Need help with VA Disability Math

[lmholmes11]

I got my letter from the VA today with the results.

They have me at 50%-PTSD
40%-tbi
30%-Migrains


What is my overall combined rating? I never was good at math...especially VA math.

Thanks guys

[Rocky C]

You will get paid at the 100% Service Connected Rate.

Semper Fi,
Rocky

[DocGreek]

:evilgrin:.....WHAAAAAT??....LETTER??....if you've received a decision from the VA about a claim, or request for increase in DIS. RATING....it's ALWAYS STATED in the COVER LETTER!! ALSO....if you are NOW at 100%....you SHOULD get a LARGE envelope with LOTS of paperwork, and...TELEPHONE NUMBERS, to call.....if you have questions!!!...."HOMEY"...call your VA -REP....TOMORROW.....EH??.....BEST OF LUCK, NUMBNUTS!!!!!......:D
SEMPER FI.......Doc Gweek.....:p

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Congrats, if I figure that math correctly, it's 100 percent. You should also be shortly seeing a nice, fat, deposit for back pay (tax free), from the time you filed your claim.

I only hope I do as "well".

'Doc, you kill me LOL

[egbutler1]

Well I went in for my re-evaluation in March doc gave me a GAF of 45 don't know what that means and said he "doubts" that i can work. Im already 50% for PTSD 0% migraines think i got some TBI in there somewhere. Anyone been threw the system and have to get a re-evaluation? If so how long did it take to hear back and do you have to do anything or does the VA make a choice on you and inform you like they did when i got my 50%. I'm getting sick of waiting I don't even know if my claim has got processed or even started. I want to know if they are raising me lowering me or taking my chit all together. Give me a PM if you can help thanks brothers!

[Rocky C]

Congrats, if I figure that math correctly, it's 100 percent. You should also be shortly seeing a nice, fat, deposit for back pay (tax free), from the time you filed your claim.

I only hope I do as "well".

'Doc, you kill me LOL

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[Phantom Blooper]

Your GAF score can fluctuate depending on what your shrink or a team of shrinks says about you.

They are of the opine based on the DSM manual.

If you are hospitalized with mental health issues your score could be lower...

If you are catatonic your score is the lowest....

They determine this by your ability to fit into society....

There is no written test to determine this...

This is based on what you tell the shrink and what the criteria is in the DSM manual.

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale•

Consider psychological, social, and occupational functioning on a hypothetical

continuum of mental health-illness. Do not include impairment in functioning due to

physical (or environmental) limitations.

Code (Note: Use intermediate codes when appropriate, e.g., 45, 68, 72.)

100 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life’s problems never seem

to get out of hand, is ought out by others because of his/her many positive

91 qualities. No symptoms.

90 Absent of minimal symptoms (e.g., mild anxiety before an exam), good

functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities,

81 socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday

problems or concerns (e.g., an occasional argument with family members).

80 If symptoms are present, the are transient and expectable reactions to

psycho-social stressors (e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument); no

71 more than slight impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning

(e.g., temporarily falling behind in schoolwork).

70 Some mild symptoms (e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia) OR some

difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning (e.g., occasional

truancy, or theft within the household), but generally functioning pretty well,

61 has some meaningful relationships.

60 Moderate symptoms (e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic

attacks) OR moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning

51 (e.g., few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers).

50 Serious symptoms (e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent

shoplifting) OR any serious impairment in social, occupational, or school

41 functioning (e.g., no friends, unable to keep a job).

40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication (e.g., speech is at times

illogical, obscure, or irrelevant) OR major impairment in several areas, such as

work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (e.g., depressed

31 man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats

up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school).

30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR

serious impairment in communication or judgment (e.g., sometimes

incoherent, acts grossly inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation) OR inability to

21 function in almost all areas (e.g., stays in bed all day; no job, home or friends).

• All of this information was pulled from the DSM IV-TR.:evilgrin:

[DocGreek]

:evilgrin:......WHY DON'T ANY OF YOU NUMBNUTS READ WHAT I POST......HUH???
1. if you have a service "REP" talk to HIM/THEM....NOT US!!!
2. if you've been rated at 100%....LIKE I SAID...DUH!....you WILL receive a LARGE envelope...with ALL the RIGHT paperwork...in it!!!!
I've been a VA patient since 1983, and I know exactly how the VA SCREW'S things up!!
If you have ANY questions....ask your SHRINK...FIRST!!....that's what he's there for!!
DO NOT PUT UP WITH ANY B.S........PERIOD!!.....:evilgrin:

[Phantom Blooper]

:evilgrin:......WHY DON'T ANY OF YOU NUMBNUTS READ WHAT I POST......HUH???


