Inarticulate&Distorted

Hey man, Take a deep look into what goes into an IMO when it comes to PTSD and Mental Health Exams. The VA rater is looking for Very Very VERY specific terminology. If this Psychologist(and you WILL meed someone with a PhD) has no experience writing Opinions for the VA, it may not even help you if he doesn't know how the phrasing needs to be. I am sure others here would be able to point you to good resources on how these IMO's need to be laid out, wish i could be more helpful.

Keep your chin up man, it's pressure that turns you into a diamond

Hows about an update pardner....hear anything yet?

No idea where you heard all those weird statements. Im 35 years old, T&P, IU, Mental Health, and on SSDI, so yeah thats a weird set of statements mate.

Welcome to the Horrors of the VA system brother. You have a solid Claim, my suggestion, hire Robert Friedman and Assosciates. They specialize in PTSD and TDIU Claims, took them less than 2 years to get my Full Benefits win. Once again, just a suggestion, but 20% of your back pay if you win, but better than 0

Strange, i could have sworn M.E.P.S. generally denies entry to anyone admitting any kind of drug usage, hell, maybe there were waivers involved but i find that hard to believe... more info would be appreciated if an opinion is being asked for

Love how you said you use the VA 's own bullshit against them. I had a Psychologost who pompusly told me, only a PhD can diagnose a MHD, how did i use that against them? Simple, i refused to see a psychiatrist or counselor, i would only use a PhD, helps when you can pick up those little tidbits of info to strengthen your case, and i know it helped me win my SSDI as well, sent them a load of my medical files, they sent me to 1 exam, from start to finish my SSDI only took 4 months. To the original poster, keep fighting, you Win or you Die, anything less is unacceptable imo

Some reading material... https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/06/21/the-withheld-hhs-study-on-base-water-contaminants-is-out-and-its-not-good/

Just a little added information for ya. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/06/21/the-withheld-hhs-study-on-base-water-contaminants-is-out-and-its-not-good/ My father is now adding his Thyroid Issues to his Claim because of this article. He was a Fireman at Grand Forks AFB from 79-83.

I think 100% wouldnt be too off, all it would take is one bad day and Total Occupational Imparment would be there. A Rater who sees the whole picture on this Vets file would see that theres not going to be any improvement. My opinion of course. Good luck and keep us updated please.

I want to throw a little information in here, aboit your PTSD exam marked confidential. A little while back, the VA made a decision that Mental Health exams are no longer available to us Veterans on the Blue Button, they are affraid that if we read them and dont like what is in them we will "go postal". Happened to me, happens to others, as soon as your Claim is adjucated and closed out it will show back up on the BB. It looks like you finally got an Examiner with a SOUL! hope you are doing better, as much better as we CAN be anyways, as mstmale said, please update us when you come back to Hadit.

Aye, good mentality to have, you fight till you win or you die

I tjink you are wise in gaining an accredited VA lawyer, they may be in it for the money, but at least you know you have a solid case if an attorney takes you on, they get nothing if you lose so they tend to be really picky. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

your Claim's looking good. and as some extra info, my father has COPD, never smoked a day in his life, he was in the Fire dept from 79-83, all those chemicals they used back then are now known to be carcinogenic and caustic, get ready in another 10 years or so to file a COPD claim.

never ever ever ever ask for a reconsideration, it burns through your 1 year to appeal time frame, and it is literally not part of the legal process with the VA, i.e. they deny you on your consideration, and you've lost your right to file a NoD because you burned through your 1 year time frame waiting on that "reconsideration"