Jim,
First I'd like to thank you for your opinions and advice that you offer to disabled vets! I think it is dificult to actually find someone that actually cares enough to help us like you do and I apreciate what you do!
I receive 70% service connected disability and am considering an appication for unemployability. I have (4) 10 % disabilities and (1) 50% disability.
50% PTSD, 10% left left knee injury, 10% Hearing loss, 10% Traumatic Brain Injury, 10% Memory loss
I was discharged in May 2009 and was unemployed untill Feb 2011 I then worked as a laborer at a local machine shop until March 2012. during that employment I was consistantly late and missed work often. I have sleeping problems. sometimes I will stay up for 3 nights straight and sometimes I sleep for 24 hours straight. I have bad headaches and blurry vision quite often. I have memory loss and knee probelms that I think definetly contribute to my tardiness and attendance delinquency. I left that company at my own will because it was to stressfull to try to learn to advance there. I then found out that I could not survive on my disability payment alone and found a job with better pay. I was always late . I was fired 9-1/2 months later due to not following company compliance and now i am drawing state unemployment benefits.
I am married with 2 kids and am completley stressed out. I have anxiety and insomnia very bad and feel like no matter how hard i try i cannot make it to any job on time and have a very hard time learning things. I have never been that way untill after my discharge from the military. I did well in the army and excelled fairly well . I received many awards and the purple heart. I tried the national guard after my discharge and was discharged from the Guard for not ever showing up for drill. I think it was a general discharge. I made numerous appointments (more than 20-25) at the VA hospital since exiting the Army for a variety of different reasons and I only made it to 2 appointments. I just cant seem hold any type of scheduled event. I enrolled in a community college for 2 semester in a row and never passed a single class. I need to be a supporting father and husband . I lost the drive and understanding that I once had and just cant even find sense of anything anymore.
I want so bad to be able to be responsible with timelines and learning ,I just keep falling deeper in my hole. I do not know if I qualify for unemployability so just begging for your opinion and advice. Once again thanks for everything you do.
Reply,
Yes, you are eligible for TDIU. Please do all you can to read http://www.vawatchdog.org/tdiu-unemployability.html
That's a very long page. If you can digest all of it, it will help you to understand the process.
You can apply for TDIU by writing a very simple letter to your VA regional office and tell them, "I am applying for TDIU." That's all that it takes. I even have a template for you to use here http://www.vawatchdog.org/Letter_Templates.html
Understand that this won't happen overnight. VA is so backed up now that claims are taking a year or more to process. You're going to have to get in line with everyone else. There's no way to speed it up.
So...go for it. Get started now and keep me posted. I mean it...reply to this message and tell me that you're writing the letter. We can stay in touch through the entire process.
Beyond applying for the TDIU benefit, I'd encourage that you aggressively seek treatment for the debilitating problems you're having. Applying for the benefit is the easy part. While you're waiting for the process to complete, you should use the time wisely. Although getting good health care isn't simple or easy these days, if you are persistent and work with the system, you'll do yourself and your family a huge favor. Call or visit your local clinic and make appointments to be seen. Once you're in the door, explain to your primary care provider all of the things you told me about. Don't pull any punches...tell it exactly like it is and ask for help.
If you aren't using the great services of a Vet Center near to you, you should. The Vet Centers may be the best thing going for veterans today. I urge every veteran who has a PTSD diagnosis to take advantage of the services offered at your local Vet Center. There are some amazing things happening there.
You're right...I do care. So, let's get it done. Keep me posted as you make progress.