Hello all, I am new to this site and am looking for help in getting answers to my questions. 14 years ago I broke my neck and back and have lived in pain every since. I have had a bone transfusion on T-5 along with breaking T-4, T-6, and T-7. I also have Herrington rods in my back from T2 - T9. I eat vicodin like it is candy to deal with the day to day pain. I walk with a severe limp and drag one of my legs due to all the nerve damage. If I walk for more than 200 yards I have to take a break to avoid falling. When the accident happened I was labeled an incomplete paraplegic meaning I was more less paralyzed from the waste down. I was fortunate enough to beat the odds and start walking again however it is very difficult and painful. Recently the VA would like to start treating me for depression due to chronic pain. Is this going to be considered PTRS or will it be a different dissorder? I am currently rated at 50% and want to know if or what I should do in order to get this rating changed as I am truely struggling to make it to work from day to day due to the pain in my back. Will going to the scheduled Psychiatric appointment start me in the right direction or will it not change where I am currently at? I am located in Eastern Iowa and need help locating someone to help me push my case. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Questions on Back Injury and Ratings
- Thread starter M1A1_duck_killer
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Jason Perry
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M1A1_duck_killer,
Welcome! It seems to me that if they are going to treat you for depression, that is the diagnosis. I am assuming that the parapalegia is service connected. Going to the psychiatrist can help your case by getting a diagnosis, helping to show the severity of your condition and perhaps showing service connection. It sounds most likely that your depression, if it is a new condition, would be secondarily service connected. That is another thing going to the psychiatrist can help with, getting an opinion as to the origin of your condition. However, what they actually say will depend on the facts of your case. Also, remember that the health care and the benefits sections of the VA are separate organizations. So, regardless of whether you go to the psychiatrist for treatment, when you file a claim, you should be scheduled for a Compensation and Pension exam to evaluate your condition.
Have you filed a claim for this condition before? That is what will get the ball rolling. If you have a VSO, you may want to give them a call.
Welcome! It seems to me that if they are going to treat you for depression, that is the diagnosis. I am assuming that the parapalegia is service connected. Going to the psychiatrist can help your case by getting a diagnosis, helping to show the severity of your condition and perhaps showing service connection. It sounds most likely that your depression, if it is a new condition, would be secondarily service connected. That is another thing going to the psychiatrist can help with, getting an opinion as to the origin of your condition. However, what they actually say will depend on the facts of your case. Also, remember that the health care and the benefits sections of the VA are separate organizations. So, regardless of whether you go to the psychiatrist for treatment, when you file a claim, you should be scheduled for a Compensation and Pension exam to evaluate your condition.
Have you filed a claim for this condition before? That is what will get the ball rolling. If you have a VSO, you may want to give them a call.
Jason,
First of all thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I have questions on how a secondary condition rate compares to that of the primary condition. I also do not know if it will be a new condition or if it is something that I have just been dealing with over the last several years. I have not yet filed for a claim on the depression or PTSD as of yet because I have just started getting talked to about it through the VA. I do not have anyone representing me as of yet and I am currently looking for someone to help me through the process. Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
First of all thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I have questions on how a secondary condition rate compares to that of the primary condition. I also do not know if it will be a new condition or if it is something that I have just been dealing with over the last several years. I have not yet filed for a claim on the depression or PTSD as of yet because I have just started getting talked to about it through the VA. I do not have anyone representing me as of yet and I am currently looking for someone to help me through the process. Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Like Jason was saying, get ahold of a VSO (Directory of Veterans Service Organizations) and file as soon as you can. Because you only will get paid from that point on, in most cases.
I have contacted the PVA and they are currently helping me out with my case. Do I need to go ahead and contact a VSO (Directory of Veterans Service Organizations) as well. My PVA rep told me to go get things documeted first with my primary care doctor then once documented file the claim. I know this is going to be a long process. Am I going about it the correct way or not?
Thanks
Thanks
I am new to this site and trying to get a few answers. First off my husband was medically discharged from the Army. He had 5 days to clear the base. Are there any laws that were broken becuse he had such notice to clear base? And if so what are they? I have been told by several people that I could sue because he wasn't given the 90 days he was suppose to have. Secondly he recieved 0% from the Army but is currently at 40% with the VA. He has appealed once before and was denied. He is appealing for the 2nd time. The VA asked for his medical records. He went and recieved them and after reviewing them, his primary doctor has put words into mine and my husband and lied to us why he prescribed an antidepressant. The doctor told my husband it was used as a pain killer. But according to the medical records they say my husband is depressed, and since his primary doctor put in his record, every special doctor he sees basically tells him he is depressed. Oh sorry I forgot to mention he has recieved 10% for his shoulder 10% for his knee and 10% for his back and 10%for his ankle. He is appealing the rating of his back and ankle. It has taken 3 years and a number of doctors to finally tell my husband his ligaments arent attachted in his ankle. ANd that it took over a year and half forthe pt and chiros at the VA to say that he has a bulging disk in his L4 and L5 and that he has a nerve problem. The issue at hand is that once we got the medical records a lot of the statements are false and my husband gets told he is depressed and needs to find a hobby. My husband as a number of hobbies. How do we go about getting this false statements off his records and to get a fair appeal?
Sorry for the long winded questions but it blows my mind why a doctor would lie and put words in my mouth i never said. I have gone to almost all of my hubands VA appointments but one. Thank you for your time.
Sorry for the long winded questions but it blows my mind why a doctor would lie and put words in my mouth i never said. I have gone to almost all of my hubands VA appointments but one. Thank you for your time.