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V A Claims


tinwhistle
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Congrats Giz, glad you prevailed.

Well, you didn't think an ex-loady, retired fire department truckie, West Virginian German-Irish mule-head was gonna just let a bunch of B"more desk lizards beat me out without a fight, now did ya????? I know I had to use some tactics that others may not know about, so if I can help anyone else with theirs, I'll sure try. sometimes ya just gotta make an down wind landing............ONE thing I learned was that if there is nothing in a military record, physical, etc, or maybe a presumption, it is gonna be a hard thing to prove or get a high enough evaluation to count....

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Gary, if there is anything I can add, from my experience, to help, send me a private message and we will go that route. I have learned that not everybody gets the same treatment, and my experience is much different than others, but it could provide some direction. I'd be glad to help in any way I can

Giz

My friend, Giz, is no stranger to profundity, but the "I have observed..." sentence above is especially meaningful. Although VA has all sorts of guide lines for raters to follow it is obvious that each District Office is it's own fiefdom, and each individual rater marches to his own drummer. Those of you that are still struggeling for your rating; please don't give up. I was 18 months Giz was 23, my friend in Florida has been at it for at least 2 years, and is still waiting for "final" adjudication (he has a partial resolution).

Best wishes and Welcome Home......tinwhistle (Chris)

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I keep telling him to keep on fighting. When he gets done with his "military memories" next week I'll see where he sits with his VA claims. He's going through the Boneyatd at DM right now. They may make their way to Wright Pat before this trip is over. I say they because he is with a guy that we have known since I was about 2 and I'm 43 now so at least they are having reliving times of the past. Thanks Giz for offering on the advice. I'll let him know.

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I keep telling him to keep on fighting. When he gets done with his "military memories" next week I'll see where he sits with his VA claims. He's going through the Boneyatd at DM right now. They may make their way to Wright Pat before this trip is over. I say they because he is with a guy that we have known since I was about 2 and I'm 43 now so at least they are having reliving times of the past. Thanks Giz for offering on the advice. I'll let him know.

Okay, Gary, anything I can do for him, I'll give it a shot................

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Yep, it takes years to finish up with the va claims, I retired with a 50% rating and it took more than 2 years to get it all straight and get my 100%, by the time they finally fessed up with the correct % for me I was waiting on an appeals court date.

Dont let them get away with anything, even if you get a rating; if you dont agree with the % they give you fight it until you get what you think you deserve.

I am pretty sure its an unwritten policy at the VA to blow off almost all claims and to low ball other claims because 95% of the folks out there wont fight it and they know this.

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Yep, it takes years to finish up with the va claims, I retired with a 50% rating and it took more than 2 years to get it all straight and get my 100%, by the time they finally fessed up with the correct % for me I was waiting on an appeals court date.

Dont let them get away with anything, even if you get a rating; if you dont agree with the % they give you fight it until you get what you think you deserve.

I am pretty sure its an unwritten policy at the VA to blow off almost all claims and to low ball other claims because 95% of the folks out there wont fight it and they know this.

I agree, Dan, but I also think some people go into the process ill-advised and expecting things that just are not going to happen. But it doesn't hurt to try, that's for sure.....But like I said, before, some things if you don't have any part of your records showing such an illness or injury or it is not a part of the presumptions, you may have a hard fight..... AND any injury or illness that you were treated for, which is paret of your medical record, whether directly related to your service or not, is open to consideration, example, you were injured in a car wreck, and were treated under military care, even at a civilian hospital, you may have some claim there.......

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I guess it is time for me to see if I can add a little to this discussion. I have a couple claims that I submitted Dec. 19th (2012) and I get letters every so often that they are still working on my claims and apologize for the delay. My VA Claims Adviser can look on his computer to see what progress has been made. The last check (2 weeks ago) , shows that they have received my records. I was also telling him about the long delays some of you have been through (namely Giz's) and he said that Montana was in the top three for fast determinations. So of course the VA started farming their claims out to other states and now Montana's claim speed is somewhere in the middle of the pack.

My two claims are for Tinnitus and a documented hearing loss while at Naha. My adviser seems to think I wont be waiting much longer.

So far on a different subject-- (VA care), I feel that I have been treated very well. One of the things that I appreciate the most is the hearing aids I got last October and of course free batteries for life. All for the cost of my co-pay ($50 )!! Also, I had a $50.00 hernia operation (just in time for Chris's visit)!

