Success story

[USMC_VET]

Yesterday was a great day. I have been working on these claims for awhile and this last year i really decided to do it right and spend the money and time necessary to win that last few claims i had been denied over the years.

I was checking my status on va.gov and ebenefits and noticed while va.gov showed it as "gathering evidence" still ebenefits under pending disabilities when you click "check pending claim" it had been listed as "preparation for decision".  As a sidenote i realized that ebenefits had alot more steps in it (gathering -> prep for decision-> pending decision approval -> preparation for notification) while va.gov only goes form gathering to prep for decision, so ebenefits can help show in more detail where the claim is at. Anyways.  i checked yesterday and it had moved back to gathering of evidence and i was bummed.  This claim was started July 2019 and i had finally gotten my in person C&P's 2 weeks ago.  

I decided to check the Letter section of ebenefits, as in the past that has been sometimes updated faster than everything else and low and behold it showed i had won so i checked "disabilities" again and it repopulated.

PTSD - I won my increase to 70% after multiple denials.  since 2016 (wasnt continuously pursued since then unfortunately) i had made multiple attempts and after 2 denials in 2017, 2019 i decided to get a IMO again (which i first used in 2015 to fight a reduction).  My C&P's were done by both VA & QTC in those past denials and after getting my Cfile i saw that the examiner didnt note down or check boxes on ALOT of the things i had talked to them about. for example i get panic attacks everday and take medication, they check the "less than once per week" box??? Anyways after TWO VES C&P's this year my IMO won out and i finally won this claim.

Shin splints - They kept me at 0% but im not going to appeal it now

Back - after multiple ER visits and therapy and increases in med doses they finally agreed that it was slightly worse  than the original 10% they gave me in 2011 and upped it to only 20%, but ill take it

I also had a IBS, GERD & Hemorrhoid claim that was deferred, im guessing until they can do more tests.

After this I am now 100% schedular, but they also gave me P&T! which was great!  

 

I was impatient about waiting for the letter which was only sent on the 16th so i called the 1800 # and the VA person told me they couldnt send me a digital copy until its past 10 days but he could look at the letter and confirm questions i had and was able to confirm the % & P&T, which was cool.

Edited November 18, 2020 by USMC_VET

[USMC_VET]

22 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

Sorry! I misread above- it says "after this I am no 100% schedular....." I think, by context, that is supposed to say "now....". Got it. 

 

 

whoops my bad.

I wasnt expecting or requesting P&T so how does that work exactly, is it automatically considered once you reach 100% schedular or otherwise? does it apply to all my disabilities or is it just 1,2?

[brokensoldier244th]

Not usually at the outset. I was  100% for over a year before another claim finished and they just made me P&T. It applies to the rating itself, basically means that you aren't likely to improve. Your individual ratings are still subject to the 5-10 20 rule, in a nutshell the longer you have your ratings the higher the threshold is to attempt to reduce. P/T usually means that they leave you alone for triggered re-examinations on your ratings. Being P and T opens up some other things, if you have kids or dependents (DEA/Chap 35), along with various state benefits depending on where you live like homestead/Real Property tax reductions, car registration/taxes reduction or elimination, stuff like that. 

[GBArmy]

Congrats!!! Indeed!!!

[Marine Corp 69/70]

Congrats (Semper Fi Brother)

[Carl the Engineer]

Winner, winner, Turkey dinner,

Hamslice