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What should I do now?

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  • Community Owner

After having read what you posted about the ratings you have what exactly are you trying to do?

Below is your current ratting via the VA's web site.

VA combined disability rating calculator

Enter each of your disability ratings separately below. You can also add a description of each for your notes, if you'd like. Then click Calculate to get your combined rating. Disability ratings are given in 10% increments, between 0 and 100.

Disability ratingIn 10% increments
Optional description
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Your VA disability rating
90%

Note: The actual combined value of your disability ratings is 89%.

We round this value to the nearest 10% to get your VA disability rating. We then use this VA disability rating to determine your monthly disability compensation payment.

If you have 2 or more disabilities that affect both sides of your body, this may increase your VA disability rating and compensation payment. Please refer to your VA disability compensation award letter for your official rating.

If you are trying to reach 100% scheduler you are trying to clam that last 10% mountain that is the hardest to get.

From what I have seen it looks like you would qualify for 100% unemployable (UI) but you will not be able to work with a 100% UI.

You will need to fill out form VBA-21-8940-ARE-VETERAN'S APPLICATION FOR INCREASED COMPENSATION BASED ON UNEMPLOYABILITY

 

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I filed  for GERD secondary to my sleep apnea, and plan on filing for Migraines secondary to my Tinnitus.  I filed the GERD in April, before the changes made in May and submitted an intent to file form online for migraines (I'm gathering evidence and doing a log). With my symptoms and evidence,  I feel that each one should qualify for 30%. 

 

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8 hours ago, Rattler said:

First off you don't get PTSD due to Chronic Pain. 

Some of us hear have a dual diagnosis of PTSD an MDD. 

Depression and Anxiety due to Chronic Pain will not fly if you are going for PTSD as paxmanx1 has stated you can only have one primary MH diagnosis

The question is did you submit any medical records or did you just submit the Nexis letter above.

You will need the medical records to backup the Nexis letter.

If it was me I would file a supplemental claim VBA-20-0995-ARE-Supplemental Claim and use the following form VBA-20-10208-ARE Document Evidence Submission to resubmit your Nexis letter and and any medical evidence.  I would submit VBA-20-10208-ARE with each piece of evidence you submit. (One for the Nexis, One for each piece of evidence, etc.)

I would submit it via access.va.gov if you can scan it and submit it because you know the VA will get right away. 

By doing it this way the VA will have to admit it either had the information in your file or not. If they did they have committed a clear and mistakable error. (CUE)

A lot of this is "Greek" to me. What is MDD? I figure MH is Mental Health.  I hadn't planned to file PTSD, even though I have several Veteran friends pushing me towards that. I just don't think that I qualify for it. 

I gave them permission to get my records from my Primary Care Physician (not VA). It doesn't appear that they reviewed any records from him; just the VA medical records and I have only been seen by the VA doctor once. According to the denial letter they only list personal, & buddy statements, and VA medical records as evidence. They make no mention of the DBQ or Nexus letter. 

I'm going back to my VSO to help with the appeals process.  I'll print up and make copies of that form to include with the DBQ, and Nexus.

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  • Community Owner

MDD is Major Depressive Disorder.

13 hours ago, badta00 said:

A lot of this is "Greek" to me. What is MDD? I figure MH is Mental Health.  I hadn't planned to file PTSD, even though I have several Veteran friends pushing me towards that. I just don't think that I qualify for it. 

I gave them permission to get my records from my Primary Care Physician (not VA). It doesn't appear that they reviewed any records from him; just the VA medical records and I have only been seen by the VA doctor once. According to the denial letter they only list personal, & buddy statements, and VA medical records as evidence. They make no mention of the DBQ or Nexus letter. 

I'm going back to my VSO to help with the appeals process.  I'll print up and make copies of that form to include with the DBQ, and Nexus.

"I hadn't planned to file PTSD, even though I have several Veteran friends pushing me towards that." 

I have to stress that neither you or your Veteran friends are qualified to diagnosis you or give you a 30% rating. What you think are your symptoms are and what a PhD that is trained in PTSD are two different things.

To have a claim for PTSD you have to have the 3 elements.

1. An in service event. (You will need to have an event in service that caused you to have PTSD. Ie. you were in combat. You had Military Sexual Trauma (MST))

2. A current diagnosis. (You will need a qualified doc to diagnosis. with at least a Masters degree or PhD. to diagnosis you with PTSD. This can be VA or private.)

3. A NEXIS. (You will need a qualified doc to connect the dots that the in-service event caused your PTSD.)

Do you have any of the above?

You also need to understand that filling out the form to have your private medical records to the VA and have them sort through the 200 to 1000 pages to pick out the needle in the hay stack that proves your claim al most never happens.

You will need (or have someone who knows how to) go through your records and pick out the ones that prove your diagnosis and only submit them. It will go trough the VA much faster if you do.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Rattler said:

MDD is Major Depressive Disorder.

"I hadn't planned to file PTSD, even though I have several Veteran friends pushing me towards that." 

I have to stress that neither you or your Veteran friends are qualified to diagnosis you or give you a 30% rating. What you think are your symptoms are and what a PhD that is trained in PTSD are two different things.

To have a claim for PTSD you have to have the 3 elements.

1. An in service event. (You will need to have an event in service that caused you to have PTSD. Ie. you were in combat. You had Military Sexual Trauma (MST))

2. A current diagnosis. (You will need a qualified doc to diagnosis. with at least a Masters degree or PhD. to diagnosis you with PTSD. This can be VA or private.)

3. A NEXIS. (You will need a qualified doc to connect the dots that the in-service event caused your PTSD.)

Do you have any of the above?

You also need to understand that filling out the form to have your private medical records to the VA and have them sort through the 200 to 1000 pages to pick out the needle in the hay stack that proves your claim al most never happens.

You will need (or have someone who knows how to) go through your records and pick out the ones that prove your diagnosis and only submit them. It will go trough the VA much faster if you do.

 

 

I'm not even looking at PTSD as an option. 

I'm trying to get 30% for GERD and 30% for Migraines.  Which I have and if I had known about secondary conditions beforehand I would have filed for them when I filed for everything else.

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VA "has a duty to maximize" your benefits.  You do NOT have to figure out, or even understand what "secondary" means.  Its not your job to understand all types of service connection, primary, direct, presumptive, secondary. etc.  You just apply, and let VA figure out how/when/if why type of sc you are applying for.  

 

When you apply for an increase (to include tdiu) the VA assumes you are seeking the max beneift.  People dont apply for benefits at the VA and say, 

Quote

Im trying to get the lowest rating possible..and the lowest dollar amount possible.  Would it be ok, instead of VA paying me for benefits, can I mail VA checks instead?  

 

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