An IMO by an expert often makes the difference!
How To File a VA Disability Appeal
You have the right to appeal any benefits decision made by the Veterans Benefits Administration. The VA appeals process is set in law and is different from other judicial appeals processes. Find out how to file an appeal.
CraveBox Healthy Care Package
Whole Foods Market
Schwans
Grocery and Gourmet Food Store at Amazon
Food Delivery Online - Deliver Near me All-in-one
Medical Malpractice
Download VA benefit letters
To receive some benefits, Veterans need a letter
proving their status.
For Better Brain Health, Preserve Your Hearing
Hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation.
Drew Early Veterans Law Attorney
Graduate of the US Military Academy, West Point
Adjunct Professor - Emory University Law School
20 Years Army Service - Airborne - Explosive Ordnance Badge
Free Case Review - Nationwide Representation
BVA/DRO Appeals - Fiduciary & Caregiver Issues, Trusts, Wills
Appeals of Veterans & Survivor Claims
(770) 939-1939
Medical Marijuana Card
Tell the doctor you saw it on VAWatchdog
and ask about veterans discounts!
We get $2,470 a month from Social Security
and want a warm, friendly city near the ocean.
VA launches online patient portal for veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
announced the launch of an online patient portal
this month that will provide service veterans
with digital access to their patient statements.
I did that for years & it's
the best thing ever. Get
into the belly of the beast.
Do You Need
Medical Care
RIGHT NOW?
You are already authorized
to use an urgent
care clinic!
Answers to your questions on stimulus checks
Are seniors on Social Security or
veterans on disability eligible?
The VAWatchdog
doesn't ask for donations, we don't have fees, we don't ask you to register...you can't find a way to give us your money. We're supported by advertising. When you shop via the VAWatchdog,
we'll get a small piece of that.
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Create or update your will fast / 100% free
Make your will with FreeWill today
Healthcare directives,
proxies, living wills and durable financial power of attorney.
All are free to use.
Is your disability pay fair game in a divorce?
(Yeah, it is...)
Veterans get more banking options,
Some veterans may have better access to banking now, through a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Association of Military Banks of America.
Schedule for Rating Disabilities
Which Consumer Lenders Are (and Aren’t) Helping the Most - American Express (cards), Capital One (auto loans and cards) and JPMorgan Chase said they would allow people to skip payments, interest free.
Owe VA Money???
To Loneliness And Isolation For Seniors
Did you know that hearing loss and tinnitus are the
most commonly rated veterans disabilities? Did you
know that hearing loss and tinnitus can cause
other secondary conditions, particularly mental
health problems like depression and loneliness?
Chronic Pain Is an Impossible Problem
A “safe” alternative to opioid painkillers
turns out to be not so safe.
Jim Strickland is a Vietnam era Army veteran and nationally recognized expert on VA disability benefits
and a member of the Stateside Legal Website Advisory Board. Jim's Mailbag, is a regular column where veterans,
servicemembers, and family members can ask Jim their questions about VA and Social Security disability benefits.
You can browse all of these Q&As here, and search the Jim's Mailbag archives for helpful answers.
Roger Hale, Veterans Law Attorney
Personal Injury Lawyer - Free Consultation For Veterans
Industrial Accidents Nursing Home Negligence Car Accidents
Workers Compensation Veterans Law
Pain & Suffering Emotional & Mental Anguish
(405) 531-9983
Amazon Is Putting Book Deliveries Into the
Slow Lane Thanks to the Coronavirus
The retail giant is prioritizing household
and medical supplies, and pushing
everything else to the back of the queue.
Just who do you think
you are?
Stats about veterans.
Percent of U.S. adult population who are veterans in 2017, by state
Employment Data for Veterans With Disabilities
Employment Situation of Veterans Summary
Immigrant Veterans in the United States
Demographics of the U.S. Military
Veterans and Military Documents
Military Programs and Benefits
Facts on Veterans and Entrepreneurship
American War and Military Operations
Casualties: Lists and Statistics
Tinnitus and hearing loss among
Veteran Social Security Beneficiaries
Veteran-Owned Businesses and Their Owners
48 Interesting U.S. Military Facts
The American Veteran Experience and the Post-9/11 Generation
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics - Quick Facts
Global Firepower - 2019 World Military Strength Rankings
Medical Malpractice - Veterans 1151 Claims
Malpractice Attorneys Helping Veterans Harmed By The VA
Veterans Healthcare Rights - Federal Tort Claims -
VA Medical Malpractice Claims, Misdiagnosis, Hospital Negligence, Medical Errors
For a review of your VA malpractice case contact our lawyers today. Our firm serves throughout the nation,
and is one of the few firms to have specialized experience in VA malpractice cases.
