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If you've filed a disability claim with the VA, did you do it directly, or go through a third party? I waited a long time to file because I thought there were folks who needed to get in line before me, but I do want to put something in at some point. I started a claim online, and have attached all of my medical records from my time in (do I need the full thing, or just the stuff pertinent to what I'm filing for?)
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Nov 5, 2019 22:09
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Yeah, mine is nothing too crazy, just some knee and back issues (which is why I felt there were people more in need than I was.) Thanks for the info guys
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Nov 6, 2019 03:32
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Ok, I sent an email to the DAV to get the ball rolling. Thanks for the assist, everyone. FYI, Kohls is doing 30% off for veterans today through Monday. https://www.military.com/discounts/kohls-veterans-day-military-discount berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 17:58 on Nov 7, 2019 |
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Nov 7, 2019 17:53
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not caring here posted:I used to use the shooting range at Benning when I was med retired, and my beard and hair drove every motherfucker up the wall if I stopped to get gas or something to eat. That's weird, because I always assumed that anyone with non-reg hair or facial hair was either retired, separated, or a civilian. The one time I questioned any of that was a dude in the mess hall who had an earring and a couple of day's growth on his face, but I (a Marine) was told that soldiers can get away with that on leave (may or may not have been the case, but it wasn't my place to question it.)
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Jan 10, 2020 21:25
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Flying_Crab posted:Walk around during retreat That don't fly, even if you are a civilian. Everyone will yell at you.
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Jan 13, 2020 21:33
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I've got a physical exam through a third party this weekend for knees and feet (not sure why they didn't include back and neck in there since I claimed them all at the same time...) Anything I should know before going in to the appointment?
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Jan 20, 2021 17:17
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I went to my appointment this weekend, and the person I saw was really flummoxed as to why my back wasn't included - she said it was likely that someone at the VA didn't put in the code. I emailed DAV and got back a terse response of "They are required to request exams for all conditions claimed. If they don’t see evidence in your service treatment records, they don’t request exams. Please check back for status in 60 days." (I don't think I've had a cordial conversation with anyone at DVA yet...) I do have record of a back injury in my medical file though, granted it was only one instance (I think that's when I blew out a disc, however) - should I just wait and see what happens, or try to talk to someone who will actually check on this?
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Jan 25, 2021 14:19
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UP THE BUM NO BABY posted:Talk to someone, make sure it gets checked Yeah, I replied to the DAV guy, so hopefully I get a(ny) response. Like I said, they're not the most communicative of people, but I really don't know who else I could talk to.
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Jan 25, 2021 14:47
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I know they are busy - I was just being salty. If I had to deal with an entire region full of old folks bitching about their ailments, I'd probably be rather short and to the point as well. He did respond back and said that he didn't see the section in my record, so I just sent the specific page to him. I know now that I should have filed immediately after getting out, but back then I was like "Oh, there are people who are way more in need than I am. I'll get by..." I know now that was a mistake (though being able to submit online wasn't an option at the time either.) And hell yeah - I made hard copies in triplicate of both medical and service records, and have since scanned them, just to be safe. Even back then I knew that I should have copies of all this stuff.
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Jan 25, 2021 15:22
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cult_hero posted:The standard for getting an exam is to have a current disability potentially related to an event in service. So while you may have had treatment during service, without evidence of a current disability, they won't get an exam. If you don't have any current treatment for a back condition, write a brief statement stating that you have continued to experience back pain since service and an examination will be ordered. Just an update on this - the page was "upside down" so it was overlooked when the appointment was made.  Anyhoo, I went for my appointment on a Saturday, when there was no x-ray tech on duty, of course. Had to go back this past week to get those done. The back appointment is tomorrow. Virginia Slams posted:I don't mean this as an attack on you but more for anyone who sees this maybe it can help them put it in perspective and motivate them to seek the compensation they need. And not taken as such. Definitely true, folks - apply sooner, rather than later. I will offer this as well: they're gonna ask you to describe your condition. At this point, I'm pretty dosed on ibuprofen, and aches and pains are pretty much a constant feature, so it's kind of difficult to describe these things. Try to be cognizant of your pains and when they occur, write them down immediately to accurately describe what is going on with you. Had I really thought about what I should be expecting, I would have been keeping copious notes. As an aside, I had to get oral surgery about a year ago now, and had to take some pretty heavy anti-inflammatory drugs the night before. That next morning, I woke up and remembered what it was like to actually be ache and pain free - it's weird how when this stuff becomes a constant how you learn to live with it.
