Assistance with TDIU form 21-8940

[Rivet62]

I need assistance please with filling out the TDIU form, VA Form 21-8940. 

Do I need to break down the dates that I was under each doctor's care? 

It's all at the same VA Medical Center.

Thank you

[brokensoldier244th]

Approximations, at least, because when we request the records from them a lot of their file clerks return our (your) 4142s as "incomplete treatment dates...." or "dates not found......" etc. They don't do a search just "Rivet  XYZ.....Dates of treatment 01/01/1900_______  to ____Present Dates_____ . That would make sense. No, they want treatment dates and if they don't find all of it between those dates because you mis-remembered something it has to be re-requested on a new 21-4142a because if we just edited the PDF for the new dates 1. its illegal if we do it and 2. they won't accept it as genuine because it's altered. There are only a very few forms we can edit that you send in- POA is the main one, and that's only if you revoke, because there is a section on the form specifically for that that we can fill in and re-save. 

Plus, if you put dates on there it gives me an idea of where to search in your VAMC notes, too, just in case you were seeing both at the same time. 

[Buck52]

Get all Dr's Reports from your VAMC make copies,

Find the report that your Dr or DOCTOR'S MENTION in there report that you are unable to work due to your disability  that occured while in military...military  location date it occured,  it helps ease their minds knowing you have that evidence when they make the decision. your DD 214 Should have your service dates and locations you served.

   you will a Dr to say in his report that he has exmined you and HE/SHE Doctor will need to say that 

''due to your disabilty that occured while you wer ein the military or when you first became disabled.''(these reports should have the dates and the Dr' creditinals and your SS $ ON THEM  SOME WHERE. MAKE SURE YOUR DR IS QUAILFIED TO RENDER A MEDICAL STATEMENT 

MD;s AND SPECIALIST ARE GREAT TO USE  watch out for> THE NURSE PRACTIONERS  or P.A, Are not so good  but if they are certifeld in the field of medcine  thatclaiming   your disability is. then yes they will accept their medical reports.

Underline or color highlite   these Dr's statments   make your self copies  and send in with your TDIU Form or ask your VSO to submit these statements, along with medical reports that you have from the past 

Also if you have any SOCIAL SECURITY medical reports   or if you are recieving SS  THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING DUE TO YOUR MILITARY EVENT  OR INJURY THAT CAUSED YOU TO BE DISABLED.add those records in with your TDIU Claim.(SEND THOSE IN TOO)

  The main thing a Veteran will need is his Dr saying in his report ''I have exmaine Veteran Smith and read his medical records and it is my  findings this Veteran can't work or do any type of sedemtry work due to his disability that he says happend/occured  in the military .

It will help if you have thos records too  VSR VETERN SERVICE RECORDSM MEDICAL RECORDS THAT THE INNCEDENT OR EVENT HAPPY  ON YEAR MONTH AND DATE  Name of your company commander and your unit and your lay statement   it can help your Statement ''In support of claim/claim's

KEEP ALL YOUR PAPER WORK IN A NEAT FORM WHEN YOU SEND IT IN IF YOU USE THE MAIL SERVICE   OTHER WISE ELECTRONIALLY FILE in order  if you have all your paper work neat, it helps them to read what your claiming a lot better   vs this record or records  mixed in with your claim

I may be leaving something out others will chime in  to help you

Good Luck and welcome to Hadit

Edited January 29, 2022 by Buck52

[brokensoldier244th]

20 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Get all Dr's Reports from your VAMC make copies,

Find the report that your Dr or DOCTOR'S MENTION in there report that you are unable to work due to your disability  that occured while in military...military  location date it occured,  but you don't really need that but it helps ease their minds knowing you have that evidence when they make the decision. your DD 214 Should have your service dates and locations you served.

   you will a Dr to say in his report that he has exmined you and HE/SHE Doctor will need to say that 

''due to your disabilty that occured while you wer ein the military or when you first became disabled.''(these reports should have the dates and the Dr' creditinals and your SS $ ON THEM  SOME WHERE. MAKE SURE YOUR DR IS QUAILFIED TO RENDER A MEDICAL STATEMENT 

MD;s AND SPECIALIST ARE GREAT TO USE  watch out for> THE NURSE PRACTIONERS  or P.A, Are not so good  but if they are certifeld in the field of medcine  thatclaiming   your disability is. then yes they will accept their medical reports.

