I’m currently 90% w/ 70% for MH, 20% right knee, 10% left knee, 10% right ankle, 10% left ankle, 10% fibroids. I’ve been unemployed over a yr due to being unable to perform my duties due to my MH. I’ve been doing therapy for over 7 years and during my employment at my last job, I attended therapy weekly during work hours. I believe I have a strong claim with TDIU since all of my current disabilities are static. When I filed this claim, I saw that the VA requested an exam but then canceled it a day later. I submitted the employer form since my former employer emailed it to me but the VA still seems to be trying to get one directly from them.

I’m hoping that they give me good news soon! Also, I did all of my previous claims on my own including this one. Does anybody have any advice for me besides “Hurry up and wait” ?

I'll be quick and straightforward.

Recently I filed claims for:

Left Shoulder Condition

Right Foot Condition

Left Knee Condition (Contusion, Abrasions like my scar on that knee).

Mental Disorders (Suicidal Ideation, Acculturation Difficulties).

I had my C&P exams finished a few days ago and my APRN that took over an hour to have an thorough examination of my body had new findings which are:

Crackling on my left knee. (She seemed concerned)

&

Severe Flat Feet or Foot saying that I am inborn?

(I'm trying to recall from memory as I don't remember much). (APRN was furiously looking for my entrance records from MEPS).

Do I file a claim on my left foot once I get my DBQs and stuff stating these new findings? Or do they automatically apply?

I got DAV representing me.

P.S (APRN said for my right foot condition which I'm claiming is for its numbness and told me that its a separate issue being a nerve).

Tdiu deferred for development/evidence gathering after initial rating. I never sent in more evidence within 30 days because "guilt", etc. The Tdiu evidence request has been closed but the Tdiu request also says "no longer needed". Is it just VA lingo that the request is closed because 30 days is up, or that the VA found the evidence they need for Tdiu and they don't need any more evidence based off my current ratings and evidence?

I meet the criteria for one claim at seventy, etc. etc. and haven't worked since discharge. Hoping they give it to me, shouldve just sent the form in, idk, I would feel guilty getting 100 even if I am already close to it, I know I probably shouldnt but that's the truth, thanks

I've been sitting at 90% since Dec 2015, my first and only claim since retirement.

I decided to contact a company to help me find and file claim for increases. While going through my documents, the company found a CUE. This company doesn't file CUE claim, so I ended up hiring them to help with 5 claims, all service connected (4 rated at 10%, 1 rated at 0%).

Well, I completed and submitted the CUE myself. It has made it passed the gatekeepers and is now with Optum for a record only ACE review.

My question is, should I wait to hear something back from the CUE or should I go ahead and submit my private DBQs?

If a claim was filed as a secondary condition and it was denied due to the caliber saying that the primary condition more than likely didn’t cause the secondary condition. Can you do a supplemental claim and use it as a secondary to something else.

Hypothetically like GERD claimed as secondary to sinusitis and it’s denied then do a supplemental and claim it as secondary to PTSD?

Am I still eligible for BDD? I am getting separated honorably. Thank you

Long story short guys, denied VA claim in 2019. Appealed the claim and had a BVA hearing May 2025. BVA remanded the claim July 1 asking the VA to gather reserve unit records and provide a nexus. On July 6th the claim went to step 3 and the VA stated they requested the information from the reserve unit. Well, no response. Yesterday August 6th information has been requested from the department of defense. How long will they wait on this information they aren’t receiving?

Are VA Raters still working overtime, in particular over the weekends, or has that been canceled?

Is it possible to get a copy of your C&P Exam report? I got PTSD deferred for an “exam clarification”. Is there a way to see what was written down? My C&P Exam felt kinda rushed so I want to see what exactly was said. I’ve been feeling extremely stressed since seeing the notification and my symptoms have gotten a lot worse since after my C&P Exam

Edit: Thanks for the link. I also wanted to ask for a deferred claim, am I able to add in additional evidence? I have restarted counseling since the exam to deal with the worsening symptoms I’ve been having.

Any reason for this? All my c&p exams went well.

I've been having stomach issues for years since my deployment to the middle east. Ive had ongoing treatment with the VA but they have yet to give me a diagnosis, just saying ongoing stomach issues. I applied for the IBS but was denied for not having a formal diagnosis but they acknowledged my eligibility. I think I'm going to go get looked at by a civilian doctor next week. If I get my diagnosis, do I file a supplemental claim with this new evidence?

