Veterans Medical Advisor

                                                                           drbash@doctor.com

                  

  Independent Medical Evaluations Areas of Interest & Training

Dr. Bash is a veteran of

As an active medical researcher, and a board certified physician, Dr. Bash can assess most medical conditions or concerns. That includes the analysis of most diseases and injuries a veteran might develop in connection to his or her military service. Please see his list of Areas of Interest/Training.

 

Dr. Bash's board certification in diagnostic radiology required him to complete rigorous examinations in the following areas:

 

• Pulmonary (Chest)

• Musculo Skeletal (Bone)

• Gastro Intenstinal (GI)

• Geintal Urinary (GU)

• Pediatric

• Neuro-radiology

• Nuclear Medicine
• Ultrasound
• Breast Imaging (Mamography)
• Cardio-vascular


Dr. Bash's medical assessments include these and other complex medical issues.
 

Note: Dr. Bash usually does not evaluate psychiatric conditions, vaccine reactions or injury, or certain skin disorders related to chemical exposure; however, he can refer the veteran to a specialist who can help.

Dr. Bash knows the VA both inside and out.

His Story:

Dr. Bash was injured in service in 1984, requiring a five month stay as an In-Patient at Boston West Roxbury VAMC teaching hospital (part of the Harvard teaching hospital affiliations). He spent the next seven years, subsequent his cervical spine injury, unrelentingly developing and appealing his personal 100% VA benefits.

In the early 1990s, as a medical physician (Resident), at the Washington, D.C., VA hospital, Dr. Bash worked from his wheelchair as he cared for its numerous disabled veterans. In the latter 1990s, he worked as an accredited VA Claims Agent for both the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) foundations in their legal appeals sections. In the early 2000s, he trained at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, performing experimental MRI treatment trial research on patients with Multiple Sclerosis and spine injuries. These two diagnoses are prevalent among VA patients, and they both require intensive Physician/Nurse expertise.

Over the past 25 years, Dr. Bash has often provided his expert testimony to BVA Judges at live hearings as an Associate Professor at the Military Medical School (USUHS). He has produced numerous expert medical/legal opinions for other service organizations (American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Purple Heart, Viet Nam Veterans of America, Wounded Warriors, Veterans Insider, and state Veteran representatives) and numerous DC/national law firms. Additionally, he has provided free outreach medical opinions to homeless veterans.

As a Director of Medical Affairs at the PVA, Dr. Bash performed multiple Quality of Care site visits (boots on the ground) to most of the VA’s largest tertiary medical centers. During this period (2-3 years), he visited several dozen hospitals throughout the US, reviewing quality of care while gathering bedside clinical data for veterans’ claims. He generated a Site Visit Report for each trip, which was sent to the Secretary of the VA and his executive staff for quality improvement.

All of these experiences are invaluably useful in the production and analysis of Dr. Bash’s independent Nexus opinions, allowing him to review most all types of disabled veterans’ claims for both the VA and Social Security. A representative sample of his Board case claim awards is attached to this web site (see Appeals BVA cases). Also, please examine his 600+ BVA case log (dating back to 1996) on the VA’s website by searching www.va.gov Board of Appeal cases (key words Dr. Bash, Craig Bash MD). The following is noteworthy: The best place to independently view outcomes of any medical opinion is on the VA’s web site in the sub section called Board of Appeals cases. The Court of Veteran Appeals site also lists a limited percent of BVA cases that have been appealed forward.

Dr. Bash’s life altering In-Patient convalescence; his personal (seven years) 100% VA claim appeals process; his physician in training; his PVA hospital site visit reporting; his NIH training; his BVA claim representative experiences; and, his dedicated work as an Associate Professor/Veterans Medical Advisor have given him unique perspectives and insights in to the internal care/claim workings of the VA. All combined this has allowed Dr. Bash to become the original VA insider.

Dr. Bash is a busy Washington, D.C. physician so please be persistent in contacting him. He is willing to help veterans, but be aware that time with him is precious. Do all you can to preserve and make useful the time he can give to your case.

Dr. Bash in 2021

Dr. Bash in 1986

drbash@doctor.com

______________________

Craig N. Bash M.D., M.B.A.

Neuro-Radiologist and Associate Professor

Uniformed Services School of Medicine

NPI/UPIN-1225123318

4938 Hampden Lane
Bethesda, Md 20814

Cell/Text 530-925-6081
Fax 301-951-9106