hypertension Questions About Ptsd Claim

[flatblackstrat]

Hello,

I have a few questions about filing a comp claim.

First off I am an OIF vet 03 and went in at the beginning of the war when i was 18. I came back with very bad depression and started going to Mental Health very early and went off and on because of the lack of help they gave me and my frustration. I was chaptered out while recruiting after taking to much of my meds in an attempt to overdose. I now live in Japan with my wife, but i still can't seem to function normally. I can't hold a job and every little thing seems to piss me off, I don't even want to leave the house anymore. So my questions are

Do I still need to write a stressor letter when I file my claim?

I have hypertension and a bad Ankle from the service and both are documented, so should I file those aswell?

I have found a couple of English speaking doctors here, one for my heart, one for my ankle and one that is a spychologist. Will the VA honor their medical documents if they are written in English?

I am not on any medication write now because the Military put me on so many different things I felt like an experiment. Should I go back on meds again before I submit my claim?

Spychologists here do not except insurance and they usually costs about 80-140 dollars a session, so is one session with a private spych enough to have extra proof?

Im sorry if what I wrote is sloppy or hard to understand, I will try to better in more detail if you need me too.

Thanks in advance,

Nick

[flatblackstrat]

Welcome Nick!! Get the written diagnosis from an MD first. Write the stressors letter and get buddy letters, if you have the CIB, Purple Heart etc. your stressors are presumed and do not have to be verified. Get a service officer at your VAMC to submit the claims and keep copies of everything!! Good luck, Welcome Home and thanks for your service!

Thanks Pig for the advice. I am in Japan though so I don't think I can get a VAMC (what does that mean by the way?) to submit anything for me. Unless it is easier than I think.

[flatblackstrat]

Welcome Nick!! Get the written diagnosis from an MD first. Write the stressors letter and get buddy letters, if you have the CIB, Purple Heart etc. your stressors are presumed and do not have to be verified. Get a service officer at your VAMC to submit the claims and keep copies of everything!! Good luck, Welcome Home and thanks for your service!

Thanks Pig for the advice. I am in Japan though so I don't think I can get a VAMC (what does that mean by the way?) to submit anything for me. Unless it is easier than I think.

[flatblackstrat]

Not sure how it works in Japan but the embassy as someone said before would probably be a good place to start. Also if there is a base near by see if you can get in for some health care I think that is how it works out of country? Again I am not sure.

Seeing and going to treatment and doing what the docs say all will help your claim but beyond that it should help all your conditions!

As far as the claim goes I would get a copy of my SMRs if you don't already have a complete copy and scan through those. All most everything that you had in service and still continually being seen for will only help your claim.

Filing your claim will reserve your date and from there you will be examined by a VA approved doctor to see how bad your conditions are. That is called a C&P.

Check the Gulf war part of this website and do a bunch of reading and see what other vets that served in Iraq with you are getting comped for.

One very important thing that I personally want to say I am an old Nam vet and I am very proud of the way all of you handled your selfs over there! Thank you for your service and hold your head up high you are a disabled veteran and you deserve to be treated and comped for your injuries!!

Good Luck to you!

Thank you for the Advice. I can't imagine what you Nam vets went through, and I can't believe how you were treated when you came home. I think you guys are the only reason the government wised up to taking care of it's vets. It is mostly the Nam era servicemen that make up a large % of the VFW and vet rights groups, so I think it should be me who says thank you to you fixing a lot of wrong in the VA for future ranks.

Thanks again