Underline or color highlite   these Dr's statments   make your self copies  and send in with your TDIU Form or ask your VSO to submit these statements, along with medical reports that you have from the past 

Also if you have any SOCIAL SECURITY medical reports   or if you are receiving SS  THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING DUE TO YOUR MILITARY EVENT  OR INJURY THAT CAUSED YOU TO BE DISABLED.add those records in with your TDIU Claim.(SEND THOSE IN TOO)

  The main thing a Veteran will need is his Dr saying in his report ''I have examine Veteran Smith and read his medical records and it is my  findings this Veteran can't work or do any type of sedentary work due to his disability that he says happend/occured  in the military .

It will help if you have thos records too  VSR VETERN SERVICE RECORDSM MEDICAL RECORDS THAT THE INNCEDENT OR EVENT HAPPY  ON YEAR MONTH AND DATE  Name of your company commander and your unit and your lay statement   it can help your Statement ''In support of claim/claim's

KEEP ALL YOUR PAPER WORK IN A NEAT FORM WHEN YOU SEND IT IN IF YOU USE THE MAIL SERVICE   OTHER WISE ELECTRONIALLY FILE in order  if you have all your paper work neat, it helps them to read what your claiming a lot better   vs this record or records  mixed in with your claim

I may be leaving something out others will chime in  to help you

Good Luck and welcome to Hadit

We automatically request SSA records for a 8940- its part of the intake process. Its one of the first things that is done and if its NOT done the raters do it and if they find them and you didn't then you get cited for it. 

Edited January 29, 2022 by brokensoldier244th

[Buck52]

yes i agree with you brokensolider I was just letting this VETERAN KNOW  TO SEND IN ALL RECORDS that will help support is claim  some times they (RATERS) do slip up at the VA  and not find his SS Records  or be late with them causing his claim to be delayed.

[brokensoldier244th]

Nope, I get it. Just laying out that normally thats what *should* happen. Those 4142's, though- SUPER IMPORTANT. We cannot request records from private providers without them, and signed. Period. BLUF. Unless you get your records yourself, and I mean not just the page of 3 that support what you are claiming, but at least a few months or more of treatment history. If your provider charges for them? VA doesn't pay for it. I usually send a letter if I see the 'reject' from our vendor that does all the direct records requests so the veteran knows that we don't have them because the provider charges. That's what should be done every time but I catch it sometimes, and ive probably forgotten a few, too. 

Also- food for thought- don't always throw the kitchen sink in with your 8940- unless you are literally collectively filing for all the stuff that impedes your employability because you need to. Otherwise, later, when you try to apply for housebound or something if those conditions are lumped in with IU already they don't count towards the 60% you need for SMC's higher than SMC-K. Try to leave some stuff out in the background that could potentially get worse to file for later. 

[Rivet62]

18 hours ago, brokensoldier244th said:

Those 4142's, though- SUPER IMPORTANT.

Oh dear God.  What about self-employment? I did a short stint of occasional cleaning and included those in my tax return with proper tax forms. I stated on the TDIU form the date range of this attempt at something, but I did not list the 3 customers I did work for on the TDIU form.

18 hours ago, brokensoldier244th said:

Otherwise, later, when you try to apply for housebound or something if those conditions are lumped in with IU already they don't count towards the 60% you need for SMC's higher than SMC-K. Try to leave some stuff out in the background that could potentially get worse to file for later. 

Ahhh that's gold.  Ok... I stated Back Issues and Depression (I haven't submitted the form yet) but maybe I can use radiculopathies as the next step, but that's a high threshold...like permanent paralysis. If I use the back issues as the next step toward that 60% you're talking about then it sort of weakens my TDIU to just depression which was largely evident in the last job I had at the VAMC...potentially harming greater retro pay I think. Priority is to pay off the mortgage, and not additional dollar amounts for SMC. I think the radiculopathies could reach 60% in the future. I just read an attorney article on grasping with the hand, etc, for SMC-K.

Anyway, thanks for this. I have to be careful what I do.

Edited January 29, 2022 by Rivet62