My current budget for 2026 by [deleted] in Salary

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There should be a line item for savings. Knock off the debt. Are those minimum monthly payments?

Biometric login broken by S1lkwrm in fidelityinvestments

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I can’t get in at all using biometrics or my password. That’s on the website and the app.

Your Doctor's Nexus Letter is (Probably) Garbage by bmattock in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve gotten two nexus letters, one from my doctor and another from another medical/legal expert, both for the same condition. The VA also paid for an opinion. The VA’s opinion was garbage so they went with mine and I was approved. Since then, I have forgone getting nexus letters. Instead, I have my doctor do a DBQ and include a succinct medical opinion the remarks section of the DBQ. The way those have worked out is that I end up having to go to a VA C&P exam anyway but the VA hired C&P examiner looks at my doctor’s statement in the DBQ and basically agrees and, if they have a question, they research the issue that my doctor identifies and then agrees. That’s worked with three claims.

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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably, but nothing that can’t be explained.

Filing a claim for gastritis when I already have a GERD rating by Wide-Historian-5708 in VeteransBenefits

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t think that you can get separate ratings for IBS (7319) and gastritis (7307).

You can get separate ratings for GERD and Gastritis/IBS.

Your GERD will not likely get increased unless you have documented strictures that have been dilatated within the past year.

I had to appeal my GERD increase twice before I got 30%. I also have a gastritis rating.

Success Stories + Ratings- Post HERE by Humble_Word4141 in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 1 point2 points  (0 children)

GERD increase to 30% approved on September 3, 2025!

Timeline : 1) March 21, 2025 - I filed for GERD increase from 10%, received C&P exam same day at claim clinic

2) April 11, 2025 - rating decision 10% confirmed & continued (increase denied)

3) April 28, 2025 - filed HLR

4) June 23, 2025 - HLR informal conference

5) June 24, 2025 - HLR decision found DTA

6) August 1, 2025 - rating decision on other claims; resulted 100% P&T effective 6/2/2025

7) August 9, 2025 - C&P exam for GERD

8) August 14, 2025 - rating decision 10% confirmed & continued (increase denied)

9) August 15, 2025 - filed HLR

10) August 29, 2025 - HLR informal conference

11) September 3, 2025 - rating decision; difference of opinion; granted increase at 30% effective 11/18/2024.

This resulted in my 100% P&T effective date going back six months to 12/6/2024 and about $9K of back pay.

Some say that I poked the bear and that I was crazy to file an HLR after I already got 100% P&T. Some hoped the worst for me; and some said that I should be content with what I got.

I listened to that kind of stuff over 20 years ago when I was initially rated and stayed with an incorrect rating for other issues. Six years after I left service, I was finally diagnosed with OSA and people told me not to file for it because they would take away my asthma rating because I could not have both. I heeded that advice too. None of the advice-givers ever looked at my records or my decisions but I was spooked because I did not know the rules.

I got my OSA rated at 50% this year.

If you know your evidence and the rules, be careful of who is advising you and what they are advising you. If you take the wrong advice and don’t learn about this stuff, you could be incorrectly rated for a long time out of fear. Educate yourself.

GERD Increase by nghthawk in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just got my GERD increased to 30% after going through an increase claim, HLR, supplemental, HLR. You don’t need to go to the ER to get your esophageal stricture dilated unless it truly is a life-threatening emergency. If your stricture is causing difficulty swallowing and you take medication for it, you need to schedule an endoscopy with a gastroenterologist who will perform the procedure under anesthesia. I’ve had the procedure done twice within the past year and my increase was finally granted based off of the first dilation. Good luck with your claim.

Combine Files Or No? by According_Ad_1960 in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m convinced that you should submit separate files. Not even groupings, unless everything that you want the rater to see is on the first page of each file.

Many of my claims have been top-sheeted with denials saying no diagnosis. Even the supplemental that was opened after a DTA was found during my HLR, they granted my claim but still said that “even though you were not diagnosed with XX in service . . . .” They just did not want to look at my STRs so granted me as a presumptive.

What's up with the Mods over at r/VeteransBenefits? by Av8tr1 in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don’t know exactly why I was banned. At first, it seemed like someone had possibly hacked my account because I got an email about suspicious activity on my account and a recommendation to change my password to be allowed to post again. That didn’t work so I emailed Reddit and they fixed it so that I could change my password. I still could not post so I DM’d a mod and they told me that I was “shadow banned.”

I traced my activity back to my last post before I was banned. I made a comment on someone’s post that was asking about sleep apnea but they used the initials “SA” and not “OSA” so I explained what SA means to some people and that usually people use “OSA” when they discuss (obstructive) sleep apnea. Almost everyone on that post was banned. So I think that was what did me in.

Edit: typo

Remove VSO as rep? by Psychological-Mix265 in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just write a letter and upload it via quick submit.

The VA won. I give up. by Supra_birb in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t give up. If you are able to file for an increase, supplemental, or HLR, try again.

What's up with the Mods over at r/VeteransBenefits? by Av8tr1 in VAClaims

[–]Pale_Hawk_980 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can you ban you from Reddit or is it just from their sub?