fogcloud

Here are my attached pertinent claims records. I feel very naked and exposed to you all at this moment, but I know that all of you have my best interest in mind. First and foremost, if one or more of you find anything that actually reveals my name, location, SSN or other stuff like that, please post to me and tell me what it is and then ask Admin to delete this post and I will make corrections. A couple of things: 1. If I never get another % Point from the VA I am still going to live the rest of my life knowing that the VA Examiner has vindicated me. 2. Has the Doctrine of Benefit of the Doubt Case Law been overturned? 3. Why am I lucid and have the energy and clarity for this? My highest GAF this year has been 41 and last week it was 30. I had to be committed to the Psych Hospital Ward for 5 days last week and this Doctor added the drug Abilify to my other drugs and I swear that my mood is at least a 4. I will answer all questions to the best of my recollection and ability. Fog ClaimDecisionFirstPageHadit.pdf EnlistPhysicalHadit.pdf MDDDenialHadit.pdf PTSDDenialHadit.pdf

Stretch, it was from the VARO. I will be posting copies as attachments by the weekend. Thanks Fog

Donews, I will post the decision as attachments by the weekend. I am working on it. Thanks. Fog

John999, I am a Vietnam Era vet. No combat. 4 years and 9 months (I re-uped for the bonus). I will post about 3-5 pages of this mess by the weekend. I am working on it. On the C&P exam for pre-service PTSD, the VA Doctor (PhD in Psychology with a real VA slant according to my VSO) verified what other psyhciatrists and psychologists have said. He said that not only did I have PTSD before service, but he also diagnosed my MDD as happening at the same time as the PTSD (before service). He did tell me that I probably would not win on PTSD berfore service, but noted that I did check "depression" on my Enlistment exam and he wondered why there was never a follow-up during my service. Fog

Wow!!! Thanks very much Josephine. Already cut and pasted into a word doc. I will be posting by the weekend with probably 3-5 pages of the decision attached. As far as the cause, it was the usual stuff: child abuse; sexual assualt; abandomemt (mother); etc.

Windy, Same thing with me. I came to the conclusion that my doctor (who I trust) is like my priest. Instead of helping me with my spirituality, my doctor is my link to living life in the best manner possible. Doctors take an oath and they probably have seen it all and done it all. That oath requires them to be your Care-Giver. After I came to that conclusion, it was much easier to discuss - and I sure was glad that I did. If you are still too embarrased, send a letter to him with the words in your post or something similar. Mark the envelope as "CONFIDENTIAL TO BE READ BY DR. XXXXX ONLY". I hope this helps, because the sooner you tell, the sooner you will find out your options. Good luck and remember that you are only 1 of millions of men with this problem. Fog

Windy, Same

Thanks everyone. I should have mentioned that my claim for MDD and PTSD were denied. Apparently, they determined that I had the PTSD and MDD prior to enlisting. Can I do anything to help myself even though the MDD was in the "Secondary Column" by my own error?

Am I out-of-luck? I got my denial for MDD today. Reason for denial is because it is not secondary to my PTSD. Well, I jumped into my files of each and every letter I have ever sent to the VARO related to my claim. Sure enough, I DID CLAIM IT AS SECONDARY TO MY PTSD!!! This is totally my fault and I have no idea why I put MDD under my secondary infirmities. Is there any thing I can do now? Can I just tell them I messed up in my claim? Or do I need to file an NOD? Or do I ask for a sit-down with the DRO? The VA doctor at the C&P said he agreed with my MDD. Hope someone has a good answer. Fog

Wow. I have a c&p Friday morning at 8:00 and I just got a recording reminding me of the exam. I still haven't been able to find out what exactly this exam is for. I was told that my records were forwarded to OKC (not my VARO) so they can't tell for sure. My question is about private insurance. The recorded message said that if I had private insurance and I am being examed for a non-service connected disabiliy to bring my Insurance Card. This is my first claim, so I have yet to be sevice-connected for anything. I am on my wife's HMO. Do I need to bring my private insurance card to the C & P exam??????????????????????????????? Fog

I am going to try to upload the letter in pdf. I've never done this before, but if I am successful you will be able to see that they asked for my private records without telling me what the C&P is for. Fog SecondC_PExam.pdf

Gosh, don't know what I would do without this site.... I hope you can help me again. I had a C&P last month for tinnitus and hearing loss. Now I got a letter to report for another C&P this Friday (22nd). On the first letter, it stated that the C&P was for hearing loss and tinnitus. This new letter doesn't state what the exam is for but tells me to bring "all past medical history such as outpatient and hospital records from private facilities (not VA or military) that apply to this case." Obiously these should be in my c-file. Anyone know if they are supposed to tell me what the C&P is all about? Thanks. Fog

Thanks for the response OIF. Not what I wanted to hear, but now I will temper my anticipation so I don't go crazy waiting. Fog

Thanks Pete53. This makes me feel much better. Fog

Thanks jangrin. This is encouraging. Fog

I just called the VA @ 1.800.827.1000 to check on my claim for hearing loss and tinnitus. I was told that the results have been entered and that my records have been sent to the VA hospital. Does anyone know what this means? I sent them a statement from my civilian ENT Doctor with test results showing my nexus and a statement saying the hearing loss and tinnitus was "as likely as not related to military noise". In January they sent me for a C&P and the examiner said that it is obvious that these were service connected. The examiner also said that she would recommend a minimum of 20% for sc'd hearing loss as well as sc for tinnitus. I hope that someone can tell me what it means that my records have been forwarded to the VA Hospital? Fog

