Unqualified C&P Exam Psychologist

[DSIG]

LHI just sent me the details for my C&P exam appointment. This is for a PTSD increase claim. I looked up the doctor and even though there wasn’t much on him I found that he is a child psychologist, doesn’t have many and good reviews, wrote a book about social justice for children with disabilities that he sells on Amazon for $12 and was deposed for his professional credentials. One review says ‘I can’t believe this guy still has his license’.  I’m including a link to his creepy deposition. Where does LHI find these doctors and how can I get this changed?  Do I go to VA and ask for another contractor or take it up with LHI?

www.dpdlaw.com/weistuc.htm

[GBArmy]

Make sure he uses the correct revision of the dbq form and he completes it. Pay attn. to the part where he sees you in person and is your treating physician .Strong professional opinion is the trick. If denied, you check the curdential yours vs. the VA's doc and you can issue a challenge. I would suggest you prepare the claim assuming you will be going to the BVA.

[DSIG]

Thanks GBArmy.  The oral surgeon is also helping me with a bruxism and TMJ claim that I’m filling as secondary to PTSD. He took a panoramic X-ray for the TMJ. What VA examiner will do that? I know he will include this in his remarks. 
 

As for the form being filled out completely I have a question about this for another claim.  I went to an audiologist about my tinnitus which I thought for sure was from the TMJ. Turns out I have slight bilateral hearing loss.  The audiologist used to work for the VA years ago so she wrote a nexus letter for me and included her CV and also filled out a DBQ for ear condition. Hearing loss and tinnitus has its own DBQ but the VA hasn’t made that available for public release and the one I found online says for internal va use only. On the ear condition DBQ she competed she wrote that she reviewed private dental records but did not give the dates of the records. Since she basically did all this for free I don’t want to go back and ask her to include the date because I’ll be including the dental letter about the TMJ which has a date.  Does it matter that she did not include the date range of the dental records she reviewed? Or should I not include the DBQ since the hearing loss and tinnitus DBQ also needs to be completed? I’m filing the bilateral hearing loss as a new claim with tinnitus as secondary but I will also include the tinnitus with the TMJ claim and see where it sticks.  I don’t know if the nexus letter, cv, DBQ snd hearing tests are overkill for a new claim.

[john999]

DSIG

 

 If you don't mind telling what is your disability rating?  Are you trying for 100% or just chasing loose ends?  I think to get a decent rating for hearing loss you need to be deaf as a post.  You might get some hearing aids before you go for the exam.

[DSIG]

John999 I’m 70%.  I’m expecting 0% for hearing loss and 10% for tinnitus.  TMJ 10 or 20% and not sure how they will rate bruxism and dentin sensitivity.  Cranial neuropathy comes with 4 years of symptoms. Monday going for a sleep study.  I’m sure I’ll move the needle a little, not sure if it will get to 100. 

[john999]

DSIG

 

       Are you going to apply for TDIU?  Chasing small claims will probably not get you to 100%.  I had to get an additional rating of over 50% to get to 100% and I was at 90%.  VA math just kills many 100% claims.  I think I actually had an additional 80% above the existing 90% and that got me to 100%.  I had TDIU P&T.  I was not even trying for 100% for my claim for an increase in my DMII.

[DSIG]

john999, not going down TDIU route quite yet.  May do it by claiming protected work environment with the PTSD but I don't want to spend my time and energy on that now and I also know that's going to be difficult.  I'm going to see how these other little claims turn out.  VA math is like the casino slot machines basically.  The claims system math is rigged in a way that reaching 100% is close to impossible...unless you have a litany of little claims.  Look, I really didn't think I had hearing loss and was surprised with my hearing test results but I'm being realistic and know I will probably get 0%. Its good to put in for it in case it gets worst. So, I really don't know what to expect with the sleep study either.  I honestly would rather have excellent health than compensation all my life.