VA DISABILITY

Keep on filing until you receive benefits, but I do not think that you should do anything that increases your pain. If they discover that you are walking up flights of stairs, etc, it will cause them to question if you are really in pain.

Praying that you will receive the benefits that you deserve.

 

They always reject you the first few times
to see if you are serious. If you are serious
then you will keep going back.

 

I am a medical transcriptionist and I type dictations for hospitals and some VA accounts. Here are a few tips/questions (based on what the VA doctors dictate).

Be sure you STRESS to the examining physician the following next time you go back (I believe you deserve every cent coming to you, BTW):

If your knee gives way or locks.

If the other knee gives way (due to stress placed on your good knee from over weightbearing to compensate for the other knee).

Do you have any numbness and/or tingling in either extremity?

How far can you flex, bend, extend, straight leg raise?

Do you have any lumbar pain that is radiating up from your knee?

Does your knee affect your gait?

Do you walk with an aid, such as a cane?

Does the pain keep you awake at night?

Does the problem with your knee affect your usual activities of daily living (grooming, bathing, etc.)?

Does the knee problem affect your work/recreational activities?

Do you have any grinding or crunching sounds in your knee?

Is the knee condition aggravated with walking, running, sitting for prolonged periods (like driving a taxi), standing for prolonged periods, etc.?

Do you have to take something for pain? What, how much, and how often?

What makes the knee feel better.

Be sure you go into graphic detail about everything. Don't give up, keep trying. Some vets have to keep trying in order to get the benefits they are entitled do - whatever you do, don't give up. I type these Compensation and Pension reports nearly every day. Those are the suggestions I can come up with and I hope they help.

Lady Eagle

 

I agree, we should all be just as dishonest as the Lord leads. Seriously, you should be just as honest as you can be and let the chips fall where they may.

 

Just do the same you always do. Sometimes it takes a while to get what you need. Just keep at it.

 

I am currently at 10% and I am in the process of being reevaluated. I am waiting to hear from the VA. As you know, it takes awhile.
I had a failed knee surgery and I will now have to change jobs to get off of my feet.

 

Keep filing. It is basically a game to see if you are serious. I know folks getting care and money beyond what they deserve because they just kept filing. One guy got a raise in his percentage because substitute doctor overheard him fuss about having the appointment changed three times. Doc figured his PTSD was worse and jumped up the rate.

My Rep said that if he could have gotten me right after service he might have got me 100% and all I am now is 0% for sinus issues and I don't go there for treatment. I don't have time for the game. I have good insurance and will be covered by my Army retirement at 60 so it is not worth the hassle for me.

 

My Hubby retired from the Air Force in June, and in November got a 70% disability rating. (Several things combined, including heart trouble.) All we know so far is that 70% of his retirement is non-taxable. A man he works with said he can apply for more benefits.


Wher do we find out about that kind of thing?

 

My Disability payments are income and, though they are not taxable, I believe are "titheable".

 

"Bueno suarte" on getting your dues from the bureaucrats--

It takes years sometimes to struggle through all the "redtape". Best get a lawyer. I know of a Viet Nam Vet who was disabled by Agent Orange. It took 7-years to get a settlement--he was a para-legal.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

I realize this is an old thread but figured I'd chime in. My children's father is a former Marine. When he was medically discharged (he injured his shoulder in the line of duty and the surgeon at Bethesda made it much worse rather than better) they decided to kick him out and rate him 10% disabled. (medical malpractice suits against the federal gov't are not allowed by members of the military) We fought it, because he was in constant pain and in need of continued meds and physical therapy. As a paralegal, I did a little research and wrote a detailed letter to the VA office in Buffalo. They granted a hearing, and within 4 months his rate was increased to 50% disabled which means he receives monetary benefits (which really come in handy since sometimes he is in so much pain he has to miss work...even still....5 years later) and he is 100% covered medically at the VA hospital in Syracuse.

My advice is to be persistant. They will listen eventually.

God bless.

 

I thought disability payments were compensation for loss of income, not for pain and suffering.

Would surgery improve the function or less the pain?

 

Don't do anything dishonest.

However, after my injury, my ankle does well at some times and others I cannot walk without my brace. My doctor has instructed me to see him at the bad times, not the good, and he has put me through strenuous tests because he cannot treat my ankle when it's doing well. My ankle is doing much, much better, and without the pain, he could not treat it.

So, the question is, is it dishonest to walk up 8 flights of stairs before seeing the doctor? Well, personally, before my injury, I was known to do things like run up and down 12 flights of stairs carrying weights simply for the exercise. So, I consider that to be a normal activity that can no longer be done.

And, I would like to point out that I am not even eligible for any sort of disability. These things were simply done for treatment.