Called the doctor, woke him up, and said
"Doctor NUMB NUTS , ain't there nothing I can take"
I said, "Doctor, to relieve this mental ache?"
I said, "Doctor ain't there nothing I can take"
I said, "Doctor

BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COMPLICATED DOC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:evilgrin:

[DocGreek]

:D.....OK, it's the high octane/thickasoil Java I'm drinkin'!....DUH!!....:D
BLOOP.....you're RIGHT, your description of GAF scoring was simple....for simple-minded BI-POLAR, PARANOID fools.....like ME!!...:p

[oldtop]

lmholmes11: Sorry, if those are all you are rated for, you are NOT 100%...your rating will be 80% (yeah, VA math is complicated), however, if your PTSD Doc said you cannot work, and you are not in fact working, you need to submit a letter from the Doc that states you cannot work because of your PTSD, and a VA Form 21-8940 (Application for Increased Compensation based on Individual Unemployability. Also include a form 21-4192 Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits). Approval of this claim WILL get you paid at the 100% rate (it's called IU, or Individual Unemployability), with all of the same benefits as being rated 100% by the rating schedule.

[DocGreek]

TOP...why do you think that SO many Vets have to ask US for help with their Disability claims?
I thought that all shrinks, and VA rep's would tell each Vet what to expect, and WHO to ask questions!!
WATCHA' THIMK??.....D/G

[oldtop]

OK for those that are interested..A Quick Tutorial on VA Math.............

1. list all of your disabilities, highest rated to lowest rated in that order
2. Start with 100%..subtract your HIGHEST RATED DIsability % from 100
3. Take the remainder from the above calculation and multiply by the % if your next highest rated disability...ADD the result to your highest rated disability, this is YOUR combined % rate
4. Subtract your combined % rate from 100
5. Take the new remainder from the above calculation and multiply by the % if your next highest rated disability...ADD the result to your highest rated disability, this is YOUR new combined % rate
6. Continue in the above fashion until all of your disabilities have been accounted for. As you can see, the closer you get to 100%, the HARDER it BECOMES to get 100%.....

Using the OP's ratings as an example:

100%-50%=50%
50% X 40%=20%; 50%+20%= 70%
100% - 70% = 30%; 30% X 30% = 9%, 70% + 9% = 79%, since the result is over 75%, round up to 80%; VA pays veteran at the 80% rate

[oldtop]

Doc..the biggest reason (at least around here) is because the VA Docs DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE RATING SYSTEM OR PROCESS; and reps that are VA EMPLOYEES are so poorly trained that they do not understand the process (or their job) either..to them, it is just a paycheck.

Another BIG problem, is the "Sea Lawyers" that hang out around the VA Hospitals..you know him / her / them....they all go by the name Somebody Told Me, or I Heard, or even He / She Said... these guys spread more BS than a manure machine, and it's usually WRONG!!! If we could just get our guys to GO TO AN ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE from a VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION, things would be eaisier for the vets.

STAY AWAY from LAWYERS..they will take as long as they can (and with VA processing times at about a year in some places) so they can make more money (YOUR BACK PAY!!)! An Accredited Representative usually knows how to deal with the VA better than a lawyer anyway, and DOES NOT COST THE VETERAN ANYTHING!!! The only time a vet really needs an attorney is if his claim is going to the Court of Veteran's Appeals, and in that case, an attorney accredited to his service organization (and certified to practice before COVA) will handle the claim, not some yahoo that advertises on TV and acts as a "middleman" to take another cut of your back pay.

[DocGreek]

:D....THANKS, TOP!!....:D

[sgt tony]

As OldTop has stated is the right answer you are 80% and apply for IU this is a lot easer to do that nickle and dime your way to the magical 100%.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Old Top, thank you very much for that clarification. As someone who is currently 'navigating' the system, that will help considerably, and I sure as heck shouldn't have made assumptions based on what I *THOUGHT* I knew.

And, BTW, I have an accredited representative from my state, who has been VERY helpful. Haven't paid a dime. (Thankfully).

Again, thank you. That freakin calculation is confusing but I think I 'got' it.

[Troutzilla]

Fill in your % in the left hand column.....click sumbit.

Good luck......http://www.hadit.com/service_connected_disabilities_rating_calculator.p hp

[Riven37]

You are at 120 = 100 %, this means you're not being paid of something. I know a few vets who are at 120 but are paid at 100 %..call your service officer and ask him/her.



I got my letter from the VA today with the results.

They have me at 50%-PTSD
40%-tbi
30%-Migrains


What is my overall combined rating? I never was good at math...especially VA math.

Thanks guys

[oldtop]

You are at 120 = 100 %, this means you're not being paid of something. I know a few vets who are at 120 but are paid at 100 %..call your service officer and ask him/her.

Riven37...PLEASE, don't contribute to the confusion. That is not even close to how the "VA MATH" works...please refer to my previous post for an exact rendition of how to calculate "combined percentages" using the VA Method, (which admittedly, has NO resemblance whatsoever to the math you and I learned in any school we ever attended).

