FROM THE BEER CAPITAL OF WISCONSIN

VA denies. Let’s face it. You could have 7 out 8 salient factors pointing towards a cryptogenic liver ailment (read HCV) including elevated ALTs and fatigue and the VA rater is going to say  you were just having the vapors, it was acute and immaculately resolved before separation- and you suddenly came down with it in April 2004 because that’s the day you were diagnosed. 

Combating that level of medical ignorance is what asknod is all about. From the day I figured out the secret handshake, I have vigorously tried to share my secrets. Yes. Secrets because another soul arrives every day and suddenly discovers why they lost. This should be front page news but you never hear about the little guy. You never see the denied ratings of 150 others who gave up before they got to the BVA.

When a Vet has this much evidence for and gets denied, it’s no longer a mistake. It’s a committed decision to deny and see if anyone bitches a pitch. If sending it out to a truely independent gastrodoc for an unbiased, probative opinion is the default setting for granting a claim, then the bar is set far too high.

Denying a claim is an art form as you can see here. 

The VA examiner is chided by VLJ Michael Martin

In April 2012, the Veteran was afforded a VA examination where he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. The examiner provided a negative opinion on the relationship of the condition to service. The examiner stated that although the Veteran was noted to have a mildly elevated SGPT (ALT) during active military service, there was minimal evidence that these abnormal liver test results were specifically caused by Hepatitis C. The examiner further stated that the liver test abnormalities were asymptomatic during active military service. However, he did not discuss in his opinion the Veteran’s complaints in his service treatment records of fatigue and decreased energy, or the questions raised in his records about the etiology of these complaints of fatigue.

Viewed in this light, you can see the lopsided tilt of justice at the Milwaukee’s Fort Fumble. Their motto?  Why, what else. Mr. GS-12 Cheesehead VSR says:

WE DENY CLAIMS

BEFORE YOU FILE ‘EM