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Feb 12, 2021 21:47
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VA changed their systems, and I have to go in for a reval, even though my claim is still in the "Getting ready to mail" stage for the last month. Anyone know if this is a reset on existing claims, or if it's just an across the board "we want more info?"
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Apr 8, 2021 13:16
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Went to check my bank account today and noticed something was off with the balance. It seems my disability claim that I started almost 2 years ago has finally been approved - 70% combined total. Seems counterintuitive to celebrate being broken, but what the hell - hooray! cubivore posted:I walked down to the office and got seen instantly and got everything pretty much filed for me. Now time to sit and wait. not caring here posted:I should probably know more about this seeing as how I'm a more likely future VA surgical statistic. Is there a resource for information for when a VA doctor kills you and you leave a wife or family behind? berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 19:59 on Aug 27, 2021 |
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Aug 27, 2021 19:50
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Mr. Nice! posted:You should also seek out any other service connected rating you might not have applied for previously. I would think someone with half a leg probably has other issues that merit an overall rating of much higher than 40%. Absolutely - I got 70% for having much less severe (albeit multiple) injuries. 40% seems really low. EDIT: I guess it's accurate though: https://cck-law.com/blog/va-amputation-and-loss-of-use-ratings/ I would say that if there are related issues from the amputation you'd have a case for upping the rating. Good luck. berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 19:29 on Aug 31, 2021 |
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Aug 31, 2021 19:26
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Itchy_Grundle posted:Issues I got... Are you loving kidding. How is that even possible. That sounds like the person was either kidding/lying or misunderstood how the stacking works. You could get two 50% ratings for both feet, but they wouldn't stack to 100% unless they had claimed total loss of mobility. berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Sep 1, 2021 |
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Sep 1, 2021 18:49
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Nthing "don't wait." I got out of AD in '98, and the Guard in '02. I just filed a couple of years ago, and even though it took almost two years to go through (covid backlog, most likely) I got a 70% rating. For me, that's just under $1450 a month - do you know how much easier my life would have been had I filed 20 years ago when I was like "Nah, there are other folks who need it more than I do?" I missed out on like $300K worth of tax free money, would have had a much easier time paying my mortgage (possibly to the point where the house would have been paid off,) and potentially been less grumpy about my back and knees hurting every day (unlikely though.) Contact DAV and just get this poo poo done.
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Dec 15, 2021 16:20
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BounceBanana posted:Thanks everyone. Though I'm not exactly sure what a vso is (Victoria's secret online..) I used the search tool linked in op which gave a Unless you're specifically looking for lingerie, the VSO is a veteran's service org. DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is an example. Honestly, the process is easy as hell - you contact them via email, someone will get back to you (be aware that they can be kind of gruff - they're probably very overworked) and you'll tell them what you are claiming (for me it was feet, back, knees) and, if you have them, scans of your military medical records corroborating your claims (if you have them - I made copies when I left the service.) DAV will submit the claim and line up whatever appointments you need. You just show up, tell the medical professional what you're there for, and they'll check you out. My biggest gripe about the process was the two years it took to be approved, HOWEVER, covid happened to drop right into the middle of my claim, so the VA was backlogged. Be aware, your claim will also be backlogged because they're still catching up, BUT your payments will be dated from your initial filing date, so get that poo poo in ASAP. Note - if you do not have your medical records, DAV can get them for you, so don't sweat that part. Also, If whatever you want to claim isn't in your medical records (we're all victims of "just suck that poo poo up and don't go to sick call") don't sweat that either - DAV will help you, it just may take a little more back and forth. Finally, WRITE poo poo DOWN. If, for instance, you bend over and that disc issue flares up and you lock up in pain for about 5 seconds, document it. If you can't squat without your knees grinding and a tear coming to your eye, document it. Every time your issue(s) causes you any pain or discomfort, document it. The medical folks will ask you to describe your situation and rate your pain, so it's good to go in with something you can give them. Don't be like me and try to do it from memory, then walk out and go "Oh poo poo, I should have said that..." As for finding time, if you can watch some tv or are sitting on the shitter at work, you've got the time to fill out the contact form on DAV. It takes like 5 minutes to get the ball rolling.