[DocGreek]

:D......good thing I'm listening to Jimi Hendrix, while you NUMBNUTS try to "WORK" around The Top!!!!!!......HE! HE! HE! HE!......:D

[sgt tony]

Yes OldTop is right about you %. I have been a Service Officer since 1984 and still at it. That is the way it has been for the hole time.
Carry on Top and Semper Fi

[egbutler1]

TOP...why do you think that SO many Vets have to ask US for help with their Disability claims?
I thought that all shrinks, and VA rep's would tell each Vet what to expect, and WHO to ask questions!!
WATCHA' THIMK??.....D/G

Had I not had a wingman to guide me threw this process I wouldn't have know half of the benefits I can apply for. I think Marines come on this mofo and ask these questions cause like me, our TAPS / SEPS classes didn't really tell you **** (granted its more than the Nam guys had). Thank god for you salts or i'd have been lost. Keep it up killers.

[egbutler1]

Funny how I heard thousands of times to give 120%, which is mathematically impossible but you some how do it, than when you get out no matter how much your problems add up to the VA I guess says its mathematically impossible to go over 100%.

[oldtop]

:D......good thing I'm listening to Jimi Hendrix, while you NUMBNUTS try to "WORK" around The Top!!!!!!......HE! HE! HE! HE!......:D

CRANK IT Doc!!!!!

[CalmaSAdkisson]

DocGreek,

I am not permanently 100%, the VA says that is why I never got backpay. Should I have gotten backpay?

[DocGreek]

CALMA.....it all depends when you ORIGINALLY filed your claim, AND if you re-filed for MORE compensation.....before the TIME-LIMIT ran out.
Check the dates on your ppppppppaper-work!! I HATE pppppppaper-work!!!!....:D

[oldtop]

Calma: The effective date of your claim should be the first day of the month following the month in which you filed your claim, unless you filed within 12 months of discharge, in which case the...

[lmholmes11]

Thanks for all the input guys. My packet ended up coming and I am rated at 80%. They only have me at 50% for PTSD, which is bull sh%$. But at any rate, i'll take what I can get. They even denied me a 10% rate from Tinittus. Needless to say I am now filling out all required forms and writing my letter of disagreement. Anyone have any suggestions on what I should include in my letter to help my claim? I am having one of my close friends and my wife write a statement of how I was before deployment compared to after.

[kaelobo]

YOU GUYS ARE FUNNY< iam in the 80%bene/100%money class , one more hurdal to jump, you all are right my rep only answeare question i ask ,did not offer what i was elligable for, had to hang out in c groups rub elbows at the VA, and than check it with you guys,if all vets in need knew whats offered at the VA, maybe our young brothers with mental blocks, would go see the VA as a friend, and stop blowing there head off, they have a lot of brothers and friends at the VA that can help. iam geten little heavy iknow SORRY, but it just dont seem right.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,USMC

[oldtop]

imholmes!!...get thyself to an accredited representative and let them do your paperwork...NOW....go ahead and file the NOD for any issue that you disagre with, AND..IF you are not working, get a letter from vour VA physician stateing that your service connected conditions, and those conditions alone preclude you from any form of employment. Submit that letter, along with forms 21-8940 and 21 4192 to apply for increased compensation due to individual unemployability. That should get you paid at the 100% rate. Once you get the IU award, drop the other appeal, it will no longer be necessary.

[DocGreek]

:D....The Top's got it AGAIN!!!.....
THANKS, TOP!!.....:D

[lmholmes11]

I heard that if I am under the IU rating and I get a job years down the road I am disqualified from the 100% rate, is this true? And I am working with a DAV rep but he is close to useless.

[oldtop]

If you are rated IU, and get a job, you will lose the IU and revert to whatever % you are rated by the rating schedule...As for the rep, find an American Legion rep if the DAV one is not satisfactory. Check your STATE department of Veteran's Affairs (if your state has one), the state reps are usually certified to several service organizations, and will be able to help you.

[Rocky C]

Disabled American Veterans

273 E 800 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 359-8168

[lmholmes11]

Thanks guys, I am looking for a new DAV rep.

Since I have a combined rating of 80%, If I appeal them is there any way I can get a 90% rating? I dont think I will make it to 100% just yet. However I remember reading that the VA does not use the 90% rating...or is that just for PTSD?

[oldtop]

VA does use the 90% rating. Keep in mind that just because you appeal a decision does not mean that you will get an increased rating. Speak with your rep and follow his advise. Read the "Reasons and Basis" portion of your rating decision very carefully. It will give a full description of YOUR symptoms for each disability claimed, and the VA description for that disability at the % granted, as well as a description of the symptoms necessary for the next higher rating for that disability. If you meet the criteria for the higher rating, an appeal may be successful, if you do not meet the criteria, you are only wasting your time, as well a the VA's. You can "shop around" for reps, and eventually, you might find one that will "tell you what you want to hear", but that won't necessairly make it correct. Find yourself a rep that will be honest with you and you'll be a lot better off. Keep in mind that it is much easier to get IU than it is to get 100% by the rating schedule...and there is no real difference in the benefit at all, except that you cannot have a job with the IU rating.

[mckeow11]

Hey, I saw this helpful app. It combines the disability percentages with bilateral factor capability and calculates a current monthly payment. Check it out at www.VetCalc.com (http://www.vetcalc.com/)