FOIA Request

[Dustoff1970]

Yesterday after 4 months I received two QTC C&P exam reports request that I filed on April 16, 2022. The computer disk included the DBQs filled out for 1. My Gerd claim that was granted at 60% and 2. Tinnitus claim granted at 10%.  Both claims were granted after 20 days from date of my filing including the short C&P exam and Audio test.  Both examiners stated my Tinnitus and Gerd was at least as likely as not (greater than 50%) that my GERD was due to PTSD and Tinnitus due to 1970 Vietnam combat.  Many blocks were left unchecked and some spaces for info left blank.  All is good in my Dustoff world.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Dustoff1970

[brokensoldier244th]

Often examiners fill out the parts that are relevant to the claim and leave the rest. Sometimes they leave spaces blank and consolidate everything into 1 block, i.e. "Opinion" and "Rationale". Ill often find the re-stated question for the opinion (from us) on the form with the opinion and rationale all in the same block, which is confusing. OR sometimes they will not check the box for Direct or Secondary, yet if I scroll to the bottommost text block on last page the examiner will have it all in there.

It's frustrating, and sometimes ends up generating 'reworks' back to the examiner because a newer VSR looks at the relevant section of the form and sees nothing checked, or no opinion or rationale or whatever, and doesn't scroll through all the sections to find that its been put somewhere else on the form where it wouldn't normally go. 

It also sucks that it took 4 months to get it from the examiner or the VA, but a VSO with 'read' access can get them quicker depending on 1. how overworked they are and if they represent you, or 2. if they have full access to VBMS, which you would think they would have since its about 90% of their job, yet, from reading on Hadit, it seems that some VSOs manage to operate without having read access to VBMS. I find that somewhat impossible to believe- not Hadit, but that a VSO could legitimately do their job without actually being able to see what is in the Cfile. 

[Dustoff1970]

sorry dude I cannot see your comment. Cheers to you tho.  I am very happy with the friendly nice QTC examiners and their approval of my claims.  VARO raters this time did a fast efficient correct rating based upon only my statements and VA medical records of many years.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Dustoff1970

[pacmanx1]

2 hours ago, brokensoldier244th said:

Often examiners fill out the parts that are relevant to the claim and leave the rest. Sometimes they leave spaces blank and consolidate everything into 1 block, i.e. "Opinion" and "Rationale". Ill often find the re-stated question for the opinion (from us) on the form with the opinion and rationale all in the same block, which is confusing. OR sometimes they will not check the box for Direct or Secondary, yet if I scroll to the bottommost text block on last page the examiner will have it all in there.

Again, and again where is the heck is management or the supervisors? What, after they assign the claim to workers, they just let them make their own decisions? So, you are saying that those decisions that are returned to the examiners and the claims that are denied for inadequate medical exams are missed/overlooked by the raters and the supervisors? Well yeah, I can see that happening, but it should not happen to the point that the VA has been doing this for decades.

After the VARO recently sent me to a C & P examination and the examiner wrote a favorable medical opinion in my records and the DBQ letter and the VARO still denied my claim. You can’t get me to believe that the VA has gotten better, they are still doing whatever they want and are too lazy or inept to do the right thing but to make sure they are getting their paycheck every two weeks and any overtime for correcting the mistakes they should have caught in the first place. Just imagine it, veterans are told time and time again that, if their decision is wrong, they have to file an appeal or disagreement even when it is the VA’s fault.

Edited August 25, 2022 by pacmanx1

[brokensoldier244th]

If the exams aren't adequate or filled out with the required information, yes, they are sent back to the examiner. I can't speak for the raters- im not a rater and have little to do with that other than making sure the information is in your file, the examination request is filled out with all the requested opinions, and then reviewing them when they come back to make sure the information needed is on them. If I send one to a rater and the opinion is not filled out completely with the necessary information then I take a hit on my performance- which adds up to a lousy review and/or delayed promotion. So, I have a vested interest in making sure they are correctly filled out. I don't interpret them, I make sure that the necessary information is on them. Interpretation isn't my job to do.

The "restated opinion" is the requested opinion- its on the form twice, and its created automatically when the exam request is sent. I'm talking about when the examiners screw up the forms- we don't alter or mess with the opinions at all. First of all they are PDFs, second, they are locked from editing when we get them. 

[Mr cue]

10 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

If the exams aren't adequate or filled out with the required information, yes, they are sent back to the examiner. I can't speak for the raters

The problem is no one is checking to make sure the exam is inadequate.

Like a higher up. Because it's bogus 

There is no way that va has to do 5 6 comp exams for the same thing.

Because the examiner did say.

Two word or didn't check a box are you joking.

The evidence is in the report. So that mean don't address the report at all come on 

So veterans Wait years play this game. Smh

12 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

. So, I have a vested interest in making sure they are correctly filled out. I don't interpret them, I make sure that the necessary information is on them. Interpretation isn't my job to do.

Well if this is good work performance for who ever that allows for the rater or who ever to keep ordering exams needs to be fire.

My opinion.

Last why do you keep trying to give a sad story for the VA.

On a site were veterans are try to fight for there benfits. Smh.

 

 

[Mr cue]

Now back to the 4 month wait to get the results of the comp exam.

Is just crazy it puts the veteran at a disadvantage with there claim or appeal.

You use to be able to get the results in 3 days because they were part of your medical records.

 

An this new stuff help the veteran how.