Looking for a DR that specializes in "jump" injuries

[SgtKidJoe]

Back in 1994, I had a bad landing, tore up both feet, ankles and lower legs after a wind gust caught my chute before landing. 

I know I suffered a concussion. The only person that witnessed it was a Navy corpsman.

I don't remember anything the last few seconds before the landing, or collecting my chute and walking the length of the tarmac to get to my vehicle.

I don't remember the driving the hour to BAS, I do remember "waking" up during an xray of my right foot, ankle and lower leg.

I had problems with arthritis in my right foot since, but it was mostly in check since I was able to stay active.

My Left foot and ankle needed surgery to repair the damaged muscles and ligaments. I would step on a rock, and my left ankle would cave outward. It was pretty bad on a 25 mile hike, I twisted both ankles in the 1st mile. Had to put an Ace wrap on both ankles on the outside of my boots.

So I finally got 20% for right foot a few years ago, and then I got 20% for right ankle back in 8/22.

I filed a claim for my left ankle back in 8/22, since I had surgery in 1997 related to the incident while I was in Okinawa.  I listed all my BAS and other visits related to the left foot.

The response was, you don't have a reported injury related to that foot or ankle.

In my claim I listed the surgery and what was done, but didn't have any dr's notes about the surgery.

I had to request the information from the national archives.

 

So my situation is I am listed as 100% P+T as of 8/22, without the left leg injury

Should I file disagreement?

If so, then I need to find a dr that would specialize in this type of injury.

TIA

 

I have a appeal before the VBA for the right foot and the correct date of reporting. I had filed a claim regarding my right foot, was denied because VA said I was on my personal time (???) during the injury.

It took me a while to get a copy of my TAD orders. The VA wouldn't back date the claim date to cover the 25 months. The VBA judge has had the claim since 2/16/24. I also filed to 10% pain on use\manipulation. I had originally filed for pain in ankle and foot (2 different claims) back in 2014? but was never discussed in any claims nor granted and I have requested that be granted as well to the original claim date.

Edited May 7 by SgtKidJoe
I left some info out and wanted to add it

[El Train]

Doesn't really need to be a specialty Dr.  I used Dr. Ellis in OKC for an in person examination.  He is a forensic Dr. that will examine your medical records and give his medical opinion.  He knows the VA C&P exams inside and out.  He even did a mental and TBI assessment.  It led to an increase from 50% to 100% P&T, SMC-S.  I did have an additional mental health assessment with a Psych Dr. that really helped.

Do you have anything in your records about your concussion after your hard landing.  I had one small excerpt in my records of a training accident that knocked me out.  It led to an approved TBI claim.

[SgtKidJoe]

Unfortunately, I don't have anything in my medical records about a head injury. I know I had some interaction w/ the onsite corpsman, but his name has been lost to history. I did reach out to the jumpmaster, but he didn't witness the accident and now injury report was filed or noted.

[pacmanx1]

On 5/7/2024 at 2:30 PM, SgtKidJoe said:

So I finally got 20% for right foot a few years ago, and then I got 20% for right ankle back in 8/22.

I filed a claim for my left ankle back in 8/22, since I had surgery in 1997 related to the incident while I was in Okinawa.  I listed all my BAS and other visits related to the left foot.

The response was, you don't have a reported injury related to that foot or ankle.

In my claim I listed the surgery and what was done, but didn't have any dr's notes about the surgery.

I had to request the information from the national archives.

 

So my situation is I am listed as 100% P+T as of 8/22, without the left leg injury

Should I file disagreement?

Not sure what you are trying to get from the VA. Due to the fact that you are already service connected for your right foot and right ankle, you could argue that your left foot and left ankle are due to your already service-connected right foot and right ankle.  You are still going to need a medical opinion with a good medical rationale, but you do not have to prove an in-service event, accident or incident because the medical opinion could link your left foot and left ankle as secondary to your service-connected right foot/ankle disabilities. 

[SgtKidJoe]

Not sure if the 100% covers other injuries. Just want to make sure my injuries are covered that's all.

[pacmanx1]

31 minutes ago, SgtKidJoe said:

Not sure if the 100% covers other injuries. Just want to make sure my injuries are covered that's all.

If you are not sure of what your specific breakdown of your 100% ratings are, you can sign into va.gov and check them out or if you have a copy of your VA C-File, you can check on the Legacy Sheet or some call it the Code Sheet. 

 

[Rattler]

Do you have a copy of your Military Medical records? If not you will need them to prove your claim. The concussion should be in your Military Medical records. if not this is how you get around it.

You go to your primary VA doc and you say. "Doc I am having trouble because back in 1994, I had a bad landing, tore up both feet, ankles and lower legs after a wind gust caught my chute before landing. I think suffered a concussion because I don't remember anything the last few seconds after the landing, or collecting my chute and walking the length of the tarmac to get to my vehicle. I don't remember the driving the hour to BAS, I do remember "waking" up during an x-ray of my right foot, ankle and lower leg. I believe there was a Navy corpsman who witnessed it." (Note you need to have some kind of symptoms, headache, memory loss, look up TBI's and see what matches.) 

If you follow the script above what you will do is get your VA primary care Doc to; 1. document it for you. 2. They will start the process of setting you up to be diagnosed with a TBI. Once you have done that I would file for a TBI.

For us to help you we will need to know what you are rated at.

You need to look up you percentage that you are rated at in the VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Compare your symptoms with the percentage that is listed there and see if it matches or if your is worse. If you file a disagreement and your symptoms don't meet the higher percentage you will just be spinning your wheels. 

38 CFR Book C, Schedule for Rating Disabilities

Title 38 CFR, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities