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MaxMax

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Everything posted by MaxMax

  1. How about from a rater side? Does it give them more ease or credibility if the claim is submitted by a VSO? Am I able to put everything in myself, and still have it show that I am represented by that particular VSO as a contact? Thanks
  2. Hey, as title suggests, a few questions - I am filing my first claim, which, in a perfect world, would have been done right after service, but it has been 8 years now through struggles to find the right diagnosis an getting treatment wrt mental health (I have another post as well). I have been working through a VSO, who took a look at my mil records, but not my civilian records, and we have been doing a little work to identify which conditions to claim. I am wondering if it what is quicker, more efficient, better for all parties involved, etc... Should I just pull up the va.gov site and submit a 21-526EZ through their site, with their web application (which allows me to put comments, attachments, guides through...), or to have the VSO file the 21-526 on my behalf? I'd have to do some more paperwork through him (like a middle man), instead of on the site directly. I am wondering if there is a perceived benefit to having the VSO be an intermediary? Is there a way for me to submit on va.gov but also let them know who my VSO is?
  3. Many thanks for all the replies, these are all very full of relevant info and are helpful to me. I appreciate all these answers and am reviewing them. Currently I am leaning towards giving consent to access all records, as well as perhaps sending the full records on my own, along with my personal statements. My psychiatrist has requested that I basically give her my personal statement for her benefit, so she can review and get a full picture of the timeline and progression of the mental health side. I would like to have a letter from my my psych and therapist with the needed wording.
  4. Thank you for this reply. My military records are full and untouched, no issues there. With regards to trust for my VSO - that is definitely not my issue here. I think he is a great rep. My concern is perhaps that we are not doing enough up front to give the VA. That they might take my inability to be fully vulnerable with my mental health providers over the first several years after military service (denial of depression, etc...), as a *lack* of symptoms. My thought is that if I can work with my psych and therapist to get documentation, it will be a more directed and encompassing picture of how I am doing currently and where this has originated. I understand that there is a likelihood for VA exams for these conditions, I think that would only be good for fleshing out the full impact that they have had on my life. Perhaps it is more of a thought of "What can I do to not make this an uphill battle".
  5. Hi All - I am new to the community, just found you guys a few days ago, because I had concerns about my initial claims process. My question is: Which is better - telling the VA to pull my records, or give them the records and letters I have or will get? It has been eight years since I separated, and because of my mental health condition (depression, PTSD symptoms, anxiety) and just trying to fit into civilian life, I have been unable to begin my claims process. With the help of friends and family, I have now been able to do things like go through my military records (difficult process, emotionally), pull civilian records, and seek further assistance for my mental and physical health issues. I have been doing research over several online platforms with regards to how to go about supporting my claim. The VSO that I paired up with seems to be of the idea to just give my list of conditions to the VA along with consent to pull records, and give it to them from there. This seems to conflict with advice given in the communities, who would say that the claimant should just turn over relevant or full records, along with nexus/medical opinion letters from individual doctors. They would say this provides the best chance at an accurate and speedy outcome. I really can't bear the thought of being tied up with this claims process for another few years, because it already feels like it has been killing me for the last months/years. I want to be able to feel like I did it right the first time. Also, on the mental health side, I really do not like the idea of giving the VA access to ALL of my mental health sessions and care, because it is very personal and much of it is unrelated to military life. EDIT: I appreciate all these answers and am reviewing them. I think at this point I am leaning towards giving consent to access all records, as well as perhaps sending the full records on my own, along with my personal statements. My psychiatrist has requested that I basically give her my personal statement for her benefit, so she can review and get a full picture of the timeline and progression of the mental health side. I would like to have a letter from my my psych and therapist with the needed wording.
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