It's been just three weeks short of eight long years since I filed my Veterans Administration claim. I've bitched about it here ever since I've joined this site. In appropriate diaries of course. Those by Testvet and Jim Staro come to mind.
It's been rough, especially living in Europe. For one, the VA will only cover what is service connected overseas. Although I am at 60% already, that meant that the VA would only cover issues with my back and sleep issues with apnea. My VA check came out to only about 650 euro and 140 of that goes to my German insurance.
Then there were the standard non-denial denials that no one can make any sense of. Then the endless appeals. Not only that, but overseas vets are not only out of sight out of mind, but they are also serviced at one of the worse VAROs in the nation: Pittsburgh.
How bad? Well my file was sent from Virginia in 2005 - in July 2007 I received a letter from Pittsburgh VARO stating that they found my file and were acting on it.
Well, the judge at the Board of Veterans Appeals adjudicated in my favor today. I am now service connected for PTSD.
My attorney actually told me that he didn't really have a chance to argue my case, the judge just kinda of did it off the weight of the medical evidence.
The Severe Depression Disorder and Anxiety Disorder has been remanded back to VARO to find out if they are part of the PTSD or secondary to it. That probably means another C&P exam.
The judge didn't make a rating either, VARO does that from what I understand. The important thing is that it is recognized and service-connected by the VA. Considering I was in the hospital five times since 2005, twice in 2008 and in 1 month suicide lockdown, I figure the rating should be rather high.
It will be, according to my attorney, at least four months before I see any money. And he gets 30% of it.
I really don't care:
I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!