VET2VET

The way VA defines The word "permanent" slightly differently.  For that matter, the word total doesn't mean total when discussing a disability. These are just terms to VA. There really isn't a protected rating. Any rating can be modified by VA at any time, depending on the circumstances.

How do you know if your benefit is P & T?

What is IU?

What is substantially gainful employment?

Are there any other eligibility requirements?

How is the way VA decides total disability different from other agencies?

TDIU awards may be permanent or they may be temporary.

If I get a 100% rating, should I continue fighting the VA for benefits?

SMC compensation

If there are 2 medical issues that nearly every single Veteran has to deal with, it is tinnitus and knee problems: which is why questions about VA disability compensation for a knee replacement are among the most frequent questions I get in my email inbox.

If you were Army or Marine, a good bit of your time was spent running in formation with improper footwear, carrying 80+ pounds of socks and MREs from Point A to Point B.

If you were in the Air Force, you may have spent a good bit of time crouched under – or in – planes.

And you Navy guys and gals ran up and down steps in tight quarters.

Even the desk jockeys have knee problems – sitting is the absolute worst position for your hips, knees and feet.   Human musculature is not designed for sitting all day.

The point is that one of the most common types of VA Claims is a claim for something to do with the knees.

And, as a Veteran’s knee condition worsens, he or she may find themselves needing a partial or total knee replacement.

Can a Veteran get  disability compensation for a Knee Replacement?

Diabetes affects nearly 25 percent of VA’s patient population. The disease is the leading cause of blindness, end-stage renal disease, and amputation for VA patients.

Diabetes mellitus falls under The endocrine system which is a network of glands that create hormones to help regulate the body. These hormones control the growth of new cells and metabolism. Some organs, like the kidney, also help in producing hormones. The endocrine system is made up of the hypothalamus, thymus, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pineal gland, reproductive glands (ovaries or testes), and the pancreas. All these parts work together to keep the body in balance.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease.

For diabetics, the body does not produce or properly use insulin.  Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily living.

Diabetes is not – as commonly believed – something that only fat people get.

Typically, RO will conclude that diabetes — or symptoms of diabetes — did not appear to a compensable degree within one year of discharge from the military.

Another common error occurs when the VA Rater – or the BVA –  relies solely on a medical opinion from a VA Medical Center Doctor who concludes that it would be pure speculation whether the present diagnosis of diabetes was caused by or connected to military service.

Purchasing a first home is an exciting milestone in any person's life. For some, the process may also seem very intimidating.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Home

Purchasing Your First Home

10 Things Many Borrowers Don’t Know About VA Loans

Etc.

In most cases, your advocate should notify the VA of the benefits you want as early as possible. It is not necessary to wait until you have the proper application form. A dated, handwritten note is enough to start your claim and to preserve the earliest possible effective date (the date from which the VA pays benefits) for your claim. Every day delayed can mean another day of benefits lost forever. If you were discharged less than one year ago, it is vital to apply before that first year is up—special rules apply to you.

Do not delay your application until you and your advocate have gathered every possible bit of evidence needed to win your claim. You will have time after you file your claim to collect and submit relevant evidence. If you are worried that the VA may decide your claim before you get all of your evidence in, your advocate can write to the RO to say that you wish to submit evidence before they decide your claim.

The Peripheral Nerves of the Low Back and Legs is one of the most common claims made by Veterans for service-connected disability.  That is because back injury is so common during military service.

Peripheral nerves are the nerves that travel from the spinal cord to the rest of the body. Peripheral nerves that are in the lower back travel into the legs and feet. VA disability claims involving nerves in the lower back and the legs can be complex due to the fact that the larger nerves split off into smaller nerves as they go down the leg.

According to the VA 2015 Annual Benefits Report, over 395,000 veterans currently receive VA disability benefits for degenerative arthritis of the spine. Injury and joint overuse, both common among veterans, can contribute to degenerative arthritis.

It is important to note that both degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis  may be eligible for presumptive service-connection if symptoms appear within one year of discharge from military service. A veteran only needs to show that the condition is at least 10 percent disabling, and that symptoms began within one year of discharge.

It is really difficult to decide how best to rate a spine condition, but the basic rule of thumb is to rate it under the code that would give the highest rating. Always start first with the General Rating Formula. There are, of course, a few exceptions .

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Although carpal tunnel release is highly effective, the procedure may be under-utilized in this population.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is an entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist that is most commonly associated with repetitive motion. However, carpal tunnel syndrome may be idiopathic or caused by such diseases as diabetes, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, or tumors. Carpal tunnel syndrome, whatever the etiology, is considered to be a type of mononeuropathy called a pressure neuropathy that results in neurologic signs and symptoms that, if untreated, or treated too late, may lead to permanent weakness and sensory loss in the hand. As such, it is clearly an organic disease of the nervous system, since peripheral nerves are part of the nervous system, and there is objective evidence of nerve damage. Therefore, carpal tunnel syndrome is considered a presumptive condition under § 3.309(a) subject to the rebuttable presumption provisions of § 3.307(d).

Please note: Entitlement should be granted for a chronic condition only. For VAC purposes, "chronic" means that the condition has existed for at least 6 months. Signs and symptoms are generally expected to persist despite medical attention, although they may wax and wane over the 6 month period and thereafter.

The Aid and Attendance (A&A) pension provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing or taking care of the needs of nature. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care in an assisting living facility also qualifies.

Thank you everyone who post comments and get involved.