ptsd Claims Process/regional Office

[wildcat]

I have been reading hadit.com as a "guest" for many months now. I think

the advice given out by Tbird and others has been excellent. My claim for

PTSD,Aggravtion of "bi-polar condition", heart, etc has been in Seattl just over

a year now. I k now this not bad as many vets claims have taken considerably

longer.

I called the 800 # last week and the person said my claim has been up to

"the review panel twice". I can't understand the problem / situation. I have

a letter from my LA shrink ( a VA pysch. examiner for 15 yrs. early in his

career) stating definite aggravation of bi-polar "if the board is reasonable".

I was doped up massively on Thorazine and in Vally Forge Hosp. 400 miligrams

and was a "zombie". Some call it a chemical labotomy (sp). This was back in 1967-

and yes I am a boots on ground Nam vet.

Saw my VA shrink yesterday..."mood disorders clinic" and gave him an article

about the bad effects of Thorazine. He agreed. He appears to processing me

for a "major depressive disorder" rating. Or, that is the feeling I am getting.

Is the Seattle panel awaiting a VA shrink opinion because THEY don't believe

my private sector shrink of 9 years. I worked for LA unified school in south

central for 10 years. I went "off on the job" to my supervisor and went on sick

leave for 30 days. Had to be evaluated by an independent shrink before

returning to a transfer job.

I was a sp. ed. administrator too for many years and can't believe the extremely

poor process to notifiy Vietnam vets of what is available to them during 1965 - 1971.

In Sp.Ed. legislation (1975) all school districts had to do "Search and Serve"

notices in newspapers, etc to notify people that if they had a child with problems-

contact your local school district. This was LAW! Now as a 63 year old man with

a stent in his heart, loyal citizen, I chat with a 51 yr. old shrink was in jr. hi when

I started basic traing in Fort Bliss in May 1966.

Should I relax and just wait for Seattle to make a decision. Or do I have to been

more depressed in my November session so the Portland shrink will state major

depression...and nofify Seattle

Wildcat Bien Hoa 1967 - 68

[john999]

Wildcat

The VA will shoot down any opinion for any reason. You just have to get the best board certified doctor to write your opinion for you and keep fighting. Me and a friend went to the same shrink for IME's. The VA accepted mine and shot down his. I read his IME and it was perfect but the VA would not accept it. They said he was doctor shopping.

[Jay Johnson]

Wild,

I have a phone number to the guy who takes information to and from the raters...if you would like I will give you that # and name and you can call and make him hate you as much as he hates me:-)

[Hoppy]

I have been reading hadit.com as a "guest" for many months now. I think

the advice given out by Tbird and others has been excellent. My claim for

PTSD,Aggravtion of "bi-polar condition", heart, etc has been in Seattl just over

a year now. I k now this not bad as many vets claims have taken considerably

longer.

I called the 800 # last week and the person said my claim has been up to

"the review panel twice". I can't understand the problem / situation. I have

a letter from my LA shrink ( a VA pysch. examiner for 15 yrs. early in his

career) stating definite aggravation of bi-polar "if the board is reasonable".

I was doped up massively on Thorazine and in Vally Forge Hosp. 400 miligrams

and was a "zombie". Some call it a chemical labotomy (sp). This was back in 1967-

and yes I am a boots on ground Nam vet.

Saw my VA shrink yesterday..."mood disorders clinic" and gave him an article

about the bad effects of Thorazine. He agreed. He appears to processing me

for a "major depressive disorder" rating. Or, that is the feeling I am getting.

Is the Seattle panel awaiting a VA shrink opinion because THEY don't believe

my private sector shrink of 9 years. I worked for LA unified school in south

central for 10 years. I went "off on the job" to my supervisor and went on sick

leave for 30 days. Had to be evaluated by an independent shrink before

returning to a transfer job.

I was a sp. ed. administrator too for many years and can't believe the extremely

poor process to notifiy Vietnam vets of what is available to them during 1965 - 1971.

In Sp.Ed. legislation (1975) all school districts had to do "Search and Serve"

notices in newspapers, etc to notify people that if they had a child with problems-

contact your local school district. This was LAW!  Now as a 63 year old man with

a stent in his heart, loyal citizen, I chat with a 51 yr. old shrink was in jr. hi when

I started basic traing in Fort Bliss in May 1966.

Should I relax and just wait for Seattle to make a decision. Or do I have to been

more depressed in my November session so the Portland shrink will state major

depression...and nofify Seattle

Wildcat      Bien Hoa      1967 - 68

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wildcat,

I went through the same frustration when I started realizing how much better treatment I rec'd as the result of injuries I recieved while at work. I started comparing the VA system to the system at work. The idea that Veterans were second class citizens was depressing. However, it was a reality.

I was injured in a traffic accident at work. The next morning I could not bend my leg. My supervisor drove me to the office of the employers doctor. I was treated by the employers doctor. He told me I needed knee surgury. I chose my own doctor to do the surgery. After the surgery I had continued knee problems. I went to my union and told a union rep. They sent me to see an MD/JD. This guy was a doctor who went to law school and specialized in fighting for employee rights. He scheduled $5,000.00 worth of MRI's and re=evaluated everything the employers doctor and my surgeon did and sent the employer the bill.

