Facebook Friday: Unemployable But Stuck At 60% With A Traumatic Brain Injury
“Now what?”
That’s what disabled veteran writes about due to his experience trying to get VA Vocational Rehabilitation training despite his traumatic brain injury (TBI). What are his next steps?
Every Friday, I pick my favorite Facebook conversation. This week’s conversation comes from the Facebook group I founded called, Disabled Veterans – Chapter 31 Voc Rehab. It has almost 1,300 members.
My goal with publishing the convo here is to lend some insight from the group to those veterans without Facebook or who are outside the group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VocRehab/
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Veteran’s Post
Nathan: I go for my second appointment on the 15th. At my last one, I was told I am most likely unemployable at this time because of TBI symptoms. What does this mean for me? I can’t afford life on 60% disability.
Facebook Group Responses
Liz: Nathan you must insist to your counselor that employment options that you can do need to be explored. See if the VA MD you are seeing for your TBI feels you can work or not. If you are unable to work then you need to apply for Social Security (SS) disability. If you have a good case many times now with our wounded warriors SS fast tracks their cases and you get your award in a few months. If you are unable to work you should also apply for VA 100% individual unemployability if eligible. https://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-special-individual_unemployability.asp
Right now your Voc Rehab counselor can still find you eligible for Voc Rehab with a serious employment handicap and put you on extended evaluation to decide if you should be on an employment track or the independent living track for those unable to work.
Mick: Nathan, your counselor is setting it up for a rating increase to 100% as IU. His/her determination of “unemployable” will go a long way to getting that rating.
Sherry: You can go to a outside doctor to write a report. This is how i got my 100%. It took years but I kept fighting.
Nathan: Well TBI and tinnitus haven’t been assessed yet so I’m sure that will help
Sherry: Tinnitus is a really difficult one for them to assess…so you need to go for the headaches associated and sleep disturbances. TBI they will under report in VA system. Hope you can find an outside advocate.
Input From Readers
Now that you know what people are talking about in the group, what do you think?
Feel free to add your comments below or jump into the action with us on Facebook within the group.
Enhanz: I have sarcordosis and I kept getting a zero rating. However, I have to take a large dose of steroids and constantly resp. problem. The finally classified as chronic bronchitis and I got a rating of 30%. However, I had to request a BVA, a traveling board. Some vets nave never heard of a BVA. When you take your PFT’s your scores determine your rating.
Sarcordosis is prevalent genetically in the female side of my mothers family so I can sympathize. My question is if you can forward me some more information about a BVA. I would appreciate it greatly.
I’m stuck at 60% as well with sleep apnea, tinnitus, sinusitis (chronic), bronchitis (chronic), pseudofoliculitis barbea (bad razor bumps fromscraping my face with a razor before I even had facial hair in boot camp) and several documented others. The fight is tiring to say the least