Thank you for the kind words. Not happy with your VSO, get a new one. You are allowed to switch or even drop a VSO. If you are using a VSO from a veteran service organization like VFW or DAV, you can change to another. If your state has VSOs who are employees, file a complaint.
I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue, was in the Gulf and during the time they prescribed as eligible, all three items. They still sent me a denial letter.
If they deny your claim, they have to explain exactly why. You can resubmit with documentation that addresses their issue. unfortunately, you have top really lead them through your thinking on why something is service connected. This is where a statement in support of a claim comes in.
I am glad you found this helpful. I have heard from VA reviewers (the ones who actually read the files), that it helps them understand the context of the situation. Otherwise they are just looking at a file full of forms. Tell your story, you have a good one.
Telling your story and the impact these issues have on your daily life, helps the VA rater (the person making the rating decision) see the full picture. Statements from other people in your life, spouse, people you served with, employers, etc. can be included as well.
Good job! Thanks for this important video. I have done just as you said; statement in support - detailed & concise, C&P went well - doc said expect good news shortly. His written report clearly states nexus, unemployable, more-likely-than-not, all that. Shouldn't the C&P be THE deciding factor if it supports the claim?
The raters I speak to tell me that they take everything into account, not just C&P results. Remember you are allowed to explain your issues to the C&P doc, as if they were your worst day.
Outstanding information. I’m at, what I hope to be, the last stages of claim/denial before I write the letter. Been 100% since 2015, right ankle fusion (failed to fuse). A year of walking on essentially a broken ankle or equivalent to a broken ankle, VA replaced total right ankle in 2016, (ankle became loose and failed). 2017, another total right ankle replacement with an additional right ankle subfusion, think screw ankle to heel. The 2017 ankle replacement took, the subtatar fusion failed, still walking around on broken foot. Current status, right ankle/subtatar still very painful to walk, loss of feeling top of right foot, right calf is 1/3 smaller than healthy left calf, right and left knees and hips are now hurting because I’ve overcompensated use of them to protect or walk. Frustrated, so I had my left knee cleaned out and repaired this month. Scheduled right knee for the 30th of this month. I need someone to help me get the VA to see what I’m feeling.
I have one avenue for you to consider. I am a VFW Post Service Officer (Post 1093, Ipswich, MA). Post level Service Officers are volunteers and can generally help with getting your paperwork together. At the next level, there are VFW State Service Officers. These people are full time paid professionals who work for the VFW and work directly with the VA. If you designate the VFW as your claim representative, the state level service officer can access your claim in the VA system, and can help you craft and submit statements and other documentation. I would start by looking here: www.vfw.org/assistance/va-claims-separation-benefits and click the "Find a Service officer" button. I hope this can get you started.
Veterans Advice Hub, thank you for the direction. Great advice and I will find another representative, Texas vets folks have helped tremendously. It’s time to move my case to the VFW.
That is the slippery slope of joint issues, they all affect each other. I assume you know that if an issues caused in one area is caused by an service connected issue in another, ankle affecting knee and hip, you can get a rating for the knee and hip (if it meets the medical criteria and you have documentation) as a Secondary Condition.
What exactly do I asked for to receive the proper medical and physical diagnosis that was documented on the day or date this injury took place, and thank you for your Good given insight for I'm in alot of ain
First: remember you are not in this alone, but you have to initiate contact with one of the veteran service organizations, if you want or need help. No one is going to come knock on your door and do your claim for you. I am making the assumption you were separated from service more than a few months ago. If it's within about 6 months, you may be able to ask your last unit for your medical record, or go the the service HQ and request it. If they shipped it off to the archive, like they are supposed to, you then have to go through that process. You need your medical records that show the treatment for the incident. You can not just ask for a few specific pages, you will need to follow the instructions on the national archive veterans page and get the whole thing. They will send you a CD with your file on it. You have to find the entries that relate to your incident on that date, and any follow-up treatment dates. Make copies of those entries for your claim file. So you can show on (insert date) i injured my (whatever the issue is) as evidenced by medical record entry on (insert date). In my experience, you have spell it out to them that specifically (month and year are fine if that's all you remember). In addition to that, separately, you need a current diagnosis (like from a VA doctor) for something now that is affecting you that can be tied back to the incident in your military medical record. Here is a made up example as to how it should go. Example, in your statement (which you should include with the medical records and the claim form) you might write something like this: in August 2005 I fell out of the back of a truck and injured my left knee, as evidenced by my Aug 15th medical record entry documenting knee pain. When I got back from the field, I was diagnosed with sprained knee, with swelling, pain and limited range of motion, as shown by medical entry on 07 September. Now in 2018, I have constant knee pain, stiffness and limited range of motion, diagnosed on 18 December, per Dr. Smith visit notes dated 18 December, with torn meniscus, arthritis and dislocated cartilage. Severely affects my walking gait and ability to get in and out of a car and use stairs. I have to "pop" my knee into place before standing up from a seated position. This short statement ties it all together, it tells them where to look to see the initial injury or event (to support a PTSD claim, it can be one incident or series of events over time), the nature of the injury, and a current diagnosis showing it is an issue now that negatively impacts your life. Essentially, you are hand-holding them through the service connection sequence. Now, how to actually get all this stuff requires legwork, get your medical records and service record. Gather supporting statements (your, your spouse, people you may have served with, current Dr., etc.). as an aside, you don't necessarily need a bunch of statements if your documentation is good, just one from you outlining the situation should be fine. But if you are weak on documentation, supporting statements can really help. Get your current diagnosis and medical notes, and fill out the VA claim form. All of this paper is what you are going to submit as your VA disability claim. This is a lot to do by yourself. I strongly recommend you get a local veteran organization to help you.
