[Taking my adult son to rating exam?]

Oh, yes, absolutely:

docket number 15-01 504

[Taking my adult son to rating exam?]

17 minutes ago, Berta said:

8 Hours ago you posted this:

9 hours ago you posted this:

"My claim for PTSD has been service connected. Now I will be attending an appointment on 7/23 with a PsychD to determine the rating (or she’ll send her report to the rater?"

I am assuming the C & P examiner had your SMRs and they revealed the stressor.....?

 

I’m not sure, but I know the board has said the stressor is supported by evidence of record. This is an exam to comply with remand instructions from the board after I appealed the denial. 

I apologize if I’m not being clear or explaining things well. These 2 posts are my first. I tried to keep them to the point and concise without including every detail I could think of-if I did that I thought it’d be way too long and nobody would read them. 

After re-reading what the board sent me last fall,  now I’m wondering if I was wrong about the PTSD being deemed service-connected. They said my stressor was corroborated by evidence of record and a remand was necessary to determine the etiology and nature of my psychiatric disorder. 

[Taking my adult son to rating exam?]

2 hours ago, Buck52 said:

Its up to the examiner ?? , you can take your son and when you get there the examiner will come out and meet you  and usually introduce him/her self,   its then you need to ask the examiner if your son can come in with you. if your son knows about your behavior    I personally think its good he  go in with you. Just answer the examiner questions honestly.

After the exam the examiner will send his/her report to the VA- R.O. This is where they decide where your claim goes to be adjudicated.

is this C& P Exam at your VA? or is it contracted out by the VA?

Thanks again, Buck, for replying and your thoughts. This exam has been contracted out to VES, who made an appt with a local provider.

[100% PTSD for self harm?]

4 minutes ago, Berta said:

Make sure your stressor is provable.

A PTSD diagnosis, that might come from the C & P exam, means nothing, if you cannot prove what inservice event caused the PTSD.

 

This is a claim from early 2014, which they denied completely. I appealed later that year and finally in late 2018 the board came back and said the examination was inadequate and the board found my in-service stressor was supported by the evidence of record and was deemed corroborated. They remanded my claim to determine the nature and etiology of my psychiatric disorder in consideration of lay and medical evidence and the conceded in-service stressor. My medical records show my diagnosis of PTSD. Thanks for replying, I appreciate the comments and assistance!

[100% PTSD for self harm?]

1 hour ago, Buck52 said:

You should have medical reports about all this in your files the C&P Examiner will not take our/your word for it,  so the evidence needs to be in front of him/her to read, you can tell the examiner that you never mention all the crisis hot line calls to your therapist or provider each time you called it so they all may not be documented  ect,,,ect,,,

 you quoted '' Also, I scratch and pick at my skin to create scabs I can further pick at and cause pain (face, legs, and arms mainly) which has caused too many scars to count (ongoing issue, so have current lesions as well as old scars). Besides these, I pull out my hair (eyebrows, legs, and arms) for the same effect/result. Would these be examples of self harm'' ( yes)

you need a ptsd diagnose from the VA and all the medical evidence you can get   all your MH RECORDS THERAHPY SESSION notes , everything needs top be documented as proof of evidence.

as for as dressing up  just go to the C&P Exam like you would normally dress , if I had scars that was a result in my behavior self inflicted  I'd make sure the examiner sees this. 

just be honest and answer the examiners questions honestly and if you don't know the answer  just simply say you don't know

Remember favorable  medical records is crucial as evidence to win claims.

Note* PTSD is rated by the severity of your symptom's  and # of symptoms   =10% - 30%-50%- 70%-100%  Again depending on your symptoms

Thank you for answering, I appreciate it! It’s all documented in my va mh notes, I just worry not enough to explain the severity. But if I lift a pant leg and point out my lack of eyebrows, it’ll show my symptoms more clearly than a mh note. Thanks again!

[100% PTSD for self harm?]

I have a C&P exam coming up that I’m stressing over. I have a lengthy history of contemplating suicide, sometimes with a plan and sometimes just wishing I’d die, before calling the veteran’s crisis hotline or talking to my HUDVASH caseworker. Does it matter that I don’t have records of those crisis line calls and rarely reported them to my va mh provider? My provider is well aware I use the crisis line, but I don’t report each of those specific calls to her. Also, I scratch and pick at my skin to create scabs I can further pick at and cause pain (face, legs, and arms mainly) which has caused too many scars to count (ongoing issue, so have current lesions as well as old scars). Besides these, I pull out my hair (eyebrows, legs, and arms) for the same effect/result. Would these be examples of self harm in the 100% category? Since I always wear makeup, pants, and long sleeves to hide these issues, should I make sure to show the examiner or is that just unnecessary and disgusting and I should just tell her? 

[Taking my adult son to rating exam?]

My claim for PTSD has been service connected. Now I will be attending an appointment on 7/23 with a PsychD to determine the rating (or she’ll send her report to the rater? I’m not sure how that works). I read somewhere that it can be helpful to the examiner if your spouse is present, but since I am unmarried I wondered if it would be helpful to bring my 18 yr old son (since other than me he’s the person most aware of my day-to-day life). I can tell the examiner my symptoms, but i think my son could have insight as well. Would that be beneficial? The symptoms I’m thinking of off-hand: not taking care of basic/daily hygiene sometimes-often for extended periods, exaggerated startle response, complete social isolation from everyone (other than him obviously since he lives with me), chronic sleep issues, leaving the house as little as possible (about 2-3 times/month), and things like that. I plan to shower before the appointment and wear clean clothes (not sure why I feel it’s important to state that, but there it is). Anybody have advice about this?