TBI Disability awarded; new claim for back issues?

Also keep in mind any mental disorders will be re-evaluated after a year of discharge. If your medically discharged or retired then it will always be TDRL for that mental condition. The thought process is you will either get better or worse. My PTSD was 70, with TBI at 10. Then “stabilized” and perm at 50 for the PTSD alone.

 

My story is probably a little different than most. I was service connected for PTSD at 30%. I began going to the VA for treatment for migraines. The VA sent me a bill for medicine, I told them no way I was paying for that. I didn't know much about the process at the time, so someone at the VA told me I had to file a claim. I got some pictures of my truck after an IED blast, the PCR, medical records, etc. and got a decision back changing the rating from PTSD to PTSD with TBI and increasing it to 70%. I don't remember if I had a C&P at that time. I have had reexaminations since, just normal exams as far as I can remember (don't remember drawing anything though).

 

I've been out for over 10 years; any symptoms at this point I could assume are permanent!

I would've been pissed if I got a bill from the VA at all.

Just hoping I'm taken care of really; like most here, I've been through way too much shit to not get any help at all.

I'm hoping the information posted here helps others along the way as well.

 

Got ya. For a “mental” disorder, not sure how they would treat that if it will be your first rating for it.

 

I’m being compensated for a TBI.
I had multiple tests done. While in the military and out. Most were memory related tests as I recall. I started my VA process over 10 years ago now.

As far as symptoms go- I had blurry vision, headaches, memory loss. Trouble focusing for extended periods of time. I’d wake up confused sometimes.

I’m at 100% disability. Not sure what exactly my % is for TBI.

 

As I told you before, I do VA disability claims for a living now for a law firm. It seems that TBI is the trickiest because most people get screwed over on the C&P, or just get denied without a C&P (if no evidence of event that could have caused TBI). Then, it becomes tricky to set them up with a doctor to get what we need on paper, because I have not been able to find a DBQ for TBI. Here are some exam formats that you can have your doctor follow if you end up having to appeal. These at least cover the same issues that a C&P exam would cover, so you can make your Benefit of the Doubt argument if you have an exam that follows one of these formats:

https://www.vesservices.com/secure/va/templates/doc/15066.doc

https://benefits.va.gov/PREDISCHARGE/DOCS/disexm58.pdf

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Portals/10/CG-1/PSC/PSD/docs/VBA - Initial evaluation of TBI residuals.pdf?ver=2017-03-28-105323-973

 

Thank you for that information!

I had none while in the military; it was training, deploy, come back and train, deploy, come back and train, deploy, come back and FAP out for a short bit then EAS.

Symptoms are the same as above except I do not experience blurry vision; I have temporary blindness and the blindness comes at random. It's happened once every 5-6-8 months even and nothing "triggers" it exactly.

The memory loss has occurred often when I wake up in the mornings.

 

You can get a break down of all claims and %’s from eBenefits. This is also where you can print your ratings and 100% C&P letter.

Also if you were any form of retired, you are eligible for CRSC, which allows you to recoup a portion of your retirement for any combat related conditions.

 

Best thing is to get stuff documented. It sucks going to sick call or seeing a dr sometimes. But if you can get it documented that’s gold.

I have multiple IED blasts documented and concussions due to blasts documented. All it takes is you hitting your head.

 

I have it somewhere. I’m TW’ing and driving in traffic.

 

This^.

Do it while you are in. The VA will not use civilian medial records unless they were contracted to see you.

Fuck the stigma at this point. Before I retired, I would even make my platoon sergeants go for stuff just so they would have it documented when time came.

 

I mean, it might help you get a higher rating. lol

 

He said he's 100%..

 

Boom. Exactly.
I see my infantry buddies who didn’t take the time to do the process and they’re struggling to get all the correct paperwork done.

 

This will help the guys that are IN now; I've been out for a decade.

I did see medical about my blindness because that began to occur after my first tour; if that was documented or not I can't say.

That's why I'm asking all these questions because I feel like it's going to be an uphill fight.

 

lol true. It was more of smart comment either way.

 

I was an 03 (infantry); as long as we changed our socks, we were good to fight the next fight.

Semper Fi right?

 

I’m tracking. Although did space it when more documentation was brought up. Of course others reading might see it too. And yes, it will be an uphill battle. Any claim after a year or more of being out is an uphill battle.

 

The didn’t give me rating TBI even with two documented concussions during my Marine Corps times. One was an IED blast the other was getting kicked in the head while spy rigging. I suffer from terrible margarines since then which now I have to get Botox for every three months. They gave me 50% rating for migraines and 0% for TBI. The lady conducting the exam believed I suffered from TBI she even told me it was a stretch to get a claim approved for it. She didn’t hated the VA system.

 

Oh I missed that OP.
If you can get the dr to document your issues. And then correlate them to anything your unit did, you can just claim that. It’s... shady.. but whatever you can live with. You know?

So example. If your unit was ever in an IED blast, you just say you were there. Show them the picture. A sworn statement. Any sort of documentation will help. A service organization should be able to help a lot too.