Thanks for all of your answers. I was CQ one night and had a run-in after hours with a soldier from my barracks and two of his friends from another barrack. They threatened my life (and other things). I had to call MP's. Next day my Company Commander called me in because he had read my report. He went over my report with me and fixed some of my grammer and such, and then said that this will lead to an Article 15. The Article 15 came and I was the main witness. One of the solders knew me and my wife and told me that they would kill my wife if I proceeded with testimony. It was tough, but I did testify and all three were reduced in rank to Pvt E-1 with loss of pay. It was very stressful. How could I find out how to get the records to this event and the Article 15? I thought maybe a morning report, but obviously I am wrong. Could this be in a unit report that I can access? Fog

Can someone give me advise about my MDD? On my entrance physical to the Army in 1968, I circled "depression". The doctor giving the physical asked what doctor diagnosed me with depression. I said no doctor had diagnosed me with depression, but that I have always been depressed with a great deal of anxiety. His answer to me was that "I was not depressed because I didn't have a dianosis by a civilian doctor so circle anxiety". Within the box for "depresson and anxiety" I did circle anxiety within the box and kept an 'X" check mark on the "depression and anxiety box". Well, lo and behold, I have been treated for depression 3 times since my release in 1973. The latest sessions with a civilian shrink has diagnosed me with PTSD and MDD since the age of 9 (1957). I was not in-country during Vietnam, but there were some stressors. These stressors should be in some morning reports. My question is, would I have a chance if I filed a claim for MDD? Thanks, Fog.

Thanks rentalguy1.

I was treated very well and the audiologist was on-time to the minute. This was contracted by a QTC facility. This was my first C&P. There are more scheduled. Maybe someone here can clarify something for me. She said that both hearing loss and tinnitus were service connected. She said she thought that I could get at least 20% for my hearing loss. As far as the tinnitis, she changed the answer on my questionnaire from recurrent tinnitis to persistent tinnitus. Disabilty for tinnitis is 10%, but when I went to the ratings schedule for tinnitis, it says only to rate RECURRENT tinnitis. What about persistent tinnitis?? Does anyone know if there is a different rating schedule for persistent tinnitis? Thanks, Fog

Thanks so much to all who responded, especially the advice of John999. I will take my civilian test results and letter to the QTC guy. .Here is where my anxiety pops-up: In the letter from QTC, they list questions with answers. For example: Question: Should I Bring My Medical Records? Answer: “No. Please do not bring your medical records. The doctor will only review records the VA has already provided. If you have additional records related to your claim, please submit them directly to the VA.” Also, after doing a search at hadit.com about claim files being present during the exam, I have seen various answers. Most say that the c-file should be present and must have been read. No c-file was provided to QTC. Even in the book “The Veterans Survival Guide” by John D. Rhode he says “Failure to review your file is a violation of not only of Physician’s Guide but also of federal law” Is this not correct?

I just received a letter and quesionnaire from QTC Management telling me to report on Jan 28th for a hearing loss C&P. I have some questions that I hope you can help me with. 1. Does anyone have any experience or exposure to QTC Management as a contractor for VA C&P exams? 2. On the front page of the questionnaire, it has all of my pertinent info such as name, claim number, claim type and Med Records etc. Under Med Records it says NO. I had a civilian MD whose specialty is ENT examine and consult with me in May, 2007. It was his diagnosis that I had sensorineural hearing loss of combined types (389.18). He said I need hearing aids and he wrote a letter stating that my "hearing loss is as likely as not from military noise exposure". I immediately sent his letter and the audiogram (which was not the MARYLAND or whatever the VA requires as the only test that means anything) to my VARO via certified Mail. VARO acknowledged receipt. Am I wrong to think that the examiner must have my smr's or C-File available at the time of the examination and also is required to read it before the examination? 3. If the examiner does not have these records and has not read my C-file, do I have any chance of filing a CUE if things do not go my way? Thanks, fog

I have a c&p exam end of January. When did the Army require ear plugs for the firing and grenade ranges? I did my basic in 1968 at Ft. Leonard Wood and I do not ever recall using them. I do remenber using them once around 1972 at Ft. Bliss durning requalification. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank y'all for the quick response. Yes, I do have a verifyable stressor in my military medical records. I better get busy. Now comes the time-consuming hard part, but I believe I am up to it. Again, thanks a million.

I was just diagnosed with PTDS since age 9. On my entrance physical, I checked depression, excessive worry, trouble sleeping and diarrhea. I was told that I was just someone who worried a lot and there were men losing their lives in Viet Nam so "suck-it-up". In my judgement and in the judgement of my Licenced Profession Counselor (CSW), my PTSD was aggravated in-service. The trauma was real, but I won't discuss it here. I also had major documented diarhea problems through out my enlistment as well as an operation to remove fissures from my colon. When I was discharged, I still checked trouble sleeping and diarrhea on my discharge physical but checked no on depression. All of this is documented in my military health records. I checked no for depression on my discharge physical because they kept saying I didn't have depression as well as the fact that I was told if I checked "yes" I would not be discharged without a complete psychiatric evaluation. I would appreciate any views or instances from the great communtity of posters here. Thanks.