Gator

Thanks, Kelly. On the PTSD C&P report, she listed PTSD as Axis I. Wouldn't that be a clear diagnosis? As far as the group sessions, I did get referred and counseled on some substance abuse and PTSD groups. My problem with that is being around people. I've seen entries in my medical records from just simple phone calls to the VA. I'm thinking I can call and tell them I don't want to attend because I don't feel comfortable and hope that gets entered into my record as well. Or would that hurt my case if I refused treatment? Your reply and all the other threads on this board have been a huge help in keeping me on track with my claim and my sanity.

Thanks, y'all, for the replies. I think I understand the combined rating based on symptoms. The only reason I filed for PTSD is that I could not get a definitive diagnosis. Someone said, when I was in the domiciliary, that I could only get a diagnosis if I filed a claim. It seemed like the VA was beating around the bush by repeatedly screening me for it with a few questions but never giving me a true diagnosis. I got the feeling the VA and DOD were trying to downplay the numbers on veterans and service members from current deployments with PTSD. I guess I also filed because I lost my TS/SCI clearance just for going to mental health while I was deployed. That eventually cost me my civilian job I had after I de-enlisted; twist that knife Army! It burns me up to think of how many people were done this way and the Army got away with it. (end of rant) Right now I'm rated at 50% for major depression. Looking at the report on my PTSD C&P and the rating schedule, I don't see how they could possibly go lower than 70% for it. What I was attempting is to get that 70% to go back to my last rating for depression. This was actually the case when I originally filed for PTSD. They denied that claim because I didn't have proof of a stressor. However, they still gave me a C&P and higher rating for depression based on the PTSD claim. As far as the deadline, that was the 10th of this month. Yes, it's a risk, but I'm pretty sure that the PTSD C&P report will get me up to 70% as new and material evidence. Wait. I'm really confusing myself. The 50% rating for depression resulted from my original claim for PTSD. I got the PTSD C&P because I asked for reconsideration after the VA decided to concede the stressor withing a year of me filing for PTSD. That means, if I get rated higher than 50% for PTSD then it WOULD go back to the original claim date. If that's the case, wouldn't the I/U go back to that time also? Even if I had not implicitly asked for it? Okay. Sorry for getting so far away from my original question which was if I was slowing the process down by filing all this in rapid succession.

I've read here that the more evidence the better. I just wanted to get an idea of how my evidence looks so far. I'm rated 50% for major depression and I'm also trying to get that raised. I recently had a C&P for PTSD with a contract doctor. In her report she said, "He is enrolled in school; he is struggling to perform adequately in his academics in order to complete this program. Personally, I am impressed he can complete academic tasks in his current psychological state. He is unemployed because he could not meet the demands and responsibilities required by his work situation. He resigned his last position before he was fired." She alsomentioned bad memory, concentration and being overwhelmed by routine demands in life. I submitted my most recent copy of my transcript which shows a steady decline in my grades for the past two semesters. Once this semester is over I will be able to show them all Fs. My wife wrote a statement addressing what things are like for me now. Things like not remembering conversations, trouble sleeping and wanting to go back to the domiciliary but not being able to leave her alone with three daughters under age five. I'm only betting one of my past employers will return the request for employment information. I spoke to them about it. They will show how much time I lost (which was a lot) but will not address anything concerning disability which the form asks for. I would love to get an IMO, but there's no money for that and I've only seen VA doctors for the past five years. Those records don't say anything about not being able to work, but they do note the depression is pretty much ongoing. I might ask my psych nurse practitioner to add something about employment prospects. They also include alcohol dependence, two months in the Temple Texas domiciliary for depression and drinking and several different antidepressants. I'm trying to think of what else I might be able to present. Does any of it look promising? Will the VA weigh the contract doctor's opinion who did my C&P as if she was a VA doctor? Would the grades preclude any benefit from getting something from Voc Rehab stating I couldn't do that program? I appreciate any advice. It's been pretty nerve wracking trying to get all this together.

It's my first post. There are tons of great information on hadit, but with so many possible variables I couldn't find a case very similar to what I'm asking. I'm already rated 50% for major depression. Within a year of that rating, I filed for PTSD (just because I couldn't get a definitive diagnosis from the VA). It was denied for lack of proof of a stressor. After the VA decided to presume a stressor from just deployment, I asked for the claim to be reopened. After I left my C&P, I had a good feeling that it would be rated higher than the 50% for depression so I decided I should file for I/U and did so that day. About a week later I asked to have the major depression reopened since I had new evidence from the PTSD C&P. After reading all the excellent advice and personal stories here, it seems that since my records have plenty of mention of PTSD symptoms going back farther that the original claim for depression, the VA might backdate the PTSD claim to the date I filed for depression. I asked for the depression to be looked at again hoping to help that happen. I'm just concerned that all of this combined may be overkill and slow down the process somehow. Thanks to all of you for contributing to hadit.com! A great source of information!