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Dec 17, 2021 22:23
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Syrian Lannister posted:My county VSO guy was upset I asked to get the certification for my license to be marked veteran. I think I was interrupting the show he was watching. I know in CT, all you need to do is send in a copy of your DD214 when you get a new license. You can technically get it done at any time, but the DMV will charge you for a full renewal if you do it before your scheduled license renewal, so I haven't done it yet, because gently caress giving those guys more money. I know that you can also get a vet ID and a VA card online, but I haven't done that either - TBH, the only time I've ever needed proof is when I go in for a free meal on Veteran's Day, and then I just show a redacted copy of my DD214.
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Dec 28, 2021 21:04
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life is killing me posted:As an aside, my state put Veteran on my DL without hardly looking at me—I requested it and showed them my CAC that hasn’t been valid since 2012, and they shrugged and said, “good enough.” Ludicrous y’all can’t just take your DD214 to your DMV, why does a VSO have to be a middleman? That sounds absolutely unnecessary.
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Jan 7, 2022 15:02
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jwang posted:I'm a veteran looking to get out of paying rent and into actually owning a home. Can I get some help in getting/using a VA loan? Should I get my loan through Navy Federal, which I already have an account with, or Veteran's United, which is aggressively marketed on Google Search and apparently offers bundle benefits? I assume you've got your VA certificate already? Just bear in mind that with the VA loan that while you do get out of paying PMI, sometimes fees can outweigh the benefit - my last mortgage was less expensive via traditional financing than going with a VA loan. Also, VA loans can be extremely difficult to get, due to the VA wanting a home to be essentially perfect before they will release a loan. If they see peeling paint, loose mortar, or things a lot of inspectors would consider relatively minor, they can deny the loan until the seller remediates - and in this market, that ain't gonna happen. Here's what I've been told by both my real estate agent and a couple of loan officers: get qualified for a traditional loan. Base your budget using monthly payments off of a trad loan (include PMI) in case you find the house of your dreams and the VA denies the loan. Go in with the plan of using a VA loan, with the contingency of a trad loan in case the VA falls through. Keep in mind that the order of operations for a seller are cash > trad loan > VA loan > FHA. Going in with a traditional as a backup is going to give them peace of mind, give you a fallback, and in very rare cases, possibly give you the upper hand in making an offer if the seller is someone with a soft spot for vets (my realtor says this is very rare - money talks louder than sentimentality.)
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Jan 18, 2022 14:56
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How does going about seeing if you can get a disability increase work? My knees have been getting really bad as of late, and I'm a little concerned that if I get in to see someone, they're going to wind up lowering my rating. Can that happen?
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Feb 16, 2022 22:14
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McNally posted:I don't think that it does. I filed for an increase on my knees (and got it - saw a non-VA doc who was like "gonna do what I can to get as much as I can get you") and they only looked at my knees. The non-VA doc you saw - was that scheduled through the VA system (i.e. filing a claim) or was this you going to a specialist and then submitting?
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Feb 17, 2022 13:40
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McNally posted:It was scheduled through the VA. Ok, that's how my initial evals went. I'm going to check my approval date and make sure it's over a year and resubmit. Thanks. EDIT: I went ahead and contacted DAV to see what I should do. They just went ahead and initiated the claim. Guess that answers that. berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 21:40 on Feb 17, 2022 |
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Feb 17, 2022 15:17
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I put in for an upgrade for my knees, and the VA has already gotten back to me with an appointment for early next week. How's the VA for exams vs an outside agency? My previous claims were some contractor - they were relatively quick and easy, and I don't know what to expect with going to the actual VA. Are the examiners good/bad/indifferent to claimants?