Call Now! (949) 640-8222
PAPER Evidence Records
and Claims All Go Here
V A Claims Intake Center
PO BOX 4444
JANESVILLE, WI
53547- 4444
Toll Free Fax:
844-531-7818
Key findings about America’s military veterans
The experiences of post-9/11 veterans differ from
those who served in previous eras. Post-9/11
veterans more likely to have been deployed,
seen combat, experienced emotional trauma
Should I file a claim?
Potential VA claims?
What am I missing in the VA claims process?
Best way to check on a supplemental claim online?
Confused on what to do with claim.
Dependent status with education benefits.
Suing the VA for negligence and malpractice.
You've Arrived at the VAWatchdog Dot Org!
Welcome Home
We've been keeping veterans informed of news and events important to them since 2005.
You'll find all you need to file your claim and referrals to professionals who can help you when things don't go well.
What you won't find here is unending chat or opinions from strangers who like to think of themselves as experts.
Our goal is to ensure that you are awarded the benefits you earned with your service to our country.
We're here to help you take charge of your benefits, and that is all.
Extra schedular ratings under
How can I get an extra schedular rating?
To receive an extra schedular rating the veteran
must first show that the veteran’s
conditions result in a disability picture
that is not covered by the schedule of ratings.
Trump: “We’ll be cutting” entitlement programs
White House: He didn’t really mean that.
Following his Fox News town hall, Stephanie Grisham and Kellyanne Conway denied that Trump said what he said.
C&P Service Clinician’s Guide
Scheduled For A C & P??? Filing A Claim?
This is a must read for you!!!
I've been posting this again and again over the years
and it's still one of the best ways I know to win
your case. Published in 2002 the principles and much of
the verbiage still applies and is in daily use at the VA.
VA Urgent Care Pharmacy Locations
Find VA-approved urgent care/retail location
pharmacies near a specific
address or ZIP code, or search by VA Facility.
DBQs are Disability Benefits Questionnaires and as of April 2020 DBQs are not required to be completed by the IMO doctor.
Independent Medical Opinions
Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQ's)
Service & Civilian Medical Record Reviews
Nexus Letters
Spine Pain Independent Medical Opinion
James Shields, MD, MBA, is a Board-Certified Physician with over 25 years clinical experience in pain management, anesthesiology and emergency medicine.
The Spine & Chronic Pain & Nerve Injuries Are Our Focus
Veterans PTSD Assessments
Independent Medical Opinions PTSD DBQs
Thomas Grieder, MD, PhD
Twenty five years service as a VA psychiatrist
Assistant Professor and Associate Clinical Professor
UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
Lead psychiatrist for the East Los Angeles PTSD Clinical Team
Contact Dr. Grieder
April 2020 Update: You're going to need an IMO.
When we apply for a disability benefit VA wants to see evidence in support of your claim. The evidence may be in personnel records or your DD-214 that shows where you've been and some of your accomplishments and VA will also look at any medical records that are available. Then VA will schedule to infamous C & P exam where an underqualified person will spend a few minutes completing one of those DBQ forms and send you on your way.
The C & P exam is the point at which most claims are lost because the examiner does a poor job of recording all the details and intricacies of your condition. Some exams are conducted by nurses and physician assistants who aren't well credentialed for the task but VA uses them and here we are.
If your claim is denied because of a poorly conducted C & P exam, you're going to enter that lengthy period where you have to appeal it all and eventually someone will tell you to go get an IMO done by an expert doctor.
The IMO is the piece of the puzzle that wins claims. Once you have a well written independent medical opinion in your claim it's almost impossible for VA to refute.
Yes...you have to pay for the IMO out of pocket and yes, it can be expensive. But you have to look at this as an investment in your future that will pay you back over and over as time goes by.