I wanted to ask you guys if any of you are receiving any type of hearing disability? Also, what percentage? I know my tinnitus is very bad and I have just had to get used to it over the years. I attribute it to the constantly running GTC's at Cam Ranh Bay. (not enough MD3's).

Just wanting to take part in this discussion,

Ken

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My tinnitus claim was rejected, because it could not be determined if it was attributable to to my military service,,,,,seems things lke sirens, power tools and so on was a factor, and since I had no documented complaint of it, I pretty much lost that one, at least for now

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I was given 10% for tinnitis. I think they took into account my AF Specialty (Airctaft Electrician) my verbal claim that as a young invincable troop I didn't wear ear protection around those engines and GTC's, and they had audiology tests from that time period to compare with the testing the VA did. Additionally beleive they "threw me a bone" by not making a determination on the presumptive Dx of Diabetes because of insufficient evedence of boots on the ground at TSN. Got a total of 20% overall.

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After my examination a couple months ago I haven't heard anything yet. I have received the "in progress" letters every so often since I filed the claim. I did receive a "Veterans Health Benefits Handbook" a few weeks ago. Shows me in Group 8. I haven't followed up on it yet though. Maybe my income puts me in this group.

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Yeh, I think that is mostly how the categories are chosen. A few years ago, a cat. 7 or 8 wouldn't even get handled. The first time I tried I was a cat. 8 due to income but later all of that was revised because a couple years ago I applied again and was approved for a cat. 6. This time they didn't ask for joint income and just specified "applicant's only" income. The cat. 6 puts me in the $50.00 co-pay bracket and it has really come in handy. Also, even though (according to the book), a Cat. 6 isn't supposed to qualify for hearing aids, I got them because my care-giver at the clinic recommended them and made the appt. Also I told her about the floaters I have in my eyes and was worried about them, she made an eye appt for me to check them out. Now, according to what the doctors say, that once I am on the eye care part of the program, I am eligible to get glasses at my co-pay if I ever need them!! (probably be like the ones issued in basic)!!! Hope not!!

Of course, none of the care I have received would have been available if I wouldn't have signed up for VA Healthcare.

I didn't apply for any disability until I had been in the system for awhile to get a feel for what I was doing! I am relatively sure that what I did isn't necessary, but that's what I felt right doing.

Again, I find myself carrying on like I am bullshitting with a bunch of friends. I guess I am!!

Ken

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I talked with a friend last night whom I saw just under 2 years ago, and told him about the bennies from open heart.

He said it took him 18 months to be approved.

I didn't ask any more questions.

He did say he had to go to the VA a few times and got several letters saying they havn't forgotten about him.

He still dosn't have a VA ID card.

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I talked with a friend last night whom I saw just under 2 years ago, and told him about the bennies from open heart.

He said it took him 18 months to be approved.

I didn't ask any more questions.

He did say he had to go to the VA a few times and got several letters saying they havn't forgotten about him.

He still dosn't have a VA ID card.

See, this shit does not make sense to me..... I had an ID card two days after I started this process. they took my picture on a first appointment to get on the AO registry and something like two days or, I had my card in the mail.......I checked again and my 214 says I was in the UNITED STATES Air Force, not the maryland, or maine, or Kentucky or whatever Air Force, so why the hell is there such a variance in the service????????

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I think it was about 10 years ago that I first went to the VA Clinic and applied. Got my ID right away and they're been my medical provider ever since. I didn't actually file a claim with them until this current one. Even when I had insurance through work I still went to the VA, paid a normal co-pay and insurance covered the rest. When I was out of work it was nice that the VA still took care of my medical even without insurance. Still had to pay some but at least it wasn't as much as to a civilian doctor.

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Ken

Dont expect any more than 10% for your tinnitus, I think the CFR38 allows for as much as 20% (maximum) but you have to be deaf in both ears to get that.

I am eligible to get glasses at my co-pay if I ever need them!! (probably be like the ones issued in basic)!!! Hope not!!

No actually they have a pretty nice selection of glasses, I get a new pair from them every year, nice wire frame ones. Of course they have the butt ugly selections if that's what you want LOL

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No actually they have a pretty nice selection of glasses, I get a new pair from them every year, nice wire frame ones. Of course they have the butt ugly selections if that's what you want LOL

You mean the ones like this fine looking young Airman is wearing???

Screwed up the pic---lower left corner

7ae3338d-8060-4b2d-ae64-9716f477de57.jpg

Scan.BMP

Edited by Mt.crewchief
screwed up the picture
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