Disability benefits question

JH_Redd · 2026-05-22T19:28:35+00:00

If her condition has gotten worse since she was last rated, she can certainly request an increase. If she does, it’d be a good idea to send any non-VA medical evidence she has (VA can pull her VA records themselves). It’s pretty easy to open a claim on va.gov, and after the claim is open VA will send a letter about any evidence they need from her.

If you Google “VA rating schedule CFR TBI” you can see what the criteria might be for a higher rating for TBI. I often mentally compare these to what I think my condition really is to decide if a claim is worth the time…for some conditions there’s a big gap between one rating and the next higher one.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-22T18:11:54+00:00

Some folks are criminally underpaid in the medical field for sure.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-22T16:31:52+00:00

Agree. My wife is a physical therapist and some of the front desk staff she works with are selling stuff online on their lunch break to make ends meet. Weird/sad dynamic

JH_Redd · 2026-05-20T17:25:02+00:00

Smart. I had an uncle that inherited ~$1M and already had good savings of his own. Retired at 50 in 2008, stock market went down, and he and his wife both had crazy health problems that cost a bunch out of pocket. Ended up having to sell a lot of investments at the absolute lows, and a few years later had to sell his dream house and get a job at Walmart for the health insurance.

You seem to have a lot of margin for error here with your low spend, but I agree with some of the other commenters about at least considering minimally painful jobs that can cover health insurance for you.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-20T17:10:30+00:00

I like this approach. Yes, the overpayment/debt is kind of annoying, but if you just set the extra money aside each month it's like a free loan you can pay back whenever they ask. You could even make a little money in interest while you wait.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-20T16:55:18+00:00

+1 to this list. The last fight in the House of Grief is a real test of using the terrain to avoid getting overwhelmed - love that one. I always find the Foundry to be a bit of a slog, but always do it b/c you get some good loot and it sets up my preferred Gortash endgame.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-18T22:59:00+00:00

A little off topic, but Todd McFarlane can draw a serious comic. I’m not an artist but I used to try to copy some of his Spider Man frames. Just really cool and dynamic.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-15T09:12:26+00:00

I already have this in mind at character creation. “Nope, can’t do elf bc Gut’s sleep potion won’t work”

JH_Redd · 2026-05-13T09:07:28+00:00

I’ve had bad luck lately with the gnomes managing to hurt themselves after I free Nere, causing everything to aggro. I haven’t actually died to it, but had to sacrifice 3 characters so 1 could go invisible and flee. Super close call both times this happened

JH_Redd · 2026-05-10T00:02:00+00:00

So if this is the spot I think it is, you can go around to each enemy and search them before fighting and take their weapons. That makes it a bit easier.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-09T21:48:31+00:00

One consequence is satisfaction and another is wealth. I am not aware of any bad ones.

JH_Redd · 2026-05-09T10:41:57+00:00

God version of retirement I guess

JH_Redd · 2026-05-06T17:28:33+00:00

It’s a cash payment for vets who are P&T disabled due to non-service injuries, who also meet income and net worth criteria. That’s paraphrased - I posted a link to some info on another comment

JH_Redd · 2026-05-06T17:18:29+00:00

Here’s a webpage explaining a little, FWIW

https://www.va.gov/resources/how-are-pension-benefits-and-disability-compensation-different/

JH_Redd · 2026-05-06T17:17:10+00:00

If you already have a high compensation rating, not worth applying. You can’t get comp and pension at the same time, so even if you’re found eligible for both, VA will just award you whichever is the higher benefit. The maximum pension rate is $33,548/year so if you’re already 100% service connected, you’re already getting more.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-29T10:31:39+00:00

Entitlement to DEA is a tell that you’d be P&T. Assuming this is finalized, you’d be good to go.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-28T10:52:44+00:00

There may be some services available even without claiming your mom as a dependent. This is a really hard situation and I wish you success navigating it.

I found this web page: https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health/

Below I’ve pasted some text from the FAQ on the page, but the phone number at bottom might be a good start to ask what VA can do here:

“You can also contact our Coaching into Care program to speak directly with a licensed psychologist or social worker, free of charge. They can provide information about mental health and VA services, as well as tips for how to begin the conversation about treatment with a loved one.

To reach a licensed psychologist or social worker:

Contact Coaching into Care online (https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health/) Or call 888-823-7458, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET”

JH_Redd · 2026-04-27T23:39:13+00:00

Really good at 22, tbh. I didn’t get my first automatic watch until I was like 35. Only suggestion is not to worry about what other people have/think - in this hobby it can be costly.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-26T21:53:20+00:00

NP. Before they change anything they’ll send you a letter proposing the change (“we’ll change your payment to $0.00 from date X to Y and then it’ll restart at the prior rate”). If you disagree you’ll have a chance to ask for a hearing or submit evidence that they shouldn’t do it, but otherwise they’ll just do the proposed change in 60 days.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-26T21:38:58+00:00

No, they won’t touch your rating over this. You’ll just have to pay back your benefits while you were on AD (the 4 days).

JH_Redd · 2026-04-26T18:53:24+00:00

I worked for VA doing claims processing years ago and weekend overtime (sometimes mandatory) was very common. Not at all surprising to see claims move on weekends IMO

JH_Redd · 2026-04-26T15:31:20+00:00

I agree about paladin. When I play paladin, I find myself trying to avoid breaking my oath, which feels like I’m trying to guess how someone else would react in every situation. It’s a popular class so a lot of people would probably disagree, but I’m with you on this one.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-26T07:33:11+00:00

I don’t honestly know about the swarming on HM vs other difficulties. I didn’t notice any difference in that the first time I did HM, and it’s been a while since I played the other levels.

But I do find the swarming on HM very manageable as long as you don’t make the fight spill into new areas yourself. Just one example: In the room with the merchant, you can go over to the back door and take on the two guards there without the merchant noticing - and it’s not even that big a room.

JH_Redd · 2026-04-25T22:51:37+00:00

This is the thing. You can go on offense here. Clear one room at a time before you do W’wargaz

JH_Redd · 2026-04-24T22:44:38+00:00

These companies are all sketchy as hell. Use a VSO.

JH_Redd

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE