ptsd Spoke To The Bva

[MikeR]

Spoke to the BVA today and they tell me a letter is on the way ref my PTSD claim as the decision was made yesterday. Now since they made the decision yesterday and are mailing out the letter today and am pretty certain that it is a denial. They are sending my ankle portion back to the AMC so I guess the Nexus letter/IMO and repackaging the evidence never hurts. Wondering after 11 years and am very drained on this fight. Have a diagnosis and take my meds for PTSD and comorbid depression. Should I hire the lawyer for the NOD, or just file a claim for Depression?

Mike

[carlie]

Berta,

Also, since I can show that I was treated for depression on active duty should I apply for it now? I know the difference in back pay is huge, but at some point it feels all up hill.

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

By chance does the medical evidence that shows treatment for depression on AD

state what they felt your depression was being caused by.

That would also surely be helpful.

jmho,

carlie

[runnenbare]

You do not need the CIB or Purple Heart. All you need is to prove that you were there and get proff os stressor. I do not have the CIB or Purple Heart but I was able to prove the stressor because of what happend the morning we were hit by PUFF.

[john999]

Runnbare

Sometimes the proofs of stressor is hard to get even in a combat zone with all hell breaking loose. Have you even seen some of those after action report copies. They look like hen scratchings. After you get out of service and discover your have PTSD you have to go back and get documents to prove stressors. If you served in a combat zone and have PTSD why do you have to prove it? I know some would fake it for the money, but most just want to get on with their lives. I think this places a unfair burden on the vet. The VA conceds all vets in RVN were exposed to AO, so why not to stressors? Every base in Vietnam got hit by rockets or mortars or sniper fire. I almost got killed by idiot officers playing with foo gas.

[MikeR]

"Also, since I can show that I was treated for depression on active duty should I apply for it now?"

ABSOLUTELY! This is a shame that you did not claim depression from the git go-

I assume you have a current depression diagnosis and that the SMRS reveal the nexus (link)to your service.

Was depression ever stated at all in the PTSD claim?

Depression as I was treated for on AD was not linked to any particular reason for some reason. It's ironic how the military will treat someone for mental illness and then not be honest about the cause of the problem. It's like treating a broken arm by placing the foot in a cast.

The PTSD and Depression are comorbid on the last C&P Exam by the VA examiner. I have an IMO for it as well in 2002, and my SMRS has it documented. My GAF was 45 on the October exam and I indicated for severe depression.

[MikeR]

Runnbare

Sometimes the proofs of stressor is hard to get even in a combat zone with all hell breaking loose. Have you even seen some of those after action report copies. They look like hen scratchings. After you get out of service and discover your have PTSD you have to go back and get documents to prove stressors. If you served in a combat zone and have PTSD why do you have to prove it? I know some would fake it for the money, but most just want to get on with their lives. I think this places a unfair burden on the vet. The VA conceds all vets in RVN were exposed to AO, so why not to stressors? Every base in Vietnam got hit by rockets or mortars or sniper fire. I almost got killed by idiot officers playing with foo gas.

Well I read the BVA lawyer statement (all 15 pages) and basically there is no doubt I have PTSD, but they are saying that since I have a non-combat MOS that I was not in combat and that I am therefore not a Combat vet. Also, my other stressors they are discounting although they are actually provable and evidence was submitted and ignored. I provided them with so much documentation that a reasonable person would have looked at it.

My Ankle was another matter where the VA doctors did not opine on 2 separate exams to the etiology of the nature of my foot injury. In my response I provided a letter from The Chief of Ortho for Ohio State who was my surgeon, and he wrote a detailed 2 page IMO providing a complete history, and etiology with a nexus. They denied the PTSD portion and remanded the Ankle stuff.

[MikeR]

Mike,

By chance does the medical evidence that shows treatment for depression on AD

state what they felt your depression was being caused by.

That would also surely be helpful.

jmho,

carlie

Carlie,

Like I told Berta the Med records show treatment, but not causation.

Mike