Phillies44

Hi everyone, I did get an answer to my question regarding the status of my claim today, it only took two days, I thought it would be the whole five days that they said. But they gave me the same answer that the 1-800- number gives me, and that is, that it is at the rater and when it is finished you will get a letter in the mail. I guess I was expecting a little more detailed of an answer than what the 1-800 number gives you. I guess I just need some patience. Did anyone else get a detailed reply on a regular claim status question? Thanks

Hey Rockhound, I totally agree with you on the VA process, you defined it almost perfectly, and it can be diffucult on how to act once you are in the exam. I did not know whether to act like I would on my bad days or to just be in the moment, it is a diffucult question to ask yourself about integrity. My bad on re-posting this, I was not sure if it was already posted, and maybe people who are new to the process can have a better understanding to how their exam should go. Thanks for the reply and good luck on your exam.

Hey Ufrustrated2, I do not know if you have tried this, but if you go to va.gov and at the home page you can find a search engine at the top. If you type in multiple sclerosis it will give you tons of information that can maybe help you out. I would demand a 3.0T or higher, so you know it was done right. Good luck

Hi everyone, this is some good information on what to expect at a C&P exam. It has every exam you can think of. Just go to the VA.GOV website and in the search engine at the top of the page type in (disability worksheets). And click on the first link and after that scroll through the different injuries or illnesses that you have questions on what is expected from the doctor. It should look like this. Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) Subject: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets Page Info: www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm | 23k | February 27, 2009 Options: Search Similar Pages | Search This Site I posted this in another forum but I wanted to make sure people with exam questions saw it also. Hope this can help.

Hi everyone, this is a VA link that is great on finding different information about C&P exams and what to expect the doctors to do. I do not know if it is posted somewhere on this site. Bare with me because I don't know if I am giving you the site right. Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) Subject: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets Page Info: www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm | 23k | February 27, 2009 Options: Search Similar Pages | Search This Site First go to the VA website, if you go to the top search engine and type in (disability worksheets), a whole variety of good information you can sift through will pop up. But click on the first link, see above on what it should look like, to find the categories that your looking for your exam. I hope you can get some info. to help you.

I get that a lot from the doctors at the VA, that is not being able to understand a word they are saying. Is there some ad on TV or newspapers in foreign countries telling them to be a doctor at American VA hospitals and they can earn their degree in as little as three months? Just kidding, I have pretty good doctors, it just one of my doctors is from Russia and the other is from India, and I am constantly saying "What?" That patients advocate is lying right to you, that is sad. She can get her lazy butt up and go to the seventh floor. Isn't her job to deal with the severity of the case first, I would think yours would be up at the top. And you can not tell me she could not simply call you? Well good luck at your appointment and I think some heads should roll on this one. ;)

That is just ridiculous, I hope you can get a hold of some answers tomorrow. Hope you feel better soon, and you are definitely not alone. B)

Hey, thanks for the info guys. I just got done sending my request after I read some of your email. So that is cool news for you, 121212. Thanks for the replies and hopefully I hear something tomorrow.

Hi John, great, so does it not slow down anything? If I remember right it takes around 5 days to get a reply? Thanks

Hi, I read on the VA website that IRIS is used for appeal cases. Is this true? Or can you check out a regular claim that is being processed for you? Thanks for any replies.

Hi Erico, I just wanted to mention about school for you. I also have a really tough time around other people, so I looked into online colleges and I lot of them were very shady and did not seem to have good programs. So I finally found a school online called Columbia College. It is accredited by a lot of education boards, has many online degree programs with 100% online classes, and they have many military students and vets going there. Columbia College can be found on a lot of military bases in all branches also. I just finished my second semester and it is great, the classes are interesting, but not too difucult, and you are considered a full-time student with just two classes. If you want to go to college, but can't handle the classrooms, I highly recommend it.

Hi Purple, I hope your feeling better, if not when I am going through a rough patch I try not to dwell on all the negative and I try to take my thoughts to the simplest level and realize the good going on in my life. Your story really pissed me off, that is one thing you should not have to wait for. I called my mental health clinic last week feeling very similar to what you are and the nurse was pretty rude and short on the phone and told me June 16th. So you are not alone with the frustration or your mood. It will get better soon. :D

Hey thanks again for the reply, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I have read the rules and most of the key posts at the top of each group forum. I do realize that there will be disagreements and from what I have read almost all of the posts from different people are positive. I too hope to be of some help to others in the future.

Pete53 I have to say I really appreciated your post! I had found this vet forum and another at the same time about a week ago. I started to post on the other one first. I am new to these forums and claiming process and I posted a very similar post on the same subject there. I really did not want to because I am kind of embarrassed with this mental health stuff and the validity of the claim, but I did, and a bunch of vets jumped all over me. They were being very short and obnoxious, a couple of members even told me the claim was bogus and I am wasting the VA's time and money. One member said I need to stop getting upset and suck it up. They made other comments on that they thought the VA claims were only for vets who got injured physically, which was weird being that I posted on the mental health board. I have felt the same way you feel on claims since I joined and do not think any Vet should question another Vet's claim. I really got angry because a lot of them were questioning my claim and I had read other people's claims where they made more judgemental, negative comments. I was not looking for some pat on the back I just wanted to see if I had enough evidence. So really, thanks for the replies and I am glad I found this site.

