DVA Complaint

Mr. Simms,

It has been nearly 3 years since I suffered a stroke due to medications prescribed and administered by my psychiatrist (who failed to monitor my blood pressure and changed medications without observing the medical practices required by the drug's manufacturer and standard medical practices) and stress involved with my Service at the time due to a Major Depression.

To date, I have not been compensated for the stroke and have had to fight tooth and nail to get the hypertension recognized by DVA as a result of my Service to my country. I was denied claim for the stroke 2 times, the 3rd time they agreed that it was claimable due to being caused by hypertension but changed to name from stroke to Atherosclerosis.

The Hypertension claim was originally denied but overturned due to a letter from another psychiatrist who worked with the first psychiatrist, pointing out the mistakes made by the first psychiatrist who treated me and the known side affects of the medications prescribed.

DVA changed the name/claim for my stroke to Atherosclerosis, without consulting me. The medication for Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) Zocor was denied by DVA, causing me to have to prove it was required by seeing a doctor and getting a letter stating that it was a required drug to fight Atherosclerosis. I don't know why DVA changed to name of the claim but the St. John's office said it was probably to assist me with any other claims I may have due to hypertension/cholesterol. I believe it was to minimize my claim. We will see.

I need your help with the following:

Please find out why I have been waiting so long, where my stroke claim is exactly, the percentage that Dr. Higgins (DVA doctor St. John's) stated I was disabled (CPP has deemed me to be 100% disabled), and why it has taken so long to approve my medication Zocor (it's been nearly 5 weeks).

DVA Ombudsman has not given me any answers even though I have complained to them several times.

This is not the first time I have contacted you with regards to this problem but I do expect it will be the last. Thanks again for your help.

Unfortunately, this is a fight that nearly all of our Soldiers and Veterans are fighting, being cheated out of the very support that our government so proudly states they are giving in their banner Support Our Troops. Please help me and in doing so, help others in the same situation.