C and P exams

[broncovet]

I would like to ask Hadit members, most of which had "at least one" or more C and P exams:

1.  Do you know the examiner's name?  Did the examiner wear a name tag, and identify himself/herself?  

2.  What was the education level of your examiner?  (MD, Nurse, NP, Audiologist, hearing aid specialist,  Voc Rehab Specialist with a Bachelors degree, etc.  ). 

3.  Was the examiner a VA employee?  Contractor?  Did the examiner identify which?

 

I will start:

1.  No.  I have had at least 5 exams, and can only name 1 examiner because that was my regular doctor.  I dont recall any of the others wearing a name tag or identifying themselves.  All of mine were at my VAMC.  

2.  Again, I know only one examiner's level of education:  He was a "Psych D".  Exception:  I had a c and p exam for sleep apnea, who actually admitted she was not involved in sleep medicine.  This examiner had an MD, but no experience or training in sleep medicine.  Still that did not stop her from opining my sleep apnea was not related to service or secondary to any SC conditions.  Later, I read research that linked PTSD to sleep apnea.  (I dont have PTSD, but MDD has also been linked to OSA). 

3.  NONE of my C and P examiners have revealed whether they were a VA employee, or a contractor.   While I "assume" my regular Doctor's are VA employees, I really dont know how to verify that.  (This matters in the case of malpractice..ask Berta).  

      Veterans have reported VA is "not" always releasing the C and P exams until "after" the VARO decision.  I am fairly certain I am "not" the only Veteran who appealed his claim "not knowing" the medical degree (or lack thereof) of the examiner, until I got a copy of my cfile AFTER the BVA decision.    

       I do realize that at least part of this is "on me" as someone suggested.  I did not ask the examiner name, whether they were a VA employee or contractor, or their medical degree, or lack therof.  Since I did not ask, "none" of the c and p examiners responded.  While I did not ask in the past, that was likely because I did not understand "WHY" the level of expertise of the examiner was important.  

      

Edited February 21, 2021 by broncovet

[Carl the Engineer]

bronco,

I have my c-file and my latest blue button (from day one, each time) on my desktop drive.  I also have them backed up.  I had my issues printed on a piece of paper and then ctrl-f buzz words until I found the C&P's and then looked to see who did them.

I've had all my C&P's done at the same VA hospital, so I can find the examiners rather easy, however, when I do/did a bunch of claims together, sometimes I don't know what the exam is for, etc.  Lately though, my claims have been one or two issue, so I know going in what they are looking for and I do study the DBQ ahead of time.  

I play dumb, make sure they hit the high points, and lately have taken my own doctor records in to point, yes with my finger, out where and what I am reading.  That worked out great the last time for me.

Back to the post, my daughter is a Level II Pediatric Trauma Nurse.  Next time I see her I will ask how may accronyms she has in her title.

Thanks,

Hamslice Ret MSG, VET, LEO, C-AANG (all around nice guy)