A Hill worth climbing?

[staticline]

Hello and thanks for reading. I have tried to research the FAQ but keep getting the error message " We could not locate the item you are trying to view. Error code: 2F176/1", so hopefully this is not to repetitive. First a little bit of a back story- I have 44 years combined service for pay (Both active duty (combat) Active Reserve, NG and returns to Active duty for deployments. I used a state VA representative to help file my claim and during the process (the VSO) filed all my claims at one time. These included PTSD, Type  II diabetes (presumptive), Tinnitus, Bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea, neuropathy in my left foot, right foot etc.  

After an C&P I was given a 100% P&T for PTSD (service connected - Combat). My other issues were initially deferred. After looking at my information on eBenefits (still waiting of subsequent decision letters, I found the following  (note I have completed all the C&P examinations as requested)

10% For tinnitus (service connected) 20% for Type II diabetes, (service connected) 10% for myopathy in my left foot,  10% for my right foot (service connected) 0% for bilateral hearing loss (service connected) and 0% for sleep apnea (NOT service connected). 

So while I was surprised at the sleep apnea rating, I think that perhaps this was a result of the the way the claim was filed, in that it was not filed as a secondary to the PTSD. 

So the questions then becomes, since I am not seeking SMC, as I do not presently see a real path to it in my present state, is pursuing the Sleep Apnea really a hill worth climbing, since as I understand it because I am already 100% service connected then the VA will provide my CPAP needs. So anyone out there see something I am missing, AND if I do seek to address the Apnea do I simply file an appeal to the decision letter or do I submit a new claim for the Sleep Apnea, as secondary.

 

[Marine Corp 69/70]

 staticline are you S/C for diabetic because it can cause Sleep Apnea also, thing to think about.

[Buck52]

File for everything you think maybe service connected related to your military   to include any secondary's conditions you may have.

The SMC S Housebound is  extra nice  especially if you have dependents ..for me its just me and wife.

Let the VA Figure out the rating  and you can check on the ratings they give you,  some times they like to low ball veterans, this is why we all must know the rating critera for everything were service connected for.

For me  I lost my hearing due to loud sudden noise...and chronic PTSD/DEPRESSION for combat duty from Nam

[brokensoldier244th]

Well, yeah, but, statutorily even if you aren't completely broken SMC S has to be considered if you are 100S% plus a 60% rating. Wait for the Dec letter and go from there. 

 

Ebenefits used to be a lot more useful, but it was a co-operative effort and I don't know if they used a contract programmer, or internal. I suspect that over years of reg changes Ebenefits gradually slipped in places as data fetching algorithms couldn't all keep up with looking at changes within VBMS- VBMS has changed a lot over the years from what I can from past screenshots in older documentation for it (internal) for training). Hopefully having it under VA.Gov allows it to be fully updated as its moved over. Right now it kinda exists in both places which is a real pain. That said- remember, it is NOT your Efolder, and I dont know if moving to VA.gov will change anything about that, so it will always be a snapshot in time, like a polaroid, rather than a real-time updated source of information. 

[staticline]

Thanks brokensoldier244

"Well, yeah, but, statutorily even if you aren't completely broken SMC S has to be considered if you are 100S% plus a 60% rating. Wait for the Dec letter and go from there." The low-balling that was mentioned maybe what happened, since my current rating without the Sleep Apnea is  150% (at least in Ebenefits) .. will just wait and see what the 'DEC' letter says... again thanks all the has been illuminating. 

[staticline]

Hey Buck52 
"For me  I lost my hearing due to loud sudden noise...and chronic PTSD/DEPRESSION for combat duty from Nam"  I to sustained my PTSD from combat duty in NAM, along with hearing loss, and agent orange exposure- the terribly sad part is being what we used to call OLD school, it took me YEARS and YEARS to finally figured out why I was feeling like I did-- I just thought it was me, so you just "soldier on" but but after four marriages and some pretty jacked up social choices (and certain social situations) caused so much  stress, and anger I FINALLY came to some understanding--  I also learned despite years and years of denial -- it just doesn't "auto fix". Perhaps if accepted  earlier, I would have avoided the hypertension and all the other crap that went along with PTSD. 

[Buck52]

Roger That

I hear ya buddy.