Monthly Archives: May 2017
DA-7652: Why This Form is the Key to Winning Your Army IDES Case
Time and time again, I come across prospective Army clients who are dissatisfied with their IPEB findings and wonder why various conditions were not found separately unfitting. They often comment that the drafters of their MEB Narrative Summary found the conditions to be service-disqualifying, but the IPEB did not. Invariably, it is because the soldiers […]
Preparing for PTSD Review Exams while on the TDRL
If you have been placed on the TDRL for PTSD, you may expect to be subject to a review exam within the first six months after your retirement. To remain on the TDRL or be permanently retired, it is imperative that you can demonstrate that you are being seen on a regular basis by a […]
Idiopathic Hypersomnia- the Poor Man’s Narcolepsy
If you have been diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia, you may expect to be found Fit in the PEB process unless you can demonstrate how often during the work day you experience sleepiness or staring off into space that can be rated by analogy to narcolepsy. You see, there is no VA rating code for idiopathic […]
Why You Should Scan Your Medical Record into an Adobe Acrobat PDF Format
Whether you are being processed through an IDES or legacy-base system, there are several reasons why I highly recommend obtaining a complete copy of your medical records and scanning them into an Adobe Acrobat PDF format. First, it provides you a copy to upload to a Google Drive or Dropbox to share with counsel reviewing […]
Key Tip for PHS Officers
If you are a PHS officer who is being referred for a fit for duty evaluation by the Medical Affairs Branch (“MAB”), it would be wise to have each of your medical care providers complete VA DBQ forms for each of the conditions at issue in your case. This will provide MAB personnel with critical […]
Don’t Decline Range of Motion Testing if You Are in Pain
Why you should never refuse range of motion testing for orthopedic injuries- many persons wonder why their back, neck and orthopedic injuries are rated rather low initially by the VA Rating Activity. The answer is often a poorly performed Range of Motion assessment or declining such a test due to pain. If you are given […]
The Most Important Question You Will Be Asked During VA C&P Exams for IDES Cases
The most important question you will be asked about any referred diagnoses are listed on Page One of your VA Form 21-0819 is how these medical conditions impact you in the performance of your duties. If you want to be found Fit and anticipate that you may have to fight this issue on the FPEB […]
New Choice- IDES v. Legacy?
As of March 2017, it appears that the various DOD services are offering their members the choice of participating in the IDES or legacy PEB systems. For active duty service members, the IDES process combining VA and DOD ratings is usually the best option. While the legacy system is quicker, the disability percentages assigned by […]
Major Change to TDRL Process
In a major change to the TDRL process, all service members placed on the TDRL with a retirement date on or after January 1, 2017 will no longer enjoy a five-year period in which their cases may be reviewed and finalized. For persons retiring on or after January 1, 2017, all cases will be adjudicated […]