I’m having trouble finding a doctor who is willing to conduct a nerve conduction test for secondary Sciatica to Lumbar Strain. Nobody wants to help when they hear V.A. Should I trust one from the V.A. ? I just know my C&P for Lumbar Strain was written more in their favor than what I told them. Any comments would be appreciated.
Your primary care can't recommend someone? I had a similar test for nerve damage done years ago. I was pretty simple, so if you need the test to better support your disability claim, and the VA is literally the only option, go VA. VA medical and VA disability are separate administrative chains, so at least theoretically the notes will be based on direct test observations. I would ask lots of questions, ask for the visit notes and ask the Dr. to be very specific.
I need help finding a doctor who can properly prescribe the nexus letter and document each exam in the way that the VA expects I live in Ventura county California and I'm not sure who to trust with this can you tell me a doctor who is capable of meeting the nexus letter requirements I haven't yet filed a letter of intent with the VA
I've got a contact in CA that can help you. Let me find her contact info, she works as a VSO for one of the counties out there. I'll get back to you when i find it.
How can you find documents of injury while in country? I left ft Stewart with an LoD (injured 2x) but not sure why if there was no supporting documentation
If they are properly documented in your medical record, while still in service, you can simply ask for copies. If after service , you can request them from the national archive (www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/medical-records.html). If lost or not initially documented and entered (who knows why, they just sometimes are not), this becomes harder to meet the standard of service connection. You can use supporting documents like, a statement, unit logs, award citations, buddy statements and a current diagnosis to help build a case for service connection.
The problem is that he (the vet in the illustration) appears to have a hard time dealing with people. The doc at the C&P exam didn't pick up on that? They just listened to WHAT he was saying and not HOW he was saying it (or not saying much at all)? C'mon doc, he doesn't have to say that he has problems in social situations if he is right in front of you struggling to interact with you. Docs are the dumbest smart people!
I'm unfortunate enough to have to explain things that happened 20 years ago. They want to blame things that are happening now. Instead of back when I was in the Gulf war.
How do I get the date I was injured from the military as well as how do I set up a VA appointment without any personal Health Care/ what does uncharacterised mean? uncharacterised
You, the VA will not do it for you, have to pull together either your military medical record or service record (or both) and show that whatever issue you are dealing with was initiated or made worse from your military service. This is usually done through reviewing medical record entries. If you don't have copies of these files, you will have request them from the national archives (www.archives.gov/veterans). You also need a current diagnosis, i.e., some current, compensation eligible issue (according to the VA's schedule rating disability www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/bookc.asp). What you are trying to demonstrate through the claim process is something called "Service Connection". If you have no medical coverage, I would recommend you consider accessing VA medical by signing up (www.va.gov/healthbenefits/online/). VA medical and VA disability are separate divisions and the claims people can not access your VA medical records. This is why you have to provide copies of the medical notes with your claim. Uncharacterized refers to the "Character of Discharge" and will require the VA's determination if a veteran with such a discharge is eligible, on a case by case basis. Here is an overview of the discharge question: www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/docs/COD_Factsheet.pdf. If you are having trouble getting started or have a complicated situation, I would suggest connecting with a local veteran service officer through your state or through one of the national organizations like the VFW (don't have the VFW member for them to help you).www.vfw.org/assistance/va-claims-separation-benefits
@@VeteransAdviceHub You can get your records a number of ways. Im still battling the VA because I assumed they had access to my in service files. So I filed a claim based on what I could remember and of course it was denied. I couldnt understand. I had 3 in service surgeries during Viet Nam. So I filed a Freedom of Info request (goes to the Department of defense) and requested the files. You can also get your Cfiles sent to you by calling the VA number. But my in service records were not in the C-file. The DOD had to go into archives to get the records. It took about 6 months but when I spoke to them they told me that no one, not even the VA had accessed my records and they had a difficult time getting all of them. I i made a claim and it was denied and no one had medical record to verify my claim. and in addtion when I got the records I discovered other issues arthritis etc that I added to my claim.After I submitted my inservice records the VA raters actually denied one of my VA requests for review claiming one of my 1967 medical records was a mistake and that single record is part of my nexus. WTF???
"Characterized" refers to the type of discharged, usually used for those discharged very shortly (180 days or less) after joining, perhaps while still in indoc/Boot Camp. Here is a good discussion on how character of discharge relates to eligibility for benefits: va.org/other-considerations-for-benefits/. It doesn't specifically mention characterized discharges, but my read is that the the VA has the final say on if you are eligible for benefits in those cases where there is any question. in general, to be eligible for VA medical, you have to serve 24 months From the VA website: If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered active duty after October 16, 1981, you must have served 24 continuous months or the full period for which you were called to active duty, unless any of the descriptions below are true for you. This minimum duty requirement may not apply if any of these are true. You: Were discharged for a disability that was caused-or made worse-by your active-duty service, or Were discharged for a hardship or “early out,” or Served prior to September 7, 1980 As far as getting information about a specific injury date, you would have to request your medical records (assuming you don't have them), from the nation archives.www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
