The VA Disability Claim Process
Here is where Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series are located
The doctor’s appointment that I talked about in Part 4, was a total joke, to be honest with you. I wasn’t that impressed, but I hope it works out. It was with a Physician’s assistant who only does claim work for the VA. 90% of the “exam” was oral history and then she looked quickly at my foot and my knees. My first claim is for my left foot, my two knees, and my right shoulder. These are the items that were listed on my edit physical as problem areas. To be honest, I have had minor issues with the foot and the shoulder, but the two knees give me pain daily and I have even had surgery on the right knee in 2020.
When she was done, she sent me to get x-rays of them so she could finish the claim on her end. Right before I left she told me that she doesn’t think there is much for a claim.
I got the x-rays done and the reports back, and they state that there is a major degradation in the knees, moderate arthritis on the left, and severe on the right. There was also bone-on-bone contact on the right.
What pisses me off, is that this might not be enough for a claim. So let me get this straight, I went into the Corps with good knees. I did 10 years of military service and when I left the Navy doctor said that both knees had issues (plus I was seen by the Navy Medical several times for both knees while on active duty). Since I have been out, I have been having issues with mobility and pain, and had surgery, and yet, I might not have enough for a claim. WTF???
