C&p Exam Favorable?

[silke]

Thanks for all yur help....

My husband was diagnosed by the air force with adjustment disorder with depressed mood and avoidant personality traits in 1993 after a sudden character change ( got arrested twice, art 15, violent behavior, problems at work)...He got out on a voluntary separation, honorably.

with 6 months of separation he became schizophrenic, he refused treatment and denied any problem...lack of insight and judgement is a typical symptom of schizophrenia, and with the mental health laws in place, he could not be forced into treatment or meds.

In 2006 i was able to stage a intervention and get him into treatment and on meds at a county clinic...in 2007 he started going to the va clinic and the doctor there diagnosed him with p.schizophrenia, he suggested we apply for ssd and va comp.

He got ssd within six months and last year we applied for va comp......we had a c&p exam last week...i went with him (his gaf is 35 and needs help to communicate)..pretty easy exam and at the end the doctor said she believes that his condition began in the service....essentially the adjustment do eventually became schizophrenia.

How much weight does the doctors opinion at the c&p exam hold for a favorable outcome???

[3trnamvet]

Yes......He was accepted as fit by the DOD however the DOD and the VBA are two totally seperate animals and they both think completely different when it comes to veterans claims for service connection !!!!!!!!

[carlie]

Yes......He was accepted as fit by the DOD however the DOD and the VBA are two totally seperate animals and they both think completely different when it comes to veterans claims for service connection !!!!!!!!

Being accepted as fit for duty can negate predisposition due to family history.

[silke]

Being accepted as fit for duty can negate predisposition due to family history.

Further, Op.G.C. 8-88 (11-7-88) held that service

connection may be granted for hereditary diseases which either first manifest themselves during service or which preexist service and progress at an abnormally high rate during service. The presumption of soundness (38 C.F.R. § 3.303©) is not rebutted merely by the fact a disease is hereditary, as a genetic or other familial disposition to develop a disease does not constitute having the disease. This opinion, too, we continue to find persuasive. Accordingly, service connection may be granted

for diseases of congenital, developmental or familial (hereditary) origin where such disease was first manifest during service or progressed at an abnormally high rate during service.

.....and the examiner said: He has a family history of schizophrenia and may have been predisposed to develop the disorder, but it was the stress of military service that apparently provoked his first symptoms and the disease progressed from that point on.

Well, if its denied because of family history, his lawyer is gonna have a field day with this. Statisticly, according to medical literature, with an uncle that had schizophrenia, his odds of getting it too are 5%. So chances are, there had to be an enviromental trigger.....military service. I couldnt have asked for a better examiner!

[carlie]

Further, Op.G.C. 8-88 (11-7-88) held that service

connection may be granted for hereditary diseases which either first manifest themselves during service or which preexist service and progress at an abnormally high rate during service.

silke,

Good find !

[Navalaircrewman]

I had a C&P exam in May for PTSD. I was being seen for almost a year at my local VA clinic for PTSD and depression. They diagnosed me with PTSD and put me on meds. In reading my C&P exam results, the psychologist did NOT diagnose me with PTSD, but did diagnose me with Anxiety disorder and depression. He stated that I did had symptoms of PTSD due to combat related experiences, but did not meet the entire criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. He said that the two disorders that he diagnosed me with ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT related to military service. He gave me a GAF of 51. SInce I didn't get a PTSD diagnosis at the C&P, but got two other diagnosis', am I screwed?

[carlie]

I had a C&P exam in May for PTSD. I was being seen for almost a year at my local VA clinic for PTSD and depression. They diagnosed me with PTSD and put me on meds. In reading my C&P exam results, the psychologist did NOT diagnose me with PTSD, but did diagnose me with Anxiety disorder and depression. He stated that I did had symptoms of PTSD due to combat related experiences, but did not meet the entire criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. He said that the two disorders that he diagnosed me with ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT related to military service. He gave me a GAF of 51. SInce I didn't get a PTSD diagnosis at the C&P, but got two other diagnosis', am I screwed?

Naval,

Please repost your question as a new topic, under the Forum it relates to.

Thanks