emandg

I have filed a NOD with a DRO review request. My question is, when the NOD eventually gets to the DRO for review, will he/ she pull up to date V.A. Progress Notes from my Therapist and Psychiatrist showing my continued treatment for inclusion in the decision making process ?

Having been through this I am a believer in the raters. Based on my C&P exam debacle, it was evident the rater took all the other evidence and made the obvious decision. Like john999 said, getting SC'd is the big one. Now my treatment and meds are paid for, which his what I wanted. Hopefully getting it bumped up is in progress. Hang in there and welcome home.

I was just thinking, does it matter what they titled the NOD at the VARO ? When they read it they will see it is for PTSD.

I sent an IRIS request and am now waiting. I will post the reply. Freaking amazing, Dental Health instead of Mental Health...........

I called the St. Petersburg VARO inquiring into my retro CRSC and while I was at it I asked the lady to check the status of my NOD. She looked it up, read me the mandatory statement then told me that my NOD for rating increase for Dental/ Oral was in progress. I said WHOA, JUST MINUTE., if you read it, I filed for PTSD rating increase - MENTAL, NOT DENTAL. She kind of went WOW also and went about writing a note to get it corrected. I stayed on line until she told me the email had gone, then said to check in about 3 weeks to make sure. I can see how it would have played out. I get a SOC stating my NOD is declined as I have no active DENTAL claim and I have to start over. CHECK YOUR CLAIMS PEOPLE ! I'm starting to see some of the horror stories I have read about.

I tried to log into IRIS and got stuck at my date of birth. I know when I was born, but it seems IRIS does not. Any ideas how to fix it so I can use the system ?

Thanks to my DAV Rep and all the posts on this site, I mailed my NOD off. Any SWAG's on a favorable outcome ? ***NOTICE OF DISAGREEMENT*** Consideration by a Decision Review Officer is requested I received a rating decision dated April 15, 2011. I disagree with the 30% award for PTSD and am requesting the maximum allowed by law. Please consider this letter to be an official "Notice of Disagreement" (NOD) Please refer to new evidence enclosed; 1. Attached letter and V.A. Progress Notes from Dr. **** and Dr. **** pertaining to current impact of my PTSD and related symptoms on my Social and Occupational functioning. 2. Attached letter from *****, Supervisor and ****, Regional Program Manager regarding accommodations made for me at my place of employment due to the current impact of my PTSD and related symptoms on my Occupational functioning. 3. Attached letter from *****, Step-Daughter, relating to the current impact of my PTSD and related symptoms on my Social functioning. Considering the attachments and with review of my V.A. Progress Notes, it appears that I have not been evaluated properly. With my reduced reliability and productivity due to depression, anxiety, frequent panic attacks, difficulty in understanding complex commands, impairment of short and long term memory, disturbances in motivation and mood and difficulty in maintaining effective work and social relationships, I am walking billboard for severe PTSD.

SO what I am getting from this is that you do need to attach V.A. psych and therapists notes to the DRO review that have been entered since the decision as it can not be counted on the DRO to bother to read the computer file ?

