Rant

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

I got out of the army in February 2011. I made sure to get all of my VA paperwork going before I got out and then it became the waiting game. (It's funny how many people claim to be experts when it comes to the VA. Worst advice ever was "call every day to ask about your claim") so I wasn't counting on anything from the VA I just wanted to make sure everything was on record. About 8 months of waiting I was awarded 70% that was a major surprise. Fast forward a few years and my PTSD gets worse and I hear about I.U. I apply for I.U. And then it gets denied, but my % goes up to 90. Between depression and headaches I just want to give up then one day I read the paperwork and find out that they low balled my headaches so they could deny my I.U. Then my wife completely flips out on me for snoring so I ask for an appointment to get a sleep study so I can get checked for sleep apnea. Now I'm still waiting on that appointment and I get diagnosed with carpeltunnel. so still waiting on the sleep study, but after I get that I'm going to try again. Based off of everything I might get 100% without I.U. But who knows.

Now the annoying part, on all of this I had to do research and jump threw hoops to get appointments. I have friends in Ohio and Florida that had lower ratings and less problems and they didn't have to ask for anything. Why is it that some people need to do everything themselves while others are handed everything? I know the argument "they might be worse off" I know the friend in Ohio is just playing the system. If it was another friend of mine that was handed everything I would think that might be a correct statement, but that other friend is working harder now than he ever has.

 

[Sleeping Dragon]

It sounds like you have the I's dotted and T's crossed to a point where your claim is finally being processed. There's no doubt the system is a bitch. It takes more persistance than anyone should have to deal with.

Most of the veterans groups have advocates that have experience with the VA. The one who helped me was with The Order of the Purple Heart. But, The American Leagon also has them. My guy onced worked to the VA, and gave me the advice I needed to speed up the process.

Many veterans groups have offices at the VA facilities. Give them a try if you have more problems.

SD

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

The order of the Purple Heart is helping me (kinda) the Purple Heart rep did not want to appeal my IU denial until I got a letter from my dr. and or psych. The problem is they both said something along the lines of "it's against policy" I would have preferred them say "I don't know that you need it" at least then I wouldn't feel like I was lied to or given the run around. I do know that I made some mistakes even now, I started recording my headaches/migraines and stupid me I sent the only copy to the Purple Heart so now I have to continue it and the next time I go to the dr I need to giv that to her so it can be in my file so there will be no way that they can low ball it this time. The Purple Heart did get ball rolling again a few days ago so I'm within a year of the denial but I don't even get the sleep study done till the 22nd of next month and then it said 3 weeks before I get the results back. Hopefully that isn't a problem, with how long theVA took last time I doubt it will be. The Purple Heart started this as a new claim they said an appeal could take 4+ years. Thanks for your response, venting this stuff out does make me feel better. Unlike many other vets my wife has a good job so we don't stress about money unless we are close to vacation but that is a rant on another blog.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

Paperwork sucks. As I said the Purple Heart reapplied for I.U. But something in the paperwork wasn't right or they need more info I don't know. Right now I don't even want to look at it. My wife said that the VA needs to access my psych records. To me that is obvious, but I never had to release my medical records to the va. (If everything is done threw the va why can't they access everything) I'll contact the Purple Heart and ask them if I need to sign off or if they can since they have a poa. I honestly don't know why I'm annoyed beyond the fact that I don't want this process to go to fast because the sleep study is still a short ways off, and I have a headache so everything is annoying right now.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

The "other friend in Ohio" the one that should have been 100% or given I.U. Before might have been given it finally. I hope he was just because he needs it.

I'll be doing my c&p early next month so hopefully that goes well.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

That friend got his hopes up, the VA sent him a survey to fill out and he assumed it was an approval letter... I told him he will probably get the money before a letter unless it's a denial.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

Sleep study didn't go well at all, it turns out you need to sleep long enough to enter REM sleep so I didn't get any useful info. I'll request a test from home next time. That way they can suffer with my wife for a night. The guy last night said I didn't even snore, but I didn't sleep for more than an hour at a time till the end when I finally entered REM sleep, but they didn't have it long enough to get any results. He said I did have some blockage just not enough to get a diagnosis. O well, IU is still in so I'll focus on everything else and when I can I'll ask about a home sleep study. Treatment for sleep apnea is more for my wife than for me so it's not like I'm just going to give up on it. She needs sleep to.m

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

New % just came in. I'm 100% not C&T and IU isn't done yet. So I'm still hopeful to get P&T or IU.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

Ok, attempting to have student loans forgiven with my current rating. Hopefully it works because I don't feel like having the stress over this stupid shit today.

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

Same story as usual, got paperwork on IU last night, it was denied. The VA said they didn't receive some information that I know they received so I get to talk to the Purple Heart rep today and find out if they have copies of said information, if not I need to take care of that. I did miss an appointment, but I didn't exactly miss it, I showed up on time, but I never called to verify it so they canceled it. (I never had to verify an appointment before so holding that against me is kind of stupid) and the ultimate annoyance, (not a direct quote) " you are 100% total so IU isn't applicable" yes it is, I'm not P&T so IU is completely applicable. So tired of this uphill battle especially when the VA can just say "we didn't receive this" when I know they did. I try not to hold it against the va, but it's hard not to flip out on this kind of thing sometimes especially with the lies.

 

[Grizzly]

What is the ultimate goal of being IU over 100% schedule? Chapter 35?

 

[FieldArtilleryGuy]

When I started the paperwork this time I was 90% so I was going for IU, based on about half of the appointments I had to go to they put me at 100% not P&T I don't care if I get 100% P&T or IU, but basically because of my problems I couldn't finish school so I need one of these so I can get my student loans forgiven. The other benefits would be very nice also, but the original reasoning was simply because of school. I was trying to get better and complete school but I just couldn't. If I don't get either by the time my kids go back to school I am tempted to try school again, I am a senior all I have left are degree classes it shouldn't take me all that long to finish but I need to prove to the school that my migraines and memory are better and as of right now nothing is helping them completely.