seek them out. But I am from the school that says 80% of a pie is a lot better than 100% of no dessert all. 

[deedub75]

I kept getting denied by the same VA nurse practitioner for bogus reasons and each time it went back to her she made up new reasons to deny me. I asked my VSO how to get my claims away from this NP and they told me get send it to BVA or get an IMO. I didn't want to send it back to BVA because they were the ones who remanded my claim back to the original VA NP who kept denying me in the first place. I typed up a nexus letter that I found on the internet and asked my personal orthopedic surgeon if he would support me. I gave him the letter that I typed basically as a template and told him he could add or change things in the letter that he saw fit. He just took the letter that I typed up, put it on his letterhead, signed it and mailed it to me. I submitted it as a supplemental claim and I was sent to a contractor for new exams and all claims were finally granted.