Bad Knees, Service Connected - Should I go to the VA? What do you think?

Jakerson9

Jakerson9

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After the Marines medically discharged me in 1992, the VA rated me at 0% disabled for knee damage that I sustained in my 10 years of fun.

My ortho-doc thought that I had a meniscus tear so had an MRI done. The meniscus is fine HOWEVER:

I've got 3 partially torn ligaments (ACL, LCL and MCL) My PCL is completely torn. I have a bakers cyst, a cracked patella, synovectomy, chrondroplasty, trochlea and ... a dozen other things wrong that I cannot spell.

The doc said that the ligaments were torn decades ago, and they are a mass of scar tissue. With 4 torn ligaments there's not much he could do but some arthroscopic surgery to remove the plica - which he said is more of a mess than he's ever seen.

He said the only way to make my knee worse would be to "stick it in a blender and feed it to a shark."

HERE is my question: I'm wondering - do I go back to the VA to get it rated? Do I get them involved so that when I need a knee replacement they do it, or pay for it?

What do you think - and why? Thanks.
 
Jakerson9 said:
After the Marines medically discharged me in 1992, the VA rated me at 0% disabled for knee damage that I sustained in my 10 years of fun.

My ortho-doc thought that I had a meniscus tear so had an MRI done. The meniscus is fine HOWEVER:

I've got 3 partially torn ligaments (ACL, LCL and MCL) My PCL is completely torn. I have a bakers cyst, a cracked patella, synovectomy, chrondroplasty, trochlea and ... a dozen other things wrong that I cannot spell.

The doc said that the ligaments were torn decades ago, and they are a mass of scar tissue. With 4 torn ligaments there's not much he could do but some arthroscopic surgery to remove the plica - which he said is more of a mess than he's ever seen.

He said the only way to make my knee worse would be to "stick it in a blender and feed it to a shark."

HERE is my question: I'm wondering - do I go back to the VA to get it rated? Do I get them involved so that when I need a knee replacement they do it, or pay for it?

What do you think - and why? Thanks.
Click to expand...


yes, but don't attempt to do this by yourself. take your entire medical record to a VSO and have them help you file your claim. they might even find additional disabilities that you can claim.

if you can get the VA to increase your rating to 10%, that would place you in priority group 3, which would eliminate your inpatient and outpatient co-pays. at that time, you could submit a co-pay test to see if you income is at or below the VA pension threshold (12,907), which would eliminate your medication co-pays.

so short and sweet, its to your benefit to have it rated.
 
I second diablos.

I did something similar when I got discharged but never won the benefit so while my knees are OK now, they are only getting worse. I'll be dealing with them alone down the road.
 
Thanks Diablos,
Im in priority group 2 already...the VA rated me for lots of other damage - I am at 40%.

Last time I tried to see a VA doc for some of the other broken parts, they charged my insurance company a metric ton of money, and messed up my deductable for the year, AND, I didnt even get seen. I am fortunate, pretty blessed so I not really NEED their help. Kind of worried that the VA will Mess up my other ratings.
 
I'd almost say stay the F as far away from the VA as possible...but with that, I second/third/whatever Diablos has said.
Get a Veterans Advocate to help you and see if you can get your rating increased.
It's not easy to get them to increase it, but I believe it is possible.

On another thought, there is a dr in Oklahoma, I'll see if I can find the link when I get to work, who does knee replacements for $15k.
That's all.
The 15k covers everything, but you have to pay it all - not sure if insurance is involved or not...

Good luck.

And, don't trust the VA as far as you can throw them....
 
Diablos said:
yes, but don't attempt to do this by yourself. take your entire medical record to a VSO and have them help you file your claim. they might even find additional disabilities that you can claim.

if you can get the VA to increase your rating to 10%, that would place you in priority group 3, which would eliminate your inpatient and outpatient co-pays. at that time, you could submit a co-pay test to see if you income is at or below the VA pension threshold (12,907), which would eliminate your medication co-pays.

so short and sweet, its to your benefit to have it rated.
Click to expand...
As above get the VSO involved, I have the same issues, received 20% for my right knee, and wear a brace to stabilize it. I need a knee replacement, but to young to have it done.
 
Bailey Boat said:
If Trump really wanted to make a lasting mark he would be "knee deep" (no pun intended) into the VA and it's practices and policies....... Enough is enough!!
Click to expand...

Bailey and I butt heads a lot, but this I can get behind 100%.


I say take the VA to task; they are there for veterans with issues that occurred during service. Since your issues are legitimately service connected, go for it.

And if they want to do any procedures, see if they'll send you to a civilian doctor outside of the VA. I am wary of anyone there even trying to take my blood pressure accurately.
 
Yep, go see them. I put it off for far too long myself. I'm not letting them cut on me, but meds, braces, etc....absolutely !
 
BTW, Dr. Galland at OSNC in Wake Forest is THE MAN for USMC knees. He fixed one of mine that other doctors just messed around with. Seriously, go see him; even if just a consultation.
 
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