It was some 20 years ago when I was caught up in appeal after appeal and a friend suggested that I have an IMO done. I borrowed money for the fee and within a few months I had won the claims that I'd spent years trying to win.
The IMO works. You're going to need one eventually and it's simpler to have it done while you submit your claim than it is to wait for an appeal.
What are you waiting for?
Speak with any or all of the doctors here for free
ask how the doctor can help your claim.
Veterans Psych Evaluations
Brett Valette, Ph.D.
As an expert in psychological evaluations, Dr. Valette
provides Independent Medical Evaluations (IME),
Independent Medical Opinions (IMO), nexus letters,
ratings reviews for all psychological conditions.
Some Wounds Can't Be Seen
Contact Us Today
Craig Bash M.D., MBA
The Veterans Medical Advisor
If you are an honorably discharged veteran, you served your
country well and you earned certain benefits. Sad to say, sometimes
it can be difficult for the veteran to obtain the earned benefits guaranteed by law. Veterans need a recognized medical expert who knows
the VA system. As a disabled veteran himself and a respected, board certified physician, Dr. Bash fits the need—and adds even further
insight as a VA-accredited service organization representative.
Call 925-381-7561 Email drbash@doctor.com
An IMO is an Independent Medical Opinion. The opinion is usually a report that describes the experts review of pertinent records that include service and civilian medical records and any other records that may have an impact on the opinion.
The IMO is based on records provided to the reviewer by the client. There is rarely a face to face meeting as there is no physical exam required. The veteran client must provide adequate documentation for the expert to render an opinion.
Do Your Homework!
Search The Board of Veterans' Appeals Decisions
When you arrive at the landing page for the BVA search function, use words like 'IMO' and 'IME' and 'medical opinion' along with your claimed condition to learn how the court views an IMO tied to a condition like yours. For example, if you are researching how the BVA views the opinions of expert disability doctors on degenerative arthritis of the hips, type in 'hip arthritis IMO medical opinion' and choose the years you want to search.
Remember that BVA decisions do not establish precedence and just because a veteran prevailed in an appeal similar to yours doesn't mean a chip shot for you.
What does it cost?
GREAT question. Only the doctor you choose can answer that directly. Here's how it works...
Prices for work are set by each doctor for his or her own practice. There are no rules or regulations governing these fees, insurance doesn't play into the equation so the doctor can charge as much or as little as they wish.
You can barter, you can negotiate and in the end you'll have to pay for the work you need up front. Why do you have to pay in advance? Well, some people aren't as honest as you are and they'll try to stiff the doctor even if they win tens of thousands of dollars.
There is no refund if you lose. If the IMO doesn't seal the deal, then you have no recourse but to continue your appeal with the help of a lawyer. The IMO greatly improves the odds that you'll prevail but guarantees absolutely nothing.
We trust that the doctors you'll meet here are offering fair prices for their work product. Having said that, an IMO and the appropriate DBQs can mean that the doctor has to invest hours of time reading your records and writing reports and filling out DBQs. You already know that the time a doctor spends on you doesn't come cheap...of course there's a reason for that but that's another discussion.
How can you afford it? If you're like most of us, you can probably get a loan that covers medical procedures. There are finance companies out there that will help you pay for medical procedures and if your credit isn't totally broken, this may be what you need.
OK...I never recommend credit. I don't have a credit card and I don't borrow money. But I have when it was the right thing to do and getting your claim resolved with as little angst as possible is one of those moments.
If we assume that getting an IMO will help you to prevail and get there faster, we can plan that you'll use any new money to pay off the loan that you took for the IMO and you're a winner!
Should we have to do all this to be awarded the benefits we worked so hard for? No, of course not. But it is what it is so you may as well accept that and move ahead with your claims...and consider an IMO today!
The Law Offices of David Anaise, MD JD
Board Certified Physician/Surgeon Accredited Veterans Law Attorney
Military Veteran
DRO, BVA, CAVC Appeals Nexus Letters
Independent Medical Opinions
Has Your Claim Been Denied? Do you need an IMO or a DBQ?
You'll need to speak with an expert physician and then a veterans law attorney.
Why not speak with both at the same time?