Hey Joel, I just wanted to say I wish you the best. That is going to be a tough one, I wish I could give you advice on this. But I can tell you, your not alone. My Dad beat the hell out of me until I was eighteen. I also suffer from PTSD like symptoms, and I did read that PTSD can come from child abuse, physical or sexual. So hope to hear some good news from you soon. Good Luck :D

Hi Berta. Yes, in Feb 09', it was not medically, just honorable. For the last two years of drill I showed up maybe six times. This was because of the anxiety and depression. They would threaten me with dishonorable I would show up and then I would not show up for months. Finally I just stopped going and I hated to do that, because at one time I considered myself a good soldier. But I just got a honorable.

Thanks for the replies, I agree from reading the gaf scale 52 is pretty low. I am not working and have not been for awhile, the anxiety and depression just became too heavy, almost out of nowhere. With PTSD, I did not even file for that orginally, I filed for depression. But after I sent in my original claim and wrote a short story for the VARO, I got a letter from the VARO saying they were adding PTSD to my claim and then I had the exam a couple weeks later. I did see combat in 03' so maybe that is why? But when I walked into the psych exam doctors office, I said what is this about? It was my first exam for PTSD and he just said simply,"nerves." I do not know what that was all about? But with my GAD, my VA psych records have been saying GAD and depression for about three years now and for my SMR the only thing I have in there was a record of DX of GAD in 06' when they put me on profile and were trying to medically discharge me for the pysch meds. But I will try to get a IMO for my anxiety and forget about PTSD, since the exam doctor wrote I do not meet the criteria. Thanks again and if you have any more comments that would be great.

Thanks guys for the replies, I was told by other vets that I did not have a basis after they heard my story, one even said I was trying to freeload. That made me quite upset that other vets who were mostly 100% would judge me and my claim! I filed following advice from a VA social worker, but anyway I guess I will try to get ready for that denial letter and try to get a IMO. My regional office is in Winston-Salem, NC and they have been pretty good so far. Thanks again and let me know if you have any other comments.

Thanks guys for your replies. The doctor did not even mention PTSD once during the exam. As soon as I walked in his office, because I never had one before, I asked what is this about? His reply was simply, "nerves." But anyway, I do have my VA records that mostly say GAD for three years now, and in 06' in the reserves it says anxiety. As I have been reading and what you guys told me the GAF score doesn't mean much. That score is pretty low on the scale I have read, but I have not been working for some time now, the symptoms just got too heavy. I honestly do not think I have PTSD, anxiety and depression yes. I did not put in a claim for PTSD, I had one in for depression and told the VARO my story and a couple weeks later they sent me a paper to sign and put it on my claim, I do not know what that is about? If you guys have any input on what you think let me know, please. So I guess the best thing to do is forget about the PTSD, I did see combat in 03', but I think I should get a IMO for anxiety? Let me know and thanks again guys for your replies.

Hello everyone, I am new and was trying to find out the difference between the three different reps. National Officer, Veterans Service Officer, of Veterans Representative. Is there a difference? Do you think having one work on your claim is a good thing? Which on is the best out of the three? I hope this makes sense, but I am new and do not know which one to choose and if any? Thanks

Hello Pete, from what I have read he says nothing about connecting anxiety to the service. But most of my previous VA records state generalized anxiety disorder.And I agree 52 is a low score, but from what I have read on this site that does not matter. No I am not working and have not been working for a while because of these issues. He wrote below my GAF, that veteran has moderate and persistent symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and is not working. Would this evaluation go towards another mental illness or is it good for nothing now that he says I do not have PTSD? Thanks for your reply.

Hi thanks for the reply, what do you mean? You went to a c&p when your raters requested it. In my situation I would think they would have already done that, since my depression has been in since Nov.08. And were you sc'd for depression alone or was it because it is caused by something else, like a previous sc'd disability? Also did you have a nexus or were you seen for depression in active duty? Thanks Jim

I am trying to be patient, but I wanted to know what others thought. Two weeks ago I had my PTSD c&p exam, it was only twenty minutes and he only asked me basic questions. He only asked me two about combat and the rest were about my daily living and mental status. He gave me a DX of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and a GAF of 52. He also put in things I did not say and twisted some things I did say around. He also put that I did not meet the criteria for ptsd. I was wondering how could he come to this conclusion, when he barely saw me for my first ptsd exam? It is almost like he had read my charts and already had a DX for me before he saw me. I feel powerless and wanted to know what do now? Just wait or is there something I could do? Thanks

Hi, I know you guys probably see this question a lot. But I have a claim in for Depression, I was never seen for a C&P for depression. I was told my claim since Nov.08 is at the rating board for the second time. In short, I started to have depression and anxiety in active duty, but I never saw anyone until I was in the reserves years later. The only nexus I have is from the past three years of VA psych. doctors and my reserve unit in 2006 saying I could not be sent to Iraq because of psych. meds.and they were going to try to discharge me. My last GAF was 53 with generalized anxiety disorder. So I guess I am asking is, why no C&P exam for depression and is there enough to connect for my claim? Thanks, your replies would be great.