VA mess

[Bluewing]

Please, Please, to all and families............USE AN ACCREDITED SERVICE OFFICER in your dealing with the VA system.
That being said, if you have no other avenue then use ANY service officer you have access to. All of the main groups......Military Order Of The Purple Heart...........American Legion....DAV....VFW....have service officers free of charge.
If you hear about/run into a service officer that just "ain't cut'n the mustard" then find one that can. The main (regional) offices of those groups have ACCREDITED officers.
I have several friends that are service officers and will try 110% to help. AND HAVE HELPED MANY. but when it comes to an issue that they have not dealt with, they will be in touch with their ACCREDITED person.
the accredited person has prior schooling and on going schooling that will really help.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THEIR ORGANIZATION TO RECIEVE HELP.

Fact: Viet Nam veterans ARE dying at a faster Per Capata rate than the WWII vets are. Largly due to Agent Orange.

and take a look at what the directors of the VA admin offices and hospital are driving. Muskogee VA admin=Porche, Lexus
i'm done ranting

 

[BadgeBunny]

Just an FYI, but VA disability had nothing to do with one's ability to work, it has to do with actual injuries and/or illnesses related to military service. And those injuries can add up. Hearing loss plus an eye injury plus a knee injury may add up to 100%, but wouldn't necessarily stop a person from working many different jobs. VA disability isn't a handout based on ability to work, it is a benefit intended to compensate for actual injuries suffered in service to the country.

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I never understood how that worked ... thanks for the explanation.

 

[cktad]

I never understood how that worked ... thanks for the explanation.

It's actually more complicated than he posted. They use what is called the whole man concept. The whole man is 100%. For example, if you were rated 30% for PTSD, 20% for knee injury and 10% for tinnitus that is not 60%. They take 100 - 30 = 70, then 70 - 20 = 50, then 50 -10 = 40. Any percentage over 50 you get compensation for that disability, any percentage under you don't get it. In my example you are technically 60% disabled but only get compensated at 50%.

And the 50% compensation is not 50% of the 100% compensation amount. Basic 50% compensation rate is $822.15 per month while the 100% basic compensation rate is $2858.24. It doesn't make any sense but it is the government.

As far as VA medical treatment my basic routine health visits have been timely but specialty appointments take 90-120 days to schedule.

And another reason there are so many vets getting treated at the VA is many lost their private health care insurance back in the last recession.

 

[Lurker66]

It's actually more complicated than he posted. They use what is called the whole man concept. The whole man is 100%. For example, if you were rated 30% for PTSD, 20% for knee injury and 10% for tinnitus that is not 60%. They take 100 - 30 = 70, then 70 - 20 = 50, then 50 -10 = 40. Any percentage over 50 you get compensation for that disability, any percentage under you don't get it. In my example you are technically 60% disabled but only get compensated at 50%.

And the 50% compensation is not 50% of the 100% compensation amount. Basic 50% compensation rate is $822.15 per month while the 100% basic compensation rate is $2858.24. It doesn't make any sense but it is the government.

As far as VA medical treatment my basic routine health visits have been timely but specialty appointments take 90-120 days to schedule.

And another reason there are so many vets getting treated at the VA is many lost their private health care insurance back in the last recession.

Again a very good post. This is how you can be 120% disabled and still collect only 40% pension.

 

[BadgeBunny]

It's actually more complicated than he posted. They use what is called the whole man concept. The whole man is 100%. For example, if you were rated 30% for PTSD, 20% for knee injury and 10% for tinnitus that is not 60%. They take 100 - 30 = 70, then 70 - 20 = 50, then 50 -10 = 40. Any percentage over 50 you get compensation for that disability, any percentage under you don't get it. In my example you are technically 60% disabled but only get compensated at 50%.

And the 50% compensation is not 50% of the 100% compensation amount. Basic 50% compensation rate is $822.15 per month while the 100% basic compensation rate is $2858.24. It doesn't make any sense but it is the government.

As far as VA medical treatment my basic routine health visits have been timely but specialty appointments take 90-120 days to schedule.

And another reason there are so many vets getting treated at the VA is many lost their private health care insurance back in the last recession.

THAT explains something I've wondered about for years. Wow ... again, thanks for the explanation.

 

[24T_missilejock]

I've been waiting 6 months just for someone to review my case. I expect to wait at least another 6. My knees are wrecked, I cant hear a damn thing, my back is screwed, and I suffer from PTSD. I sucked it up and drove on till I couldnt handle it anymore. Now i get to be screwed over by Uncle Sam all over again. yay me!!!!!!

 

[BadgeBunny]

I've been waiting 6 months just for someone to review my case. I expect to wait at least another 6. My knees are wrecked, I cant hear a damn thing, my back is screwed, and I suffer from PTSD. I sucked it up and drove on till I couldnt handle it anymore. Now i get to be screwed over by Uncle Sam all over again. yay me!!!!!!

Don't give up ... that's what they count on ...

Many years ago, right after GC talked me into marrying him he sat me down and gave me explicit directions on what to do (and which attorney to call) if he died at work ...

Like he tells me all the time, one way or another make the bastards pay ...

You and everyone in the same boat you are in right now are in my prayers. I know it's not much but I am eternally grateful for the sacrifice you have all made.

 

[n2sooners]

I've been waiting 6 months just for someone to review my case. I expect to wait at least another 6. My knees are wrecked, I cant hear a damn thing, my back is screwed, and I suffer from PTSD. I sucked it up and drove on till I couldnt handle it anymore. Now i get to be screwed over by Uncle Sam all over again. yay me!!!!!!

Stick it out. I only got a 30% rating the first time, but later I put in for more and got 100%. The nice part is that they give you disability back to the time you applied. We got that first check about the time we closed on our house which was a little over six months later.

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[cktad]

I've been waiting 6 months just for someone to review my case. I expect to wait at least another 6. My knees are wrecked, I cant hear a damn thing, my back is screwed, and I suffer from PTSD. I sucked it up and drove on till I couldnt handle it anymore. Now i get to be screwed over by Uncle Sam all over again. yay me!!!!!!

This is why you need an advocate. Best in the state is Goldsby Vet Center http://www.veteranscorner.org/. And it's free.

 

[cktad]

When you apply for VA disability it is understandable that they can't just give it to you without any proof. But they seem to require a lot of items that they should already have. They use your DD214, service records, military medical records and your private medical records along with having you write detailed descriptions of your injuries and how/where/when they happened. Your MOS and awards also figure in the decision. They also send you for Compensation and Pension (C&P) medical examinations at contract doctors. They have to concede your stressor and/or injury is service related. They use both your service medical records and private medical records to see if the injury had been an ongoing chronic problem and really is connected to your claimed service injury. They will also sometimes interview family and friends about your injuries.
As you can see this can be a long time consuming process especially when the VA asks for the same documentation you have already submitted, like 3 or 4 times. Like someone said they probably know 90% of what they need to know as far as documentation but they still ask you for it. You just have to hang in there and like I said an advocate like the DAV, VFW etc. can help.