The C&P was based on the reports from a V.A. contract shrink and therapist I was seeing. I since have been "re-called" to the V.A. system in which my Therapist and shrink have seemed to understand more fully of how I my PTSD is effecting my daily life. I have letters from my V.A. Therapist (PHd) and my V.A. Psychiatrist (been seeing them about a year now) and letters from my Employer (who for the grace of God are veteran friendly) and my daughter. DO I staple each letter to a Statement in Support of Claim Form or just attach them to the one I address my Notice of Disagreement and DRO De Novo Review Request on ? This look OK ? ***NOTICE OF DISAGREEMENT*** I received a rating decision dated April 15, 2011. I disagree with the 30% award for PTSD and am requesting the maximum allowed by law. Please consider this letter to be an official “Notice of Disagreement” (NOD) Chronic Fatigue (#43) - This symptom/condition was caused or intensified by medication currently prescribed for a service connected disability. (PTSD). Also this is a secondary symptom of service connected PTSD. Nightmares (#40) - Related to PTSD award. Compulsive behaviors are related to PTSD and should be considered in the overall evaluation of PTSD. I feel this was not evaluated and diagnosed as it should have been. Nightmares have increased in severity in spite of medication. Anxiety (#25) - Related to PTSD. It was stated in 1st award letter (October 9, 2009) that compulsive behaviors are related to PTSD and should be considered in the overall evaluation of PTSD. I feel this was not evaluated and diagnosed as it should have been. Depression (#45) - Related to PTSD/Sleep Disorder which was later awarded. It was stated in 1st award letter (October 9, 2009) that this condition was related to PTSD and should be considered in the overall evaluation of PTSD. I feel this was not evaluated and diagnosed as it should have been. Memory Loss with confusion (#12) - I disagree with the assessment of the severity of this condition. Also, this condition is aggravated by the medications prescribed for PTSD. g. Disturbances of motivation and mood that affect daily living. h. Inability to establish and maintain effective work and social relationships. Letters supporting my disagreement are included from Dr. .... V.A. Mental Health Counsleor, Dr. ...... V.A. Staff Psychiatrist, ........... and ...... Employer Regional Manager and Supervisor, and ................ (Step-Daughter).

I fugured I'd better start a new topic than tag onto the last one. I'm getting confused, so here is my situation. I received a 30% s/c PTSD rating in April 2011. I have new evidence that the rating should be at a higher level What should I file ?

Thanks John. Based on all I have seen on this website and one other, I am requesting a DRO de novo review. I was just wondering about the inclusion of the hard copy notes and test results. I thought I had read a "horror" story in which the computer file was not even utilized during a decision making process.

I recently took and was debriefed on my MMPI - sounds like I'm off the chain based what my Therapist informed me. She actually said that based on my extremly poor prognosis for rehabilitation (PTSD) she could cut me loose , but came right back with a reassurance that she will not.. My question is, as this information and the backing of my Psychiatrist are all on the V.A. data base. I should go ahead and get copies under the FOIA and include them with my NOD ? (VARO reveiw)

Figured I'd keep this up so others may benefit. I met with my V.A. Therapist (Doctor of Psychology) yesterday in which a half hour appointment lasted for over 1.5 hours (last paitient of the day). The building was dark and closed when she unlocked the door to let me out. She has been the most helpful person of all the helpful people I have run across since I got into the "system". When the appointment started I had forgotten that it was to review the results of my MMPI. I was pretty wrapped up in other events with my life. I had previously contacted her telling her I intended to file a NOD on my rating and she stated that she is working on a letter. She stated that I was pretty well low balled by the C&P examiner (this is the one that she stated before "does that to all the vets and is pretty well known for his actions) and would do what she needed to do to assist me. SO, there is one more for jusitification. My V.A. Psychiatrist will do the same as we have previously spoken of the outcome of the rating board and the negative inpiut from the C&P examiner that got me the 30%. Don't get me wrong, 30% is fine, I want the "system" to pay for my meds and my treatment. I'm just not going to give up and go away. The Thereapist review indicated by the MMPI I was off the chain and the prognosis for succesful treatment was slim to none. She also said that based on that prognosis she could cut me loose if whe wanted, but she will not do that. I guess I'm rambeling now, I will keep my progress updated on this site. Thanks everyone for all the help. [url=http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carlandnansgraphics.com/catalog/1st_cavalry_artillery.png&imgrefurl=http://www.carlandnansgraphics.com/servlet/the-185/United-States-Army,-1st/Detail&usg=__j0gs_L840a_wuVcTLMY6Opb7CpM=&h=284&w=300&sz=32&hl=en&start=40&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=usxgBUT6HWSCVM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=116&prev=/search%3Fq%3D1st%2Bcav%2Bartillery%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1262%26bih%3D831%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbm%3Disch&ei=NsEJTrDKFs2htwfXwNSLAQ]

Heck, that isn't much, along with the increase in my water bill, gas, electric, telephone, kid's tuition, cost of food, clothes, insurance, home maintenance...glad I can pay the bills !! is it 2012 yet ??

Great article. I wonder how many of the policeman on the force are veteran's ? combat veteran's ? probably not many