Posted on Jun 8, 2020
Did you wait till you were out to get your disability rating? If so, how long before you made your first claim?
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How many of you are rated through the VA If so did you wait till you were out or did it while still in If you waited how long were you out when you made your first claim?
Posted in these groups: 
Disability
Disabled Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)ClaimsClaims Representative
Disability Disabled Veterans Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)ClaimsClaims Representative
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 745
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Hi,
I was given a 30% disability rating when I retired in 2010. Not one person explained to me how to go about getting my VA benefits. I moved to Nevada in 2011 and struggled financially for about two years. However during that time, I applied online to increase my rating. I found an organization called the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). They were wonderful. They jumped right in to help me get the proper disability rating and did all the paperwork. Once they knew I needed help, they were there for me all the way through and helped expedite my paperwork. I finally started to receive the money that was due plus back pay from my retirement date.
Long story short, my advice to you is to find an organization like the DAV or VFW immediately upon discharge or retirement. They will help simplify the whole process.
I was given a 30% disability rating when I retired in 2010. Not one person explained to me how to go about getting my VA benefits. I moved to Nevada in 2011 and struggled financially for about two years. However during that time, I applied online to increase my rating. I found an organization called the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). They were wonderful. They jumped right in to help me get the proper disability rating and did all the paperwork. Once they knew I needed help, they were there for me all the way through and helped expedite my paperwork. I finally started to receive the money that was due plus back pay from my retirement date.
Long story short, my advice to you is to find an organization like the DAV or VFW immediately upon discharge or retirement. They will help simplify the whole process.
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PO2 Denise Spaulding
I had a state employed VA representative who did absolutely nothing for me. I filed everything myself 38 years after my medical discharge. It wasn't pretty, and probably wouldn't have taken as long if I knew what I was doing (the process really triggered my anxiety and sent me into a 2 year mental health breakdown).
My advice is to follow YOUR advice and get help from an agency associated with veterans.
The state paid VA rep assigned to me had his own ideas of how and what I should file for.
He talked me out of filing for MST, and for depression due to pain from injury instead.
I was very lucky to have my mental health C&P examiner actually read my service and health records that included things I didn't know existed. There were reports from base security, NCIS, a local hospital, and enough evidence for a court martial conviction of my assailant. The examiner asked me why no one ever looked at my records, all I could say was I'd never seen them and didn't know they existed.
So I would add get ALL of your records! Sometimes the evidence is not in your medical file.
My advice is to follow YOUR advice and get help from an agency associated with veterans.
The state paid VA rep assigned to me had his own ideas of how and what I should file for.
He talked me out of filing for MST, and for depression due to pain from injury instead.
I was very lucky to have my mental health C&P examiner actually read my service and health records that included things I didn't know existed. There were reports from base security, NCIS, a local hospital, and enough evidence for a court martial conviction of my assailant. The examiner asked me why no one ever looked at my records, all I could say was I'd never seen them and didn't know they existed.
So I would add get ALL of your records! Sometimes the evidence is not in your medical file.
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SSG Leslie Hagen
PO2 Denise Spaulding Hey Denise,
First of all, I just want to say that I’m sorry for what happened to you. It’s a sad state of affairs when people try to steamroll us into doing things that are not in our best interests because they either don’t want to do the paperwork, are protecting the assailant, or they simply take it upon themselves to decide what they think you should or should not get.
I had a First Sargent one time tell the company clerk not to file my paperwork for the reenlistment bonus I was supposed to get because he said that I didn’t deserve a bonus.
Anyway, I’m glad you finally got your benefits.
Take care
First of all, I just want to say that I’m sorry for what happened to you. It’s a sad state of affairs when people try to steamroll us into doing things that are not in our best interests because they either don’t want to do the paperwork, are protecting the assailant, or they simply take it upon themselves to decide what they think you should or should not get.
I had a First Sargent one time tell the company clerk not to file my paperwork for the reenlistment bonus I was supposed to get because he said that I didn’t deserve a bonus.
Anyway, I’m glad you finally got your benefits.
Take care
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The last station I went to during physical exam was service officers for different veterans organizations. That was in 2001, I went thru American Legion and had my rating 6 months after ritering. I recommend using service officers from any veterans organization as they know all the procedures.
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I enlisted at 17 left the regular Army at 25 was in the AR and OKANG until 29. Had issues but didn't want to be a burden to my country. Fast forward and I'm 56 and obama is bringing foreigners here and setting them up for life using our money so I think to hell with it if they are getting the pie given to them I might as well ask for what I felt I earned. Went to the VA, got 50% quickly and over a couple of years stairstepped to 100% T&P. The one thing I will say that obama did for me was to piss me off enough to actually speak up for my rights.
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Suspended Profile
I got my rating of 80% from the Army while still active in the WTU during treatment. Once retired I checked into the VA in Tampa for treatment, I applied for a higher rating and was awarded 100%. There are a lot of hoops for us to jump through but stay with it
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Six months before I retired I went to the base VSO. She read through my MEDREC (three vols.), completed all required forms and other documents and submitted them to the VA.
I won't bet my pension on it but if memory serves I received my disability rating within a week retiring.
I won't bet my pension on it but if memory serves I received my disability rating within a week retiring.
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I don't recall the exact conversation after my retirement physical, but for some reason I seem to recall being assured that after 20 years of active duty that I would pretty much be guarenteed a disability rating. Sometime during the first year, after I had secured employment and a stable life I did file my initial VA disability claim and it came back %20 percent service connected. Since then I have had 1 upgrade evaluation and now stand at %30 service connected
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Started the paperwork during my ACAP process, months before my final out. Last day of service was January 31, retired pay started in March, Disability rating was received in March as well. I utilized the “Purple Heart Association” which I understand has lost it Accreditation with the VA. There are other Veterans Associations that perform the medical records reviews, and submit to the VA.
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I did mine about 3 or 4 months before I retired, it was finalized about 4 months after I retired.
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I waited years before I made my claim. That was stupid. Broken cervical vertebrae from a helicopter crash. Lived with the pain for years before I had it fused.
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Suspended Profile
I actually ended up waiting almost 3 years before attempting my first disability rating. Mostly because I refused to see anything as wrong with me.
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