So Confused With The Va, Where To Start What To Expect?

[Brokencop]

I'm so confused and to be honest, very scared of the claims process. Up until 3 months ago I had never contacted of looked at the VA. One reason is because being a federal employee I always had my own insurance, and was scared to file PTSD claim because of my law enforcement status as well as a Yankee white and sc/ts clearence. But since I lost my job/career 3 months ago. Along with my health benefits I had a break and was sent from an civilian ER to the VA.

My wife provided them with my 214 and some other docs. And now and the last three months all my medical needs and meds have been covered 100% even non service conected injuries.
I asked the head shrinker as well as my phycologist who is head of the PTSD clinical team (whatever that is) what my mental diagnosis is. To that they all have said PTSD,anxiety disorder, and major clinical depression all service connected.

Now since 3 months ago was the first time I saw the VA (for ANYTHING) I have to do the paperwork for any disability pay.

Where to start? What to expect? Who will I see that determines offically it is service connected and what %? (would they use my current va doc diagnosis?). And how exactly is the % computed? How long can I expect it to take? SHOULD I EVEN BOTHER??

 

[tho9900]

Talk to the Veterans Service Group, like the VFW, DAV or American Legion. They all have people who specialize in helping you navigate the system. They know exactly what you need to do, will tell you if you need to change something on the paperwork etc... If you are near a VAMC they will have one of those guys there 5 days a week. If you are going to an outlying clinic, call the clinic and ask them when one of those reps will be there... it will be like 1 or 2 days a week if it is a smaller clinic. If there is neither near you look online at their websites and there will be a chapter of at least one of them near you, call and they can guide you through it.

I really urge you to do this... the beauracrats at the top of the food chain with the VA won't help you anyway.... The service orgs know this and send a lawyer with all your paperwork to the VA claims hearing and they fight for you. Even if they get your rated at 0% it will keep you from having to pay a copay for visits for that problem and it makes it a lot easier to seek a disablility percentage later because they already admitted you got the problem in the military.

IF you have your health record, thumb through and write down anything that happened in the military, broken wrist that hurts now and then when lifting stuff, bronchitis more than a couple of times etc... It is better to get it on the record now than wait till it pops in your head that your wrist hurts and it's the one that you broke on ops or something...

here is the link to where you can get a copy of your health record if you don't have it.. getting the service org a copy will help their lawyer fight for you..

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/

The best recommendation I can give you is don't do at least the original claim alone.... thats the biggie where they fight for ANYTHING that happened to you while in..

BTW former FMF Doc here... I got your back

 

[Brokencop]

Thanks for the info brother! When I think about it at times, it just seems so overwhelmingly difficult. As of late, this seems to be the big challenge for me. It take a Herculean effort to just tie my shoes! I really just gotta kick myself in the ass and get the ball rolling.

Just the other day I met an old timer (Veitnam era) Marine, who was a member of the Marine Corp League. He mentioned that they to have reps. that can help in the process. I am only 10-15 miles away from Great Lakes.

Thanks Doc, you guys have put me back together a few times on the field of battle!

 

[tho9900]

We still do, only now yall put us old timers back together too... if you are near GLAKES I know there will prolly be a rep there 5 days a week... and ya.. irony you are 10 to 15 miles away from where I spent my 3 months of reprogramming... (boot camp) and Corpsman school...

You have any questions feel free to ask here or in msg... I am noooooo stranger to the VA...

oh and on the Herculean effort... that's why you don't want or need to try this shit on your own.... with everything else going on it is a short circuit waiting to happen.. let someone who walked in those boots before you do it... I was reading... about 85% of the lawyers the Disabled American Veterans group employs went through Annapolis or West Point... they have a personal interest in what they do and also most prolly walked in those same boots at one point or another..

Semper Fi and good luck brother..

 

[tho9900]

oh and reread your post.. ya do the Marine Corps League.. that is a sacred bond.... they will go all out for you...