In Brittany’s Words (Veteran Seeking Benefits)
I have lupus. It’s gotten so bad that I can’t keep a job. I would get sick from different medications and chemo. Things in my body just started going wrong. I had a problem with my right shoulder and it got to the point where I couldn’t do anything.
I went to the VA office to file for Individual Unemployability. But even with me being in the military and familiar with the procedures of applying I couldn’t get the VA to grant me 100 percent disability. They said I didn’t qualify. Their screening doctors said I was fine and I could work. I got 60 percent. It was unbelievable to me. Even though I can’t do anything and I can’t work.
I felt the people at the VA weren’t trying to help me. It was an awful experience. I thought that even if they didn’t grant me total disability they could up my percentage some. I felt discouraged.
Then I saw this commercial on TV about Freedom Disability to help people apply for Social Security disability benefits. I decided to take a look at their Web site and that’s when I saw that they had another company, Alpha, that helps veterans with disabilities. I thought, why not, I’ll contact them online and see what happens. I got a call from Lauren the very next day. She was great to talk to. There was no run around. She was on it. I didn’t have to do anything. She did it all for me. It was a wonderful experience.
Seriously, when I got the letter from the VA in the mail that I got total disability I thought, oh my god, did I read it wrong? It didn’t even take that long. I would recommend Alpha to anybody. I’m just so pleased with what my Alpha advocate did for me, and so happy to get that check every month.
More from Lauren (Veterans Advocate at Alpha)
Brittany is a 29-year-old single mom and an Army veteran. She had served from 2000-2004 and then joined the National Guard to serve out her Independent Reserves status. In 2006 she was activated to participate in a training school for three weeks. While on active duty status she was diagnosed with lupus, which is a debilitating chronic autoimmune disease that is incurable. The disease attacks tissues in the body. Brittany is being treated with chemotherapy and heavy doses of steroids. These treatments have diminished her bone strength. Her right shoulder required replacement surgery because of bone deterioration. The severity of lupus and the effects of treatment to keep her symptoms under control have made it impossible for her to work.
She had applied on her own to the VA for total disability based on Individual Unemployability but was granted only a 60 percent rating. She came to Alpha to appeal the decision because she believed that she should have been rated at 100 percent. She was unsuccessful in getting the VA to increase her disability rating on her own, even though she had not been able to work for several years. She lives with her mother because she needs the help caring for her own daughter and managing her illness. My theory is that the VA tends to be conservative on disability ratings. In analyzing Brittany’s case I felt that the VA had not considered the frequency of her treatment and its residual effects to her body. I cited the VA’s regulation on lupus and explained that Brittany’s medical history and frequency of treatment was proof enough to support a 100 percent evaluation.
We won Brittany a permanent and total 100 percent disability rating and got her a sizable retroactive payment. My advice to fellow veterans who have received disability ratings from the VA is to carefully review the rationale behind the rating. Did the VA consider all evidence submitted? Did the VA consider their quality of life or whether or not they can hold a job?
If you are a disabled veteran and have any doubt at all about your disability rating, please contact Alpha so that we can help you appeal for an increased rating, like we did for Brittany. – Lauren, Alpha Advocate
Note: All representation coordinated by Alpha is provided by our employees, the Advocates, who are accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). No private organization that trains and employs accredited agents has been legally recognized by the VA for the purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims. This work must be done by the Advocates themselves and not organizations.
11 comments on “I Appealed with an Alpha Advocate and Won the Most -Brittany’s Story”
I have a family member that I’m trying to help. He’s never collected any
benifits from the va. He’s blind, has heart problems and just got out of the hospital. He lives here in Barstow California nad just had a stroke and his little wife has to help him in all he does.
His name is Ralph. I can get you any further information that you require.
I also had an uncle that was in the service and passed away with a heart attack and his wife is Japanese and she had to go back to Japan after his passing because no one would help her with her service connected benefits. I can provide information as to her location “Last ” in Japan.
Thank you Dale Jones
Dale,
We’d like to help. You can fill out the Contact form on this page for your friend Ralph, with his permission if he doesn’t have computer access. Just let him know to expect a call from us.
