Going for an increase for PTSD. Will VA look at my other disabilities?

[mcarter985]

Good morning!  I'm thinking about going after an increase for my PTSD rating (currently at 50%).  If I do this, will the VA look at my other ratings for possible decrease?  For background, I'm 73, I've had my ratings for about 9 years (Tennitis at 10%, Heart Disease at 60%, and PTSD at 50%.  Total is 80%.  Thanks in advance for your help!

[mcarter985]

Thanks all for your help.  I'm going for it!

[ShrekTheTank]

The VA can always look.  The issue is they need cause to look into the other issues.  

I have put in for many increases and never had them look at them.

Also if they did my answers would always be the same as my conditions have not improved.

I assume you have doctors visits and everything, and normally issues don't get better as we age.

They will get worse, so it is good to look into increases.

[Whodat]

I agree with Shrek. Look it's like this. We all at some point was afraid of something or someone. I bet that you were afraid day1 in basic training. But we have overcome our fears.

Go for it. I don't think that you will get a reduction but if one is proposed, appeal it. You will still get paid the same and we all know how long appeals take. 

 

[broncovet]

There are 3.344 things that will "scare the bogeyman away".   You know, the "bogeyman who reduces your rating"?   

This works everytime to scare the bogey man away, even tho some are still afraid of him.   He wont huff and puff and blow your house down, when you read and study this: (unless you have actually improved under ordinary conditions of life)

 

Quote

 

§ 3.344 Stabilization of disability evaluations.

(a) Examination reports indicating improvement. Rating agencies will handle cases affected by change of medical findings or diagnosis, so as to produce the greatest degree of stability of disability evaluations consistent with the laws and Department of Veterans Affairs regulations governing disability compensation and pension. It is essential that the entire record of examinations and the medical-industrial history be reviewed to ascertain whether the recent examination is full and complete, including all special examinations indicated as a result of general examination and the entire case history. This applies to treatment of intercurrent diseases and exacerbations, including hospital reports, bedside examinations, examinations by designated physicians, and examinations in the absence of, or without taking full advantage of, laboratory facilities and the cooperation of specialists in related lines. Examinations less full and complete than those on which payments were authorized or continued will not be used as a basis of reduction. Ratings on account of diseases subject to temporary or episodic improvement, e.g., manic depressive or other psychotic reaction, epilepsy, psychoneurotic reaction, arteriosclerotic heart disease, bronchial asthma, gastric or duodenal ulcer, many skin diseases, etc., will not be reduced on any one examination, except in those instances where all the evidence of record clearly warrants the conclusion that sustained improvement has been demonstrated. Ratings on account of diseases which become comparatively symptom free (findings absent) after prolonged rest, e.g. residuals of phlebitis, arteriosclerotic heart disease, etc., will not be reduced on examinations reflecting the results of bed rest. Moreover, though material improvement in the physical or mental condition is clearly reflected the rating agency will consider whether the evidence makes it reasonably certain that the improvement will be maintained under the ordinary conditions of life. When syphilis of the central nervous system or alcoholic deterioration is diagnosed following a long prior history of psychosis, psychoneurosis, epilepsy, or the like, it is rarely possible to exclude persistence, in masked form, of the preceding innocently acquired manifestations. Rating boards encountering a change of diagnosis will exercise caution in the determination as to whether a change in diagnosis represents no more than a progression of an earlier diagnosis, an error in prior diagnosis or possibly a disease entity independent of the service-connected disability. When the new diagnosis reflects mental deficiency or personality disorder only, the possibility of only temporary remission of a super-imposed psychiatric disease will be borne in mind.

(b) Doubtful cases. If doubt remains, after according due consideration to all the evidence developed by the several items discussed in paragraph (a) of this section, the rating agency will continue the rating in effect, citing the former diagnosis with the new diagnosis in parentheses, and following the appropriate code there will be added the reference “Rating continued pending reexamination ______ months from this date, § 3.344.” The rating agency will determine on the basis of the facts in each individual case whether 18, 24 or 30 months will be allowed to elapse before the reexamination will be made.

(c) Disabilities which are likely to improve. The provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section apply to ratings which have continued for long periods at the same level (5 years or more). They do not apply to disabilities which have not become stabilized and are likely to improve. Reexaminations disclosing improvement, physical or mental, in these disabilities will warrant reduction in rating.

 

 

[john999]

VA needs some justification to go on a fishing trip in all your disability ratings.  They have millions of new claims via PACT Act to deal with and not to go one expeditions in all our old ratings.

[flow1972]

Just going to point out that the OP is 73 YO.  Isn't there a law that states that cannot reduce after age 55?