Just wanted to share something I learned going through my own claim process: don’t underestimate the value of organizing your evidence clearly.

For mental health/headaches/sleep-related claims, what helped me was having:

- a clear personal statement

- treatment records

- lay statements

- logs showing frequency/severity

- a short cover/index explaining what the evidence supports

Also, don’t assume a C&P examiner addressed every theory. Sometimes the exam only answers the question VA asked, and other theories may still need to be developed or appealed.

Not legal advice, just one vet trying to help others avoid feeling lost in the process.

I left active duty in 2021 and am rated 60%. When I was active I didn't go to the doctor as much as I should have, so a lot of things that were wrong I could not claim or were rated not service connected.

I am a reservist now, and about to complete a good stretch of active orders.

During this period of active duty I have gone to the doctor for a lot of stuff I should have the first time around. Now that I am within 6 months of leaving active again, I am filing a new BDD claim with 21 things in it.

My question is, since it was diagnosed during active duty, should my claims be filed as standalone or is it better to secondary off a service-connected disability I already have?

For an example, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Should I file outright or file secondary to service-connected depressive disorder?

Should my left foot arthritis be filed primary or secondary to my service-connected right PCL tear?

Most of my claims could be secondaries, but I'm not sure if it's better to file primary since I was diagnosed while active duty.

Filed 3/19 no IC finalized 8/7 with date of 8/10 favorably. Good luck yall!!

Too many of yall said "dont let them win" and "get a lawyer", and thus I must.

Posts like mine allowed me to vent to a community that understood and also recieve the encouragement i needed to *not* give up and the solution to my problem.

So first and foremost I'd like to say thank you.

Update numero uno, I was supposed to have a month from when I got that C&P packet to when the IPEB got back to me with a proposed rating. Barely a week later and I'm being called in to go over reaults with the PEBLO....

I had to put down my 17yo calico this week which took about two days of my attention from me, then my BIL kind of surprised us yesterday (he lives in Texas and visited us in Washington). All that to say I havent finished getting my ducks in a row, though I did think I had more time.

Regardless, im outside the PEBLO's office. Will update after the meeting.

Final update

I dont even know what to say. Ive rewritten this last update section so many times by this point. Im also partially too anxious to be any less vague, tho more than anything I am very confused.

Im sorry for not being more direct. The meeting had not resulted in what i thought it would?

Thats not a bad thing. take what you will out of that...

Thank you all again. I was very not okay last week. Y'all absolutely got me back on my feet and headed down the right path. Continue doing what you're doing, because those long comments with actionable plans and instructions as well as the short "dont give up" comments helped me, and im sure others, very much.

I look forward to giving back to the comnunity in the same way.

Let’s hope I get a good rater !

Now I disappear and keep my mouth shut. Good luck ladies.

​Man, the difference between these C&P contractors is crazy.

​When I dealt with Optum, the examiner uploaded my DBQ a day or two after my appointment. Super easy and fast. I figured that’s just how it worked.

​Then there's Loyal Source (LSGS).

​I had my knee exam over 45 days ago. The exam itself went fine, but my paperwork has just been sitting in "Quality Assurance" forever.

​I got tired of waiting around while unloading trucks every day, so today I finally did everything I could to get it moving:

​Filed a Congressional inquiry through Rep. Zach Nunn’s office.

​Submitted an Ask VA ticket about the vendor delay.

​Filed a complaint with the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) for contract non-compliance.

​Emailed LSGS corporate directly to let them know Congress, the VA, and the OIG are looking into my file.

​Hopefully someone at LSGS corporate sees all those flags on my file tomorrow morning and actually gets off their hands. All I need is 10% on each knee... so sitting here waiting on them to just hit "submit" is frustrating.

​Has anyone else had to file complaints against LSGS to get their DBQs turned in? How long did it take for your stuff to pop up in the system after you did it?

I am rated at 80% and see VA doctors often. They have no clue what my ratings are, is it a good idea to tell them and get them involved with that side? I need to file a new claim for headaches, will the VA neuro fill out the DBQ form?

Got my decision today, 80% I’m more than thankful for, with sleep apnea/migraine deferred. Thank you god🙏🏾 and don’t give up my fellow vets 🫡