RTKOOC

I would look at the reason you were denied. If you don’t have a documented in service injury or event then it will be denied as not relating to service regardless of what a private doctor states. You would need to provide evidence of injury like a buddy statement.

Hello Asu, They should rate based on L-VEF. It's either one of them. Either METS of 3-5 or; left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent. Generally, they rate on what is higher for the Veteran.

I don't think I'm going to be able to verify the escorting duties. It happened 25 years ago and feel awkward enough asking other people. I guess my main issue is it shouldn't matter. The fact that I stated my best friend died, his death is verified, and we were in the same unit with the medical opinion - the Veteran's current Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is at least as likely as not incurredin and/or caused by the Veteran's death of best friend and escort duty or remains following such death during service. The rater said I didn't have an in-service event Based on a review of your military personnel records, service treatment records, and additional evidence of record, you did not directly witness the death of your close friend, evidence that you saw the body of your friend, or that you were placed on military orders to escort his remains home. The available evidence is insufficient to confirm a link between current diagnosis and the claimed in-service stressor. However - Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend; cases of actual or threatened death must have been violent or accidental; or, experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) is a valid stressor. It falls under criteria A.

Hey Everyone, The death has been verified. By JSRRC as well as him being in my unit. It’s just the matter of not having proof I escorted him home was the raters rational. Not to get into too much detail but his body was swept away and not recovered for 6 month. Not really sure how they could say it’s not related to service. It happened in 1993 they didn’t keep records on escorts back then and according to Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division (CMAOD) they didn’t keep any paperwork. I contacted the Casualty office at the Army post and they told me there would not be any records in my file it would have been in my friends records and the sent it to CMAOD. I’m requesting a reconsideration. Hopefully they see the error and correct it. I’ve submitted additional paperwork. Fingers crossed

Hey Everyone, I provided a stressor -my best friend died when his boat sunk and I escorted his body home. The casualty records from when he passed away are not available so that wasn't verified however the VA conceded that he was my close friend as the statement I provided and he was also from my unit. I was diagnosed with PTSD on the VA exam and the Dr. provided a positive medical opinion stating -"the Veteran's current Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is at least as likely as not incurred in and/or caused by the Veteran's death of best friend and escort duty or remains following such death during service." I get the decision notice and I kid you not, I was denied and this was their rational - Based on a review of your military personnel records, service treatment records, and additional evidence of record, you did not directly witness the death of your close friend, evidence that you saw the body of your friend, or that you were placed on military orders to escort his remains home. The available evidence is insufficient to confirm a link between current diagnosis and the claimed in-service stressor. I'm wondering if that's correct. To me, it's pretty obvious that the rater missed the in-service stressor of Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend; cases of actual or threatened death must have been violent or accidental.