rubberduck391

How do I know if a VARO made the decision based on my claim? The decision came down last night on E-Benefits.

Hello all, So I recently got denied again this time I got the message Chapter 17 by the decision. I keep getting denied no matter what I seem to do. I made sure to use ONLY VA doctors with VA appointments. The first C and P examiner that denied me the first time I just so happen to get AGAIN! Can the VA do that? Give you the SAME exact examiner? I mean the first thing she said to me before " hello " was do you remember me from last time? Please can anyone shed some light on this for me? Is it time to actually hang it up and just "color"? I was diagnosed with insomnia and given Ambien to treat it. This C and P examiner keeps bringing up personality disorder? I asked the VA doc if I had it and she said no. But this examiner is HELL bent on it. -UPDATE 1. In my mil records they did say Personality Disorder but not diagnosed. 2. C and P examiner referenced the personality disorder A LOT! And I don't know why it was brought up. This claim was solely about insomnia. I was issued by the VA a CPAP machine. As well as medicine for my migraines. All medical proceedings were done through VA docs. 3. My VA doctor said I did NOT have Personality disorder. 4. I have tried looking up my C and P examiner under the VA website and she is NO WHERE to be found. So My thinking is they contracted it out. 5. I was discharged Honorable discharge. V/R -Duck

They don't need to give you a C and P. If its well documented in your medical records they will go off of that. My case I filed for over 10 things got 3 C and P exams. They flat out denied me on everything. Good luck to you! -Duck

Hey man, My claim moved rather quickly as well. Just around 90 days. Mine went through Austin MHV. Not sure what MHV means. So I claimed a bunch of things over 10+ and an increase. Had 3 C and P exams and I was approved for the increase but denied for everything else. So it could very well be a toss up of any number of things. I hope you get what your looking for. - Duck

Armorer thanks for the support!=) Thank you all for the support seriously! I have heard two different stories on this question I'm about to ask but do MH ratings effect Clearances? I'll keep you guys posted on how the nexus letters go. I'm glad you guys don't sleep much either but only in the selfish aspect that I'm not a lone wide awake on the internet in the early morning. =)

Nvy4life, Yeah I planned on waiting for the official letter. I just want to start getting ready to NOD. I currently get 60% for dermatitius. Honestly I lay awake just tossing and turning I'm aboslutly tired as hell but can't get to sleep. I don't do the caffeine route before bed. Don't smoke, and my family gets me plenty of exercise. Sometimes I am slathered up like a slug to stop me from driving myself or my wife crazy with the itching. Mil docs were giving me a steady supply of Ambian and my god does that stuff work! Never slept so well in my life. Sometimes I am able to self medicate with Nyquil or some others things like it to knock me out. -Duck

So I am starting to get my game plan together. I gathered from the consensus that I need to wait for the "offcial" letter to come in the mail before I can do anything. I am not one to just sit on my laurels so I already made an appointment with a doc. But I have a question I filed for insomnia and insomnia can't be or rather its very rare that its rated on its own. So would I just file insomnia as a secondary to my already 60% service connected disability? How would that work out? I am already capped at what I can get for this disability unless it goes cancerous. -Duck

Navy4life, First off I want to apologize to you if I may have offended you. I wasn't saying your reason wasn't sound. I do apologize. Yes, I had filed a MH claim for depression and anxiety. I had a guy try to do "things" after a night of drinking and everyone had passed out drunk. I had gone to the MIL docs and they had DX me with Depression and borderline personality disorder and I even got the kiss of death there the dreaded " personality disorder "... I haven't been back to a Psy. Dr since the military. If I ever wanted a clearance job it would have boned me. When I did my claim I put in nothing that wasn't visible 110% via the medical records. I filed a claim for hearing loss and even though I missed over 50% of the word test and all the beeps and boops. She said my hearing was fine and that Tinnitus was due to stressers in my life. I asked her stressors for 15 years? I was a jet engine mechanic. I got denied for that too. Got denied for my knees and insomnia as well and that was all in my service records as well. I am and will ALWAYS side with veterans I truly mean that.

Hi guys, You know at first I was butt hurt about this whole thing I really was. All the work you put in for the claim for them to just whack it all down its disheartening. Navy4life: I didn't apply for PTSD I was never in combat so I feel I don't deserve it. There are combat vets out there that are far worse off than myself. There are other peple out there with PTSD that are in serious need of the help, and I didn't want to clogg up the process any more then I wanted too. I was originally 10% for a seperate issue that got increased to 60%. I called the VA clinic and the soonest they can get me in is late July since I am a new patient and then I can get a referrel. Thats where I'll start to regather evidence. After I have the evidence in my hand I'll appeal. How on earth can the VA out right deny people without even a C and P exam? Thats what really boggles my brain!?!

Update. So I was approved for my increase from 10% to 60% and all other claimed items were denied not service connected.

So question: Instead of an Appeal what about just opening a new claim? Can that be done? I only ask because of all the massive wait times for appeals. -Duck

Gastone, Thank you for the response. Yeah thats what I had gathered from it as well. Honestly though I have never had any MH issues prior to service. As the song goes " maybe always means no " -Duck

Rootbeer22. I have finally got it hammered into my head about having to fight the VA. Did you get a C and P exam for each of the claims? I submitted for 14 things and only got 3 C and P exams. I didn't seek treatment or have treatment since I been out. Kinda just stayed away from doctors and what not. For a while I got to forget a lot of things. Armorer man... I am at a loss for words man I am sorry that you have gotten the run around so much. I wish I could give you the speed of my claim so that you can get the compensation you deserve. I hope the DAV or whomever is your rep can help you out. I'll keep you guys posted on the outcome of this. Ebenefits says it will complete by the 27th so about a week. I called the VA clinic again to try and get an appointment with a VA Psy. Doc.

Rootbeer22, Flores97 Thank you both for the replies. This has been a long issue I have had that I tried to sweep under the porch for a very long time. I didn't really ever it to resurface. Thank you both for reading the C and P. I tried calling the VA to make an appointment to see a doc but got bounced around a few times and had to give them by number to give me a call back. Still short on funds at the moment so I wouldn't be able to spring for a Psy. Dr appointment at this time. My heart kinda sank when I read the Personality Disorder Diagnosis the examiner gave me. The reviewers do they read the whole claim or just what the Examiner writes? - Duck

Hey guys, Long time lurker first time poster. I recently completed a C and P exam after a very long time out of the military. My wife and a few of my friends finally got me to seek counseling and file a VA claim. I am currently 10% for skin issues. But I filed for depression. The C and P exam didn't go all that well. She say me litteraly 40 mins thats with time to park check in and see the doc. She rarely looked at me did no tests just typed everything I said and said thank you and I was on my way home. I was hoping some one here could take a look at the C and P notes the doctor wrote and could tell me where I stand. The military docs DX me with depression and dx dysthymic disorder, Personality Disorder NOS (dependent and avoidant traits). The examiner disagreed and just said I have a personality disorder. From what I have read on teh forums is this is the kiss of death for veterans. I don't have the financial means to hire a lawyer and the DAV here locally isn't really responsive to me. Could some one take a look at the notes and let me know of options I may have or not have? Should I just hang up the hat and call it a day? Regards, Duck UPDATE: Ebenefits has changed my status to Pending Decision Approva. I submitted my claims back in April. Seems to be moving rather quickly.