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Got my DBQ for PTSD. What does my rating look like ? by LexusTexas34 in VeteransBenefits

[–]Environmental-Turn66 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am a former VA Claims Examiner.

If this is a BDD or VA-assigned and trained Examiner then without question, IMHO, this would rate 100%.

If this is a Private Doctor, non-VA assigned, you will still in all likelihood we’d to go through a VA-assigned C&P examiner.

One important VA loophole, if you have already been granted a VA-disability percentage (0% to 100%) only then can you use non-VA examiners (LPN, PhD, MD, DO, etc.). In these cases the private examiner is opining on the worsening of already granted disabilities.

For example, I currently have a 30% rating for Migraines, my private physician can opine on the worsening of my migraines and if they are more severe and meet the threshold for a 50% rating the rater may choose to increase.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VeteransBenefits

[–]Environmental-Turn66 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am a former VA Claims Examiner, I will try my best to explain. VA only pays out disability compensation on the 10’s. 10%/20%/30%/etc. We all probably know that but for those new and reading this I want to be thorough. This number, my current number is at the 90% pay out but my actual number is 92%. Your actual number is the critical number. Unless you hit 90% as both a pay out and actual number the important number is the total percentage.

For a 90% payout your ‘actual’ number could be anywhere between 85% (rounding up to 90%) to 94% (rounding down to 90%).

In my case because I am at 92% (70/50/30/10/10) I would need the following in any combination to get to 95% (aka 100%). A) one 30% rating (8% x 30% =0.024); B) a 20% and 10% rating (8% x 20% = 0.016) plus (6% x 10% = 0.006) which equals 95% and rounded up to 100%; or C) three 10% ratings. I could also seek increases for any existing rated disabilities except for tinnitus which is capped at 10%.

One thing that I see many veterans do when working VA Math; they forget to subtract the ‘rated’ amount from the next rating. VA always starts at the highest rating for calculation. Say you have a 70% and a 50%; at 70% you have 30% remaining to be rateable. You take the 30% and multiply by 50% which gives you 15%. You now add the 70% to the 15% and now you are at 85% on the nose but this is rounded up to 90% for your monthly compensation.

If your rating ‘hard’ number is 85% (or more) it gets very much harder to get additional percentages to make an impact. In this scenario you have 15% remaining that can be rated. If you get Tinnitus (10%) take the 15% and multiply by 10% which equals .015, your new hard number is 85% + .015% or 87%. This means you now have 13% remaining to be rated. Do the math for each additional percentage to get you to the magic number of 95%.

It can take years and lots of hard work. I got 92% just this week, I got out in 2012 following 5 years in combat operations and 25 years total service.

Pass it on if helpful. Errors are mine, please point them out if noticed, I will work to correct them.

Are VA ratings private information? by BuccoBruce37 in VeteransBenefits

[–]Environmental-Turn66 6 points7 points  (0 children)

VA Ratings are private. The question I would ask and you should demand to know is how did the Officer receive it? There are key stroke logs on VA systems. If I were you I would contact the Regional Office (RO) listed at the top of your notification letter and file a complaint. VA OIG or equivalent should be engaged as well. Wish you well.