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Feb 28, 2022 19:39
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Has anyone done a tinnitus / hearing claim? I was in artillery, and while I did use hearing protection, I think I have tinnitus and maybe some hearing loss, though stuff like that is difficult to pinpoint as it's a progressive thing, but I was wondering as to how the process goes and how they diagnose tinnitus.
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Apr 5, 2022 20:08
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Hekk posted:Call or message them and tell them what you are trying to do. They have volunteers that file claims all the time and know the system way better than you will. Grip it and rip it posted:I have done a claim and an unsuccessful appeal - My claim was denied on the basis that I didn't discuss it during my separation physical and while I have hearing loss, they claim it's not enough to warrant a rating with the VA. Mustang posted:They'll send you to a civilian clinic to do a hearing test and be evaluated by a audiologist. I have tinnitus but my test didn't show any kind of hearing loss, the doctor said something about the test doesn't cover all of the sounds (can't remember the term) a human ear is capable of hearing, or something like that anyway. I never had any record of hearing issues in the Army but I still got 10% for tinnitus after this evaluation.
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Apr 5, 2022 20:41
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not caring here posted:Just before I got med retired, the army put me through their hearing test thing. 100% I got, no problems soldier. This despite the fact that I couldn't hear a good portion of it, but whatever. I was in an artillery unit and was a range coach for a short while, and received zero end of service hearing exams. TBH, I don't even remember getting a physical, but I'm sure I must have...
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Apr 5, 2022 21:25
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Grip it and rip it posted:I just got a letter from the department of the Treasury telling me I own 8k in mature bonds that were purchased during my time in the military. I don't specifically recall purchasing them, but it seems entirely possible. You probably signed up in boot camp - I know they pushed that for us when I went through. If you don't have them for some reason, you'll have to submit a claim for lost bonds: https://treasurydirect.gov/forms/sav0107.pdf Hopefully your letter will have numbers and purchase dates which, I assume, will make things easier.
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May 11, 2022 15:32
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IMO, the odds of a reval are pretty low, given that VA staff are so overworked, I can't imagine they have time to go back and comb through old records. Add to that the new PACT act is going to open the floodgates and the VA is going to be slammed. I would really only worry about getting a reval if you've put in for an increase on a condition - obviously, they're going to have to re-evaluate you and any secondaries you may have. I imagine that going in for VA care can *maybe* trigger a reval on a condition (i.e. therapy is helping with your back issue) but again, I don't know how often something like this happens. If you're concerned, I would say that, assuming you have the option, see an outside PCP for everything, and just go in once a year or two for your yearly physical with the VA, just to stay active in the system. Or, just don't use VA healthcare at all - its not like it's a requirement for VA disability or anything. I'm eligible for retirement in 10 years, and will lose my work insurance, so I decided to get into the VA system to prepare for that. FYI, Reddit has a great veterans benefits subreddit I would encourage anyone to check out. berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 14:17 on Sep 2, 2022 |
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Sep 2, 2022 14:14
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You can claim a secondary off the bat, but unless it's a rock solid primary, you can run the risk of it getting denied. Apocryphally, I've seen that it may be better to file your primaries first, see what the decision is, then file secondaries after. If there are any issues requiring an HLR or something, you don't want a secondary to be denied, and potentially later refused, because of VA bullshittery. YMMV, of course. Talk to your VSO and see what they say (assuming you have a good VSO to ask.)rifles posted:Anyone have any advice for someone doing it while still on active duty, or generally in the guard (traditional drilling status)? I am doing it under the BDD program which I didn't know existed until last week and am intending to base my future career decisions on the results of the claim.
