Blacked Out

I got out of the Army last year and I have been trying to claim some disabilities. They gave me my 10% for my hearing cause of MOS and 0% for an old ankle injury that resulted in an emergency room trip. I am still appealing to get compensated for my knee and middle to upper back pain. All I really want is a 0% rating on both of them although I think I should get another 10%. I know if they bother me now it will be a bitch when I am 40. My problem is that when I was in I was way to HOOAH and mission first oriented so I dont have anything in my medical records. My back is new from my last trip to the sand box so its not like I had time to complain or go to sick call for it anyway. My knee on the other hand has hurt me for several years even while I was active duty so that me just being stupid.

Anyway I have DAV helping me fight even though I was just denied my appeal now I have to write a letter of some sort stating why I disagree. So if any of you have had or are going through this right now and have some advice it would be much appreciated.

roy

Did you do an ETS physical prior to leaving the Army?

Blacked Out

No when I left the Army it was a little crazy I was still stop lossed from my first delpoyment in 03 and had to petition for release. I had a buch of terminal leave so I had only a week to clear post. Then I tried to lay low in the reserves made it almost a year then was called back to AD. Then when I returned I just called my so called reserve unit and told them I was not going to drill anymore and they didnt care. So I never whent back and just ETSed like theat after a couple of months.

Reckless

iTrader: (9)

It will be hard to fight it without proper medical documentation.

Double-L

It is hard to fight them even when you have all the documentation, You will get very little help from the DAV, They just don't have the power, The last time I was in it with them I thought I would never win but I was lucky to find one congressman that helped me and after the VA turned me down three times and him to he said that was it he was taking it to Washington, Wasn't long the VA sent me a letter saying they would pay and they were sorry it got mixed up the way it did, Now I know we are not looking for the same thing but after that I would say get ahold of your congressman, I didn't think it would help but it did, Good Luck

Blacked Out

Good idea I will look into that!

hawaiiboysz

iTrader: (4)

Make sure you are a registered voter first.

bballr4567

iTrader: (5)

Me being a medic Ive seen some bad bad bad cases. You will hardly get anything without proper medical documentation. Even with the right stuff its damn hard to get anything.

Good luck with the fight.

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

You're a terrible medic, Josh JK man...
Guy I worked with for a time that was Security Forces(augmented them from time to time) had a list of medical issues after his 2nd or 3rd time to Iraq and as far as I know never got anything for any of it, even though his case was pretty well documented. Good luck with it man....

Blacked Out

Yeah I know it is hard it makes me sick to hear of all these cases where deserved troops get **** on by the bureaucrats trying to keep the costs of this war down.

markp03

iTrader: (4)

that sucks dude... I have been home now for 2months i was medavac'ed from Afghanistan when my foot was crushed, I broke 5 bones, had some avulsions, a few severed tendons, and loss of feeling in areas of my foot. I am still fighting them to even get my foot treated...thank god in 2 days i get to go see a real orthapidec doc and get some real treatment from civilian. med holds suck!


I hope i can get somthing for disability when i get out.

Blacked Out

Me too brother sounds like you definitely deserve it.

2000KnightRider

iTrader: (21)

Im in the same boat as you. I have a torn ACL in my right knee due to my overseas tour. When I was stop-lossed the Army rushed me out the door although I passed the ETS physical (what a joke). I've filed a claim with the VA and they turned me down even though I have copies of all my medical records proving I tore my ACL on active duty. The VA claims, "Since it doesnt interfere with the job you have now, sorry cant pay for it." It really pissed me off that they said that, and I want to be a police officer but cant run for **** because of my knee. I guess I'll have to end up lying and go back to the VA and tell them my knee hurts me everyday now.

bballr4567

iTrader: (5)

With the VA honesty is the worst policy. You will get turned down even if you are 100% qualified. You need to make it sound really bad. Basically take your worst day of pain and its like that all the time.

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

Had a guy get medically discharged from my shop about 2 years ago because of a leg injury he sustained while riding dirt bikes. Not even a duty related injury and he's getting a decent amount of money each month for the rest of his life because of the injury. All do to inexperience riding a motorcycle.

markp03

iTrader: (4)

does he happen to be AF? if so...thats way. did you see the big deal a few months ago about how the disabled AF guys got payed way more then the other branches?

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

Well yeah, he was from my shop and I happen to have AF wings for my avvy JK just bustin your *****... But yeah, he was AF... We now have required safety briefings for 'high risk activities' whereas before his incident we never had to get them. If you haven't had the briefing and get hurt, they can deny your insurance.

2000KnightRider

iTrader: (21)

True. AF guys get treated so differently...like royalty. I am prior Army with a bad knee (got shunned by the VA even with proof of it) and I work with retired AF people who get a certain % diability for BS stuff. One guy I know gets 10% for a scar on the side of his face (from his eyebrow to his ear) on top of the 30% for his "hurt back". How that scar effects you in your current job I dont know. But I've noticed a lot of "hurt backs" in the AF.

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

Probably would be a lot more if people didn't just pay for chiro work since we can't get our backs straightened out if we tweak it out doing something.... wish they'd change that lol

Blacked Out

Shoot the Chiropractor didnt do anything for me, now they have me going to a guy who does acupuncture. Hope they figure out what is wrong with me before they start trying to push cortisone on me cause I dont want any of that.