As far as your family member now living in Japan, we would need to communicate with her directly to determine whether a valid claim for Dependency Indemnity Compensation exists. Then we can help her obtain this benefit. The fact that she lives in Japan doesn’t disqualify her for this benefit as long as she has not remarried prior to the age of 57. We need to know what method of communication would work best considering time zone differences.
i have been filing claims since 1992,
been denied even for things in my record and present now,
gulf war veteran 1990 -1991, exposwed kamasayhi incident,
injection prior to leaving, oil well smoke for days,
almost entred the dead zone kuwait, combat vet,
have had dav no help, have had congreessional input still no
help, i am 40% ptsd, and knee.. 7 volumes of consistent records
i have c-file 1980 -thru – 2010 lots of missing files but i have my
stamp dated copies, 1998 fibromyalgia, ibs,chronic fatigue continue
to deny for crazy reasons make no sense, can you help
Eugene,
We can help. From your description, it sounds like you need clarity on which issues to pursue and a strategy to get you the most compensation. We will attempt to contact you at the email you provided. We should start working on this.
Charlene Cordova
I have had miltiple back surgeries through the VA. A few weeks ago I found out that I had multiple fractures in ^ vertebrae as well as a fractured tailbone and other major problems with my spine. I had been going to multiple va providers as well as mu VA surgeon, who is also my pain specialist, and complaining of chronic back pain. None of them bothered to give me an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI. So when I was sceduled for a surgery I presented the copies of my fractures to my surgeon and he refused to do the surgery that day and told me it was because I was Bi-Polar! He knew I was Bi-Polar when he started doing surgeries on my back 2 years ago. I believe he was upset because I had to go through an outside agency to get the answers I had been asking him to help me look for in the 2 years he had been seeing me. What kind of VA Dr. is not willing to continue helping his patient because he failed to properly diagnose me? He made me feel like I was crazy and mentally incompetant to know that something was wrong with me. I cannot believe a Dr. would treat a person that way just because he was wrong and i found out on my own what was worng with me and he never bothered to even look. Please tell me you can help me and believe that i was treated unfairly due to the Dr.’s innability to do his job.
Charlene,
We recommend that you contact a representative at your VA medical center to voice your complaint. Your concern is about the less than adequate quality of care you believe you received at the VA medical center. Our focus is on helping veterans get the most in disability benefits, so we really can’t help you with this situation. The better course of action for you is to talk to a patient advocate at your VA medical center.
Currently my uncle has been fighting for disability for well over 20 yrs. i think you guys are in the process of helping him, however on his last visit to the Va they told him he should be receiving 30-40%, and that percentage is going somewhere already because he has been billed for things from the Va, but someone has always paid them, not him because he has yet to recieve anything. Now granted he should be receiving a 100% rating because he is not able to work at all, but where in the world is this other percentage going that the VA says he receives but he as yet to receive anything in 20 years?? Please help and advise.
Lashun,
You or your uncle should speak directly with your Alpha advocate about this. There are several reasons for the VA to withold benefits. To narrow it down in your uncle’s particular case, his advocate would need to ask some direct questions and then reach out to the VA to get to the bottom of it.
I just received my VA decision. I was rated 100% for Dissmeniated Lupus and 70% for Depression/Anxiety. I was also rated at what I figure is SMC L. I am a party to the Camp Lejeune Water Contamination. I have been totally disabled for 10 years, before that I was Physicians Assistant for 30 years and I believe by reading the regulations I feel I am entitled to a higher SMC rating at least R1 because I have a physical therapist come in and a nursing service to evaluate me and my Rheumatologist is in constant contact with them. My wife retired early to care for me. I have a real problems with Activities of Daily Living and due to pain, worsening lupus and deepening depression my condition has deteriorated. I received my decision in May of this year and filed Feb 2010. Since then I have had 7 total hip revisions on both of my hips and now am facing disabilities due to spinal stenosis aggravated by my antalgic gate from my multiple hip surgeries which has left me weak and in pain. I am facing back and neck operations. I have the full support of Rheumatologist, Immunologist, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatrist and Infectious disease for osteomyelitis in the right hip. I have an involved and complicated case an I feel like the VA did as good as they could given the complexity of my conditions. I feel like I deserve R2 as I meet all the requirements and I am in need of aid and attendance as my needs are growing. Also, I didn’t find out about the water contamination until Feb 2010. I have been totally disabled for 10 years. I also feel that I am owed monies for the date of disability in this case as when I found out I applied. I have never been notified by the Marines as some have been. I just feel like it would be legal grounds under the Marines failure to notify me of my exposure and advised me to see a physician. What I use to make as PA can never be made up with the highest payment it replaces about a sixth of my monthly income not counting my loss of quality of living. If you think you can help then please email me and then we can pick a time to call. By the way I am falling and just fell, I am restricted to a walker.
Thanks
Jim Moreland PA-C, MHS
left shoulder surgery 30%, left hand 40% residual from left shoulder “ptsd 70% and IU to 100% thanks to alpha”.can i apply for SMC for loss of use of my left shoulder and left hand.
I recommend contacting your Alpha Advocate and discuss what else Alpha may be able to assist you with.