LHI examiners

[Whodat]

Who out there had bad experiences with LHI C&P examiners?

I would like to share my experience with LHI.

2019, I had filed a claim. A c&p exam was scheduled with LHI. Shortly afterwards, I received a Fedex packet will info to include the examiner info. I pulled up the examiner's info, 3 years of Nurse Practitioner, as well as 3 years with VA system.

I had already been diagnosed with migraines, and had an event or injury that would connect it. The diagnosis was from my Neurologist. 

During my exam with this NP, he kept saying that he doesn't think that my headaches aren't migraines, he thinks that I have cluster headaches.

I am unsure of how the report was written up but I do know that it wasn't good. Denied. 

So of course I had did a HLR. I had gotten  letter from VA duty to assist error and they are returning my claim to the RO for corrections. 

I get another letter from LHI for another c&p exam for migraines. Who do I see? The same examiner. Now things get ugly. He has remembered me and what comes out of his mouth, why are you here again. 

Started the exam, nowhere did he used the dbq, just basically telling me that I do not have migraines, that is clusters. Then he proceeded to tell me that ptsd does not cause headaches.  I feel another bad c&p exam.

Looks like the Department of Veterans affairs has done it again. They claimed to be backlogged,but what do they do? Hire sub contractors with little or no experience conducting bad exams knowing that the Vet is going to appeal. Job security for the contractors just like Brown &Root back in the days. 

The bad thing is that this NP is also a Vet. 

 

[Whodat]

My point hamslice.  These substandard exams but no one is being held accountable for the wasted time or money. 

Hopefully you completed a survey. They won't know how they are doing unless you tell them. 

 

[Whodat]

Deedub I do apologize for your bad experiences with your exam but I do applaud you for the fight. I am sure that is was very rewarding. 

You stated that the examiner had gotten an arce chewing, was that all? Again who suffers. 

Most place of employment, they have annual reviews for their job performance. I bet all of them have good reviews for their bad performance. 

[Vync]

@WhodatI had two bad exams with LHI NP examiners.

Exam 1: Examiner ignored very strong evidence present in my VAMC records. The medical opinion said my service and VAMC records were silent for the condition. I wondered if they even tried to search for it.

Exam 2: Examiner kept asking questions unrelated to my claim. I even pointed out that the letter I received from LHI's HQ stated the claimed condition. They ignored me and opined a denial on a condition I never claimed. 

Of course, both were reversed on review/appeal...

[Whodat]

I smell crooked. Just like the contracted company KBR. I must say that LHI has landed a whopper. 

In my area, whoever owns the medical clinic had won the contract from either the VA or LHI. There is only one c&p examiner. I am almost certain that he is salaried and gets paid very well. 

Not only does he do just c&p exams, he also performs work comp exams, contracted to do drug screening for courts and employers, and family NP.  He has to be banking. 

On work comp, we all know that if they find a way to deny a claim, bigger bonus. 

I feel that it's the same way for c&p exams. The more unfavorable exams, bigger the bonus. Vets like us have to keep fighting. It pays off in a long run but the battle is like OEF, OIF. Decades later. 

I know from the start of my exam that it was going to be negative. His comment was that they were so backed up because Vets do not want to work since covid hit and that they got stimulus. For one I didn't get stimulus. When he said that, I wanted to Vaseline up and whoop his arce. 

But better yet, I did a nice little survey on him. 

I have always heard good things about QTC. We need to boot LHi out. 

[Mr cue]

22 hours ago, Whodat said:

This particular one acts as if he is a Social Security examiner that looks for ways to perform unfavorable exams. Looks like that he is the only C&P examiner in Springfield Mo.

They  are also workman comp doctor.

The VA is now using these doctor for VA claims.

VA is to be veteran friendly system

An the VA are using doctor who are not part of that system. Now

But some love it and some don't.

Me I see it as making it hard for veterans to get there benfits.

[Whodat]

And I do understand that some are just malingering trying to get something for nothing, but yes it does make it harder for the deserving Vet