Could you imagine such a requirement for veterans. I was discharged in 1970. They said everything that was wrong with me could not be service connected. If I was given a lawyer in 1970 I would be $700,000.00 richer than I am today. Not only could the mutitude of in service symptoms be service connected they would have been service connected if I was given a lawyer who assumed that every thing the military told you was subject to proof. I did get an SO in 1970. However, the SO was not a doctor with legal training and did not know the right questions to ask or pursue for ongoing medical evaluations.

My disabilities involved complex symptoms associated with Angioedema. The SO was helpful getting a knee disability service connected. However, the Angioedema went right over their head. 26 years after my discharge I bought a computer and went on line. The internet is infact impowering the little man and deserves the name "Information Super Highway". Hadit is impowering. I jioned a support group for persons with hereditary angioedema. They soon told me I did not have the hereditary form of the disease. I started investigating and later figured out that my condition was infact considered an industrial illness caused by repetious exposure to organic chemicals. I was first diagnosed with the disease and had active symptoms while serving in the armed forces and working with enoumous exposures to organic chemicals. My case was a slam dunk for service connection.

Hoppy

100$ for Angioedema with secondary complications

[wildcat]

Wildcat, 

I went through the same frustration when I started realizing how much better treatment I rec'd as the result of injuries I recieved while at work.  I started comparing the VA system to the system at work.  The idea that Veterans were second class citizens was depressing.  However, it was a reality. 

I was injured in a traffic accident at work.  The next morning I could not bend my leg. My supervisor drove me to the office of the employers doctor. I was treated by the employers doctor.  He told me I needed knee surgury.  I chose my own doctor to do the surgery.  After the surgery I had continued knee problems.  I went to my union and told a union rep.  They sent me to see an MD/JD.  This guy was a doctor who went to law school and specialized in fighting for employee rights. He scheduled $5,000.00 worth of MRI's and re=evaluated everything the employers doctor and my surgeon did and sent the employer the bill. 

Could you imagine such a requirement for veterans.  I was discharged in 1970.  They said everything that was wrong with me could not be service connected.  If I was given a lawyer in 1970 I would be $700,000.00 richer than I am today.  Not only could the mutitude of in service symptoms  be service connected they would have been service connected if  I was given a lawyer who assumed that every thing the military told you was subject to proof.  I did get an SO in 1970.  However, the SO was not a doctor with legal training and did not know the right questions to ask or pursue for ongoing medical evaluations.

My disabilities involved complex symptoms associated with Angioedema.  The SO was helpful getting a knee disability service connected.  However, the Angioedema went right over their head. 26 years after my discharge I bought a computer and went on line. The internet is infact impowering the little man and deserves the name "Information Super Highway". Hadit is impowering. I jioned a support group for persons with hereditary angioedema. They soon told me I did not have the hereditary form of the disease. I started investigating and later figured out that my condition was infact considered an industrial illness caused by repetious exposure to organic chemicals.  I was first diagnosed with the disease and had active symptoms while serving in the armed forces and working with enoumous exposures to organic chemicals.  My case was a slam dunk for service connection. 

Hoppy

100$ for Angioedema with secondary complications

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hoppy,

Thanks for the information and guidance. I will phone the Seattle/VA#800

number tomorrow to see if my file went back to the compensation panel.

If I get a less that fair adjudication, which I believe should be %70 or more

I am going to get a good military lawyer. This stuff is just too stressful to

pursue on your own at my age (63 yrs). Yes, I agree you can find key

supportive info on "Google" and I will do the same. The VA is extremely

suspicious and cautious due to all the "fraudulent claims" put in by

wanna bes over the years. This just makes it had for the "honest vet"

to get a fair shake !

Wildcat

[wildcat]

Wildcat

      The VA will shoot down any opinion for any reason. You just have to get the best board certified doctor to write your opinion for you and keep fighting.  Me and a friend went to the same shrink for IME's.  The VA accepted mine and shot down his. I read his IME and it was perfect but the VA would not accept it. They said he was doctor shopping.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John,

I agree and will get a very good board certified shrink to write an opinion-

with all the legal jargon that the VA REQUIRES for any veteran to get their

"just due". All we want is for THEM to be reasonable and fair in the rating

system but they appear to dot all the "i s" and crosse very "t" before they

make a decision.

Wildcat

[Guest Jim S.]

Wildcat: I think you have that wrong, it's because the the VARO dosen't dot the I's and cross all the T's That vets are getting a raw deal. The VARO seems to have a problem in seeing what is already their in front of them.

It's like they are the playing a delaying game, hoping you will give up and go away and some, if not more than some, do. It seems that those Vet's who keep the pressure on the VA are the ones who finally win out in the end, at a cost to the american tax payer untold man hours and unnecessary numbers of C&P exams. not to mention the cases that go all the way to the courts and their associated costs too.

Just because the VARO didn't do it's job right to begin with.

Jim S.