ptsd Timeline For Claim And General Questions

[ErinNick]

Hello to everyone! I am a new member, joined today, but have been reading these forums for a couple days now.

My husband is former Army and has filed for PTSD disability. After reading what issues the scorers look for in a certain percentage, I would say that he fits the 70%.

A little background on my husband: He's always had major mood swings for as long as I've known him. There have been major infidelity issues since I've met him, which come to find out, is part of the PTSD. He was diagnosed with PTSD in November of 2013 after we had a major fight over his infidelity and he almost slit his throat with a knife. Before using the knife, he made a rational decision and dropped it and walked straight to our town's police department and told them he needed to talk with someone that could help him. This turned into a stay at the VA mental hospital for a week, where he was diagnosed with PTSD. I honestly think his hygiene could use some work.. I try to work with him on this, but it doesn't seem to phase him. He doesn't shower for weeks at a time and no brushing his teeth. I'm telling this stuff about him not to bash him, but to get a general sense of his problems. When asked about his trigger, he can't pinpoint anything specific. He's served in Korea and Afghanistan.

So flash back to around a year ago when he initially filed for disability. I'm thinking, he's already been diagnosed with PTSD though the VA. This will be a breeze for him.. now after reading everyone's stories, I'm thinking it's going to be a little harder than we both imagined.

If he filed about a year ago, what is the timeline? He has yet to hear from anyone except when they told him about 2 months ago that they've collected all the necessary documents and medical records. His claim isn't showing in Ebenefits, so he really doesn't know where we stand. Can anyone with experience tell me how much longer he has to wait to get an answer? Will someone interview him at all? We are so confused by this whole process.

[broncovet]

I dont like to be the bearer of bad news, but here it is anyway, because I wished the VSO's would have been honest with me.

Only about 15 to 25% of Veteran's are awarded benefits on the initial decision. By far, most of us have had to go through one or more appeals.

While you could be getting an initial decison somewhat soon (a year is about average), the appeal time at the BVA is another 4 to 5 years, and is getting much much worse.

I remember when a Vet told me he had waited 5 years for benefits, and I thought he was spoofing me. If anything, 5 years is actually fast to get all your benefits. Ask nod recently got his benefits from 1994, in 2014 (20 years).

I applied in 2002, and it looks like I will be going to the BVA (Board of Veterans Appeals) a third time. The worst part for me, is that I won benefits at the Board decision in 2012, and its taken 3 years and the VARO has not even implemented them yet. (After you get a favorable Board decision, you wait again for the RO to implement it. While they are required to do so "expiditiously", this means 3-5 years, sometimes, in VA time.

The geologists are considering changing the time scale from the Cenozoic (65 million years) VA zoic because the VA is already beginning to award benefits to "the next generation".

[ErinNick]

That was what I worried about.. he did absolutely zero research before submitting the claim and I feel if he would have read this site beforehand, we would have been better prepared. Even though I know he has symptoms that would rate him in 70%, there isn't much for the rater to go except medical records or his answers if he will be interviewed. Speaking of being interviewed, you stated a year is about the timeframe from start to finish. Since we're about a year in and he hasn't been interviewed, does that mean he won't? Sorry, I'm not familiar with the terminology.. is it a C&P??

[Andyman73]

Erin,

Welcome to our world. Your husband served, but now isn't being served. C&P refers to Compensation and Pension, which is what the exams are for. While I have been in the system only since 1998, the longest I had to wait for anything, to this date, is 18 months. But you will meet some Vets on here who've been waiting before they had kids, who've since graduated high school, and they still wait. Granted that is on the extreme end of things...however, in light of the scandals that have been exposed, your husband may not have to wait years. Hurry up and wait is their mantra. So, be prepared for the long haul, that way if it comes sooner than later, you'll be surprised. Wish you all the best, and welcome to the Hadit family.

Semper Fi.

Andy

[Navy04]

Welcome aboard, and good luck. God Bless!!!

[Fat]

I am not a PTSD expert, but I know he will need a VA psychologist diagnosis and a verifiable stressor.

Make sure he is under the care of a VA mental health professional.

The stressor has to be an event the PTSD is based off of.

The VA wont take his word, they have to verify the event is true.

NEVER GIVE UP

[Berta]

This concerns me:

"When asked about his trigger, he can't pinpoint anything specific. He's served in Korea and Afghanistan. "

Perhaps at the VA MH hospital (was this the 21 day PTSD program?)

he revealed his stressors.

Unless he has the CIB or the CAR on his DD 214 the VA will probably definitely want proof of his stressors..

He only needs one that he can prove. Often vets have more than one, but the easiest one to prove is the best one he could relay to them.,with enough details if they need to run the stressor through JSRRC (Joint Services Records Research Center) to verify it happened.

A PTSD diagnosis is only part of a PTSD claim.

We have plenty of info on the 2010 change in the PTSD regulations at our PTSD forum here. Also there is a link to Defining a Stressor for VA purposes,in that forum..

Edited May 9, 2015 by Berta