LHI and covid

[john999]

I was recently sent a letter by LHI for an exam .  This was for a disability I did not actually claim.  I know this is nuts.  On the letter from LHI it stated that if I was over 65 years old I did not have to attend the exam if I feared possible infection by covid-19.  I told them I was afraid of covid and that since I did not actually claim this new disability I did not want to attend the pension exam.  Today I got a letter telling me I was eligible for Disabled Vet Life Insurance.  I interpret this as the VA having ignored my letters and made a decision on a new disability I did not claim.  Wow.....this is goofy especially since I think they granted a rating on this unclaimed disability.  I had written them twice telling them I did not claim the new disability and that it was a mistake.  Never the less, it looks like they may have granted it anyway.  I did go for a DMII exam for an increase.  I was told a decision was made on all my claims and that I would be getting a letter in the next ten days.  This is a bit nerve wracking wondering what the hell the VA is up to now.  The so-called new disability claim I did not make has nothing to do with DMII.   Once the VA wheels get rolling they are hard to stop even if they are wrong.

[GBArmy]

John999 Again, congrats! Hellofa ride. Good job on sticking with it. Good example for others too!

[john999]

Since I had been in the ICU for my DMII I was just wanting to have my rating increased.  VA increased my rating for neuropathy  for all four limbs. They did not increase the basic rating for DMII.  When you file a claim you just never know exactly what will come of it.  I was already getting TDIU so I did not expect my compensation to increase and it did not.  I guess I will have to go blind, have an amputation or need a kidney transplant for that to happen. I am not worried about it.  I have enough cash every month to be comfortable in retirement.  I am good with that.

[broncovet]

You may be (now) eligible for SMC S..another 370 per month or so.  This would be if you have a single 100 percent (tdiu counts..see Bradley vs Peake) and additional that combine to 60 percent would mean you get statuatory smc s.  

The VA regurarly "forgets" Smc S, and you may have to appeal if you meet the criteria.  

[Carl the Engineer]

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Hamslice

Reminds me, I need to pick up some fried chicken for dinner tonite...

[Buck52]

John999

Are you already getting the SMC S? Before this New Claim was filed?

I don't understand why the VA or someone besides yourself filed a new claim?  just out of the blue?

Unless they did a Random Review on your already service connected condition  and the  VA Dr mention your condition or conditions have actually got worse ?  especially if your IU?  And you got the IU on a combined rating? below the 100%?

 

Sometimes late mornings  3:00am  I get on the computer and  go to e benefits  and read up on how they have my benefits displayed  and my compensation and my Effective dates...I am careful not to go to where we submit claims button is.....>     if you was to hit the claim send button  without actually filing out a claim form  they take that as you did file a claim...and if this ever happens you need to send them an explanation as to what happen and ask them to make a Amendment   that you accidently hit the send in a claim button.

I was guilty of doing that    back when I filed for my PTSD Claim  electronically  I hit the submit button and it never sent  or showed it sent and I hit it again and again   I had 4 extra MULTI  claims I  NEVER FILED ON  BUT THIS WAS THE REASON.

[john999]

Yes, I already got S.  Maybe I did that what you say about hitting the submit button because I was looking at my ratings a few months ago.  The VA did withdraw the PTSD claim increase at my insistence.   I was connected for PTSD but it was combined with 3 other conditions. I had 70% and that was about all I think I could get.  I had TDIU P&T and a combined rating of 90%.  My DMII got worse and I was already connected for PN.  The LHI doctor must have wrote a  hell of a exam for the PN because VA increased it by about 80%.  They added two new conditions of 20% apiece.  They left my DM11 rating at 20% because they said the doc did not say I had restricted activity.  This is weird because the PN in all four limbs is pretty bad and I drop things all the time.  Walking for exercise is out of the question for me nowdays.  My activities are already restricted.  I was thinking about appealing the DMII award but I do have 100% combined rating now.  Buck,  it was incredibly hard to go from 90% to 100%.  I wish I could have held out for a 100% schedular rating back  20 years ago.  I was so glad to get TDIU I just latched onto it.  I was out of work and needed that money.  I was way too old and too f'ed up at the time to go for another job.  So that is my story and the mystery claim.