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Jun 5, 2023 19:19
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Woof Blitzer posted:Ok well what the hell. My Dad got 10% for tinnitus due to serving on a carrier and I thought I'd give it a shot. I honestly do have a mild case, was issued the defective 3M ear plugs, and was around aircraft/small arms/artillery. Who do I go to to start everything? I am guessing find a VSO first. Start by looking here for your MOS: https://bluecordpatriots.com/duty-mos-noise-exposure-listing/ If you're on there, you're pretty much guaranteed of getting the tinnitus claim. As for filing a claim, you don't need a VSO for something like that - if you have more claims, then yeah, maybe you want to request assistance in getting your claim together. Assuming you're just claiming tinnitus/hearing, you can go to VA.gov and set up an account. Once you're in, there is a ink to filing a new claim- start a claim ASAP so you get the full backpay from that date (you have a year from that date to fully submit your claim). Now that you have an Intent to File (ITF) you'll want to gather any corroborating medical evidence showing hearing loss (if you have anything stating that.) Proof that you were issued the defective earplugs would be helpful as well (letter from the lawsuit, etc.) If the tinnitus causes other problems (migraines, depression, etc) you will need to list them as secondaries (i.e. the tinnitus causes debilitating migraines, as well as insomnia.) Once you've collected that stuff, upload it as supporting documentation - the site will walk you through everything. Upon submitting your full claim, you will, at some point probably get a third party (maybe the VA) request to do a hearing exam. Someone will set up a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam with you (or a couple if you have more than one issue), and you will go to this appointment and tell the examiner what is going on. Be specific and give examples of how it happened ("I was deck crew on a carrier and issued faulty ear protection.") and how it affects you now ("I have a constant high-pitched squeal in my head that dives me absolutely bonkers.") Once your C&Ps are done, you'll get mailed a travel check and your claim will make it through the labyrinth that is the VA. Sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's slow. It's fun not knowing, right!? Anyway, at some point, a decision will be made on your claim(s) and you will get a letter stating you are now considered xx% for a service connected disability and will receive compensation from the day you initially filed your ITF (this is why it's important to get that in ASAP.) Once you get into the system (even at 0%) you are eligible for VA healthcare (should you desire that) and are "in the system" as the kids say (probably.) If your condition ever gets worse, or you have related issues (again with the migraines, etc) you can claim them as well Good luck!
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Jun 7, 2023 14:46
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Woof Blitzer posted:Thanks. Great I'm rated as highly probable...
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Jun 8, 2023 00:02
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 17:46 |
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Dominoes posted:Ty for the tip on DAV! I'm not going to dissuade you from using DAV in any way whatsoever, but just an FYI, when I went through them, they did nothing for me, other than open the initial VA claim, which I could have easily done. Hopefully, they do better by you, but if not, here's what I did to facilitate things: 1. I had a copy of my medical record from when I discharged, so I scanned it and pulled the pertinent pages. 2. Documented EVERYTHING that was related to my claim - can't squat down, difficult to walk, spasms on a almost daily basis. Be very concise and write everything down, because the C&P is going to ask how your injury(s) affect your daily life. 3. Be prepared to explain in detail the event that led to your injury. There has to be a clear line from service to now - it's especially helpful if the event was documented in your records, but that often doesn't happen. I had a fall where I hosed my back up documented as "Back Pain." 4. If you have supporting evidence from a civilian doctor, send that in as well - I had MRIs that I submitted as part of my claim. They may or may not have helped, but they certainly didn't hurt. 5. When you do your C&P, just be truthful and try to answer as clearly and succinctly as possible - I hate to put it this way, but you're essentially on trial, and anything you say can and will be used against you. Don't embellish or go off on a tangent. Also, don't stress out. 6. A lot of joint stuff is based on range of movement (ROM). Your knees can be totally hosed up and hurt you 24 hours a day, but if you can bend them within the specified range, you might get denied. 7. If your claim doesn't go through, you can appeal! And, to give you (and others) some hope, I went in pretty much clueless and came out with a 70% rating.
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Apr 12, 2024 13:31
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