ptsd Submit VA Form 21-0781 PTSD for Anxiety????

[MikeHunt]

Situation is, a private clinician wrote a statement connecting my service with anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified that DID include 'Traits' of PTSD and depression in that diagnosis.

eBenefits listed the aforementioned form as needed, eventhough I'm not claiming PTSD. Full tile: STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF CLAIM FOR SERVICE CONNECTION FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

I'm concerned as to why a PTSD form is required, and what's going to happen if I DO fill it out, and what if I DON'T- Context is, I'm deeply suspicious of the VA's development machine, and believe me, I have every right to be- Please don't ask.

The logic behind the clinician's connection was mostly on situations, not isolated events the form is asking for- Like "Servicemember Death", If that makes sense.

I don't want to go off topic, but they never actually sent a physical letter to me- two weeks later now, in other words, the only info I received was from eBenefits.

 

Thanks- I'm just not seeing justification for this form in references I can find in their M21-1 manual

 

[MikeHunt]

What the letter asked for was different than eBenefits, it asked for buddy statements, and a few other things- and said they would get "Military records" from the JSRRC (sp?).

Well ... I found a trove of contemporaneous 'Military Records,' that include statements, sworn statements by NCO's and Officers, emails, letters supporting the lead up to one of the stressors; The pièce de résistance is a 'contemporaneous' DA Form 2823 sworn statement I filled out on one particular 'event in service'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It details what is 'battery' in the VA's manual (Battery is listed as an example of  'Personal Trauma'). It spells out why I'm fearful for my life, and tons of supporting detail. I signed it, and an Officer's signature is there for the sworn part!!!!!

And yes, there is a different form they were supposed to send me, 21-0781a, because I detailed personal trauma in the first place.

I'm confident they will attempt to develop to denial (keep asking for things until there's something I can't provide), but it's going to be interesting to see how it's done.

The reason this has become so messed up is the section on mental health in VA's manual just jumps into PTSD. PTSD, of course, requires a stressor. Other disorders aren't centered around a stressor at all, but the VA clerk is going to treat every disorder like PTSD because that's the only tool in their toolbox.

If the RO develops until denial, I think, ultimately, I'll get an award on appeal because the evidence is so supporting of my claim, and because they messed up on a personal trauma claim in at least one way- right now there's a lot of pressure, just from what i hear here and at the hospital, to get personal trauma right at the VA, and a lot of attention on the VA when it messes up personal trauma.

 

In short, I got very very lucky because I'd saved all those documents- There's zero chance the JSRRC would have even a single one of them. Like falling out of a plane at 30,000 feet and living kind of lucky.

[MikeHunt]

eBenefits lists this as 'preparation for decision'!!!!!!!!

1. Asked them to remove contentions they added. Looks like they did that. I don't have PTSD! DBQ specifically said no PTSD- Never been treated or complained of PTSD. You can't get there from here.

2. VSO said:They hadn't had my 'STRs' from RMC for my last period of service. They never had them, yet denied the claim twice ('10 and '14) with no notification of missing records. I uploaded all my STRs.

 

God, what Veterans have to know and go through with these people even when you think you have a general idea ...

[MikeHunt]

and back to development.

Got POA to show me VBMS tracked item 'VSR Development Action' (he had no clue, had to show him what 'tracked items' were) meaning they put a 'place holder' in to keep it from going RFD.

no notes in VBMS relating to what they could possibly be doing.

:(  But on me, I should have known after reading a hundred posts of same thing happening to others ...

[MikeHunt]

Wondering what to do here-

They aren't going to grant this- They could've done so some time ago, but have decided to do something else. I'm also intimately aware of how the office deals with claims.

I went to a RO today and asked what the VBMS tracked Item 'VSR Development Action' was referring to.

Said it was to review my STRs, told me they used the wrong acronym on the tracked item. When i asked how he knew this, he admitted he was guessing. There's no notes in VBMS.

Obviously a 'development action' isn't reviewing STRs.

Question is, what do I do? I have a IMO, buddy statements and some Pers records I found. More than enough for the 'Three legs'.

Do I ask a representative to ask them to rate the claim in two weeks?

Call the Donald?

 

[Tyr]

Its almost certainly just a placeholder to keep the claim from prematurely going ready for decision. If all the tracked items are closed, the claim will go RFD, even if it is not at all ready for decision.  Having a "dummy" tracked item helps to prevent this at the RO.  I can only speculate as to why your claim is not ready for a decision.  

I dont recall too much else about your situation, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are waiting on records or a response from some place.  

On 10/1/2016 at 6:00 AM, MikeHunt said:

The reason this has become so messed up is the section on mental health in VA's manual just jumps into PTSD. PTSD, of course, requires a stressor. Other disorders aren't centered around a stressor at all, but the VA clerk is going to treat every disorder like PTSD because that's the only tool in their toolbox.

And yes, claims for MH issues other than PTSD sometimes (frequently) require corroboration of an event.  VA has a sympathetic reading of disabilities for MH conditions, which boils down to that a claim for one is a claim for all.  You need an event in service - as you previously noted.  The two really go hand in hand.   Stressor is really used as a synonym for "event".   It may help you to think about it as a claim for an injury, not a claim for PTSD.  By that I mean that the VA still needs 1) an event in service (and the best way to get all the pertinent info if corroboration is required is to send an 0781/0781a) 2) a disability now, and 3) a link between the two.  Does that kind of help clarify things?

 

I could certainly see how that letter asking you for the 0781 would happen.  Say you file a claim and say "anxiety due to an assault in service".  The processor may send that letter in an effort to expedite things while they are waiting on records, which may not even contain a record of the assault in question.  So then they will have the required info to do further research on things, if that is needed and warranted.  It can help save time, sometimes.  Other times, it may turn out to be wasted effort.  

 

Edited February 8, 2017 by Tyr

[MikeHunt]

The 0781 is to develop to JSRRC for a PTSD trigger, not a means of getting an 'event in service' for some other condition; that's absurd.

Dr. Bash's suggestions to Speed up Claim

 

Quote

Recommendation:  If you have good medical opinions (Independent Veteran Medical Opinion = IMO) and have been waiting an excessive amount of time send your congressman a concise medical opinion and ask them to ask the VA to decide the claim in two weeks as the record is fully developed.

 

Comments on Dr. Bash's suggestion?

The record IS fully developed.