(520) 219-7321 Free Case Evaluation (520) 219-7344
An IME is an Independent Medical Examination. This is a less frequently used option as face to face scheduling is required and the review of records and completion of DBQs is still required so the IME may add time and expense to your case. But if you don't have an accurate or clear diagnosis of a medical condition to claim as a disability, the IME may help you sort that detail out.
Type your paragraph here.
The NPRC
Military Records DD 214
Announcing the Veterans Benefits Banking Program
A partnership between VA and the
Association of Military Banks of America
How To Get Urgent Care For Free
You are authorized urgent care but you must be prepared!
How Divorce, Alimony, and Child Support
Affect Veterans' VA Benefits
VA benefits can be garnished only for spousal
or child support, and only under certain conditions.
Why Getting a Diagnosis Matters
A diagnosis does so much more than get noted in your medical history. It also can help you apply for programs like Social Security Disability and medical marijuana cards. And maybe even more importantly, it can help you explain yourself to friends, colleagues and family.
The Next, Terrible Phase of This Crisis
After cancellation comes triage
VA Health Care Public Health Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
What you should know
VA is working closely with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal partners, monitoring an outbreak of Novel Coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Misuse of Certain Nonopioid Analgesics on the Rise
Gabapentin, Baclofen May Be Seen
as Opioid Alternatives
Con artists may try to get your Medicare
Number or personal information so they can steal
your identity and commit Medicare fraud.
How to ensure seamless care while traveling
Your state runs County Veterans Service Offices
for you and they're working today.
One More Reason You Need An Independent Medical Opinion
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
Accuracy of Claims Decisions Involving Conditions of the Spine
A coronavirus outbreak aboard an aircraft carrier is one of
the possibilities facing the US military
How would the Navy react if a sailor aboard a large ship such as an aircraft carrier tested positive for the coronavirus?
VA Releases Survivors Quick Start Guide
Reference guide to help during final
arrangements planning
Welcome to the KnowVA Knowledge Base
Locate information more quickly and efficiently
How to file a VA disability claim
Find out how to file a claim for disability compensation
or increased disability compensation.
What You Should Know about Disability and Debt
There Are Protections...When it comes to debt collection, disability income enjoys special status.
Florida veterans health centers moving to virtual appointments to combat coronavirus
to stay home and avoid exposure
Your 2020 Guide to Social Security Benefits
Whether you’re claiming Social Security in 2020, have been collecting benefits for years, or are still decades away, here’s what you need to know about this critically important retirement program.
Urgent Care Centers
One of the most important benefits you have today is
the authorization to use an urgent care center
near to you. But first, you have to
to take with you. Don't wait until you need this
benefit to prepare for it. Read this now,
print your papers and be prepared!
You Ready???
Are you aware that Amazon will deliver groceries to you? And often enough they beat in-store prices?
Don't worry that you forgot the dog food.
Shop on!
'How To Lie With Statistics'
Call before visiting your VA facility
Free Veteran resources through PATRIOTlink
and Coronavirus updates
John Prine, One of America’s Greatest Songwriters, Dead at 73
Grammy-winning singer who combined literary genius with a common touch succumbs to coronavirus complications
His song, Sam Stone, is one of the most poignant and touching war stories ever told.
Written about the Vietnam era soldier, the message affects every veteran.
RIP
How Do You Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits?
Information on social security disability benefits
8 Museums You Can Virtually Tour Right Now
Visit famous institutions in Paris, Amsterdam,
and more—without leaving home.
Google Tracks You
and we don't.
DuckDuckGo apps block
Google's hidden trackers.
The world needs an alternative
Coronavirus distancing: Don't forget about veterans.
For them, loneliness can be deadly.
Legislation already exists to get our service members
the help they need through animal companions.
We must make sure it passes and soon.
Lodging & Camping in southern Illinois with access to the Shawnee National
We offer lodging, camping,
stabling, corral, pasture,
access to a hunting lease and
discounts for America's
military veterans!
Social Security recipients who don’t usually
file tax returns will automatically get $1,200
payments, Treasury says in reversal
Most high school seniors and college
students still won’t get any money at all.
Regional Offices' Public Contact Closures
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Offices will be closed to the public starting March 19.
Regional offices will remain open, but will no longer accept walk-ins for claims assistance, scheduled appointments, counseling and other in-person services.
Robert Wilkie <robert.wilkie@va.gov> 855-948-2311
Nexus and IMO Letters