kansasguy

Been a long time since I been on here. I got the latest report for my TBI claim what do you think? I got a copy of my exam. The dr wrote Depression as a residual of TBI is as least as likely as not (50/50 probabilty) cause by or result of TBI caused by the fall in service Rationale for opinon given: He also has been depressed and under therapy for a extended period of time due to assualt in the military as well as behavorial and alcohol abuse in post service life makeing accurate diagnoise very complicated. The syptoms of PTSD as well as TBI are entertwined and over lapping and in this veterans case clouded from issues related to military experance and those incidents transferred to his post service military life. tbi can certainly cause emotional lability and can effect a soildiers underlaying behavorial patterns. Coupled with the head injury he more likly than not substain a grade 1 concusion from the fall can very well induce depression and can be grounds for at least aggravating his depresstion condition. Therefore I do agree with C&P Dr.XXXX this is very complicated case to accurately pin point the exact cause of the veteran contention. It is noted and well documented he substained a head injury and physical assualt in service and his anger and social interactions are also well documented. I still believe that the veteran has a complex array of depression, TBI, ptsd issues along with alcohol abuse which i believe is at least likely as not caused by a result of TBI issues from military service. It is reasonable to grant the veteran bennifit of the doubt that his patterns of behavirol could very well have started after his head injury and gradually esclated to his presant depression problems he experances today. "Dr.XXXX wrote depression was less likely as not caused by tbi but more probable caused by PTSD from the assult I had. But on end of his report he said he could not say for sure what is causeing the depression since the serveity has varied over time since service. What do you think?

well i was a assult victumm and filed 3 times so far and been denied. the army misshanndled allmy stuff!

It was done by a VA doctor. I tried release of information and they said that regional office has a lock on the c&p results for 2 to 3 weeks

Called to get the exam results and told they will not release them for 3 weeks. Said the exam was to get payment information. Evere heard of that?

Quil not very good I wrote about it in the TBI forum

Ok I had a c&p exam. well turned out it wasnt for ptsd like they told me. It was for depression seconary to TBI. The first C&P doctors said that depression was at least likely as not caused by tbi. well this c&P doc was i think going towards more saying it was free will. So my question is. If I have one doctor saying its at least likely from TBI and than the one that did a depression exam saying it was free will what will the rater look at. Two of there drs saying two differnt things. I asked the doctor why the hell if it was free will why did my problems start 30 days after my discharge. I was HOT! So be interesting what he puts in the report.

I had a nero test before I filed my claim. But even my doctor that got the results rebutted the testing itself and said that she doesnt give them much creditbility. Kinda messed up how long it takes them to schedule stuff. I did my tbi exam nero testing went to rater than sent back for a PTSD exam. How did your ptsd exam did they already have your stresser verified?

Thanks for ur all advice. I am ready to get this over with. Hopefully be my last time fileing for the ptsd! I am happy that finally after 5 years they finally giveing me a ptsd exam! I got letter from someone I knew prioer to service and he wrote a letter about my attitude before service and my attitude after service. Should I take this letter to the ptsd exam or send it in to the regional office?

Well tomorrow I will have my PTSD c&p. I am a bit nervous. Any advise how to ease myself the next 24 hours? I am scared when they asked me about my military service I probably blow up. Very sore subject for me.

I filed for ptsd in 2003 was denied never appealed. In april i refiled it and it was denied in june. Filed a reconsideration denied in July. So I filed TBI with depression seconary to the TBI. They than added the PTSD onto that claim. HAd TBI exam linked depression to the TBI and than they want a PTSD exam. Depression is easy I believe to get since you dont have to deal with a stressor. But if its your first time to file it probably be denied. I think its like social security denied right off the bat the first time and they hope the veteran will give up. But keep fighting if you are denied. I also if you are denied and do a reconsideration it goes faster than the orginal claim does not for sure but someone on here will know. Keep strong and keep fighting no matter what happens.

Also the 800 number isnt always up to date. i use to use it now I do IRIS request. Is this your first time fileing for PTSD?

My ptsd claim went to the rater than they returned it to development to give me a c&p exam. So just cause its at the rater he might return it and request a exam. I filed 3 other times and denied without a exam. But this time they requested one so I am hopping its a good sign

ya berta the head injury is in military recods getting 10% for a scar from the fall right now. the ptsd I did submit my criminal history showing before and after military. Isnt changes in behavioral a way to not verify it but give a reasonal doubt it happened? Prioer service no criminal record. But within 30 days of getting out I got charge with open container and than goes on from there. I find it weird the VA added the PTSD on my claim when I asked for reconsideration but they lumped it all in one. I was told that its all deferred waiting for the ptsd exam and than it will be finish as soon as they get the ptsd exam results. And I called the VSo and told him yank ptsd off the claim cause if they cant verify the assualt it be denied and he said well ill i can tell you it was deffered back for development and i can take ptsd off the claim but i would suggest that you dont second guess the VA and leave it on.

Ok I thought I give you update. Depression, TBI claim is deffered until I have a PTSD exam done. That exam is next week. Do you think my stressor might have been verified? Also why would they defer my tbi and depression until after they have a ptsd exam? Any ideas? Could they also be trying to say the depression is from ptsd and if they dont verify the stressor they can deny my claim saying the depression is from ptsd and not tbi? there c&p doctor for tbi exam said its at least likly as not caused from TBI. So what are your guys thoughts? Also my primary Dr. did say she cant say if my symptoms are from TBI or PTSD. So I not sure what to think. Also if PTSD comes back and it says that it cant be 100% sure either if its TBI or PTSD would teh rater go with the most disable one?

Ok I found out they are waiting for a Admission report from when I was in the hospital last spring. I read 3.157. Do you think they might be seeing if I did a informal claim file date when I was admitted? I got a IRIS responce said the rater deferred the claim. And than it said it was deffered for administrative purpose

Any idea why they would need my addmission report from last spring to the VAMC? Also I found out they did pay my hospital bill at another hospital i was admitted to last spring for depression.

Ok I called I am 10% dig code 6513 sinusitas 10%, Left forehead scar dig code 7800 10%

I called ft sill the police records they cant locate and said after 5 years they destroy them. Unit records they cant locate and told me they are probably destroyed. so I think the PTSD claim probably wont hold water. But if I read the mental rateing right I can only be rated for depression or ptsd is this right?

All that is in my military medical records is about the fall from 8 feet hit head taken to ER to get steched up release back to unit. I am 20% for sinusitus, scar, and big bump on my head from the fall. I got a IRIS response that said it was determind that I need another exam. Not sure what other exam I would need. My ptsd claim they are trying to get police reports from a differnt incident will the ptsd claim hold up the other two claim they all was combined togather.

I was wondering my C&P exam he stated that at least likely as not the depression headaches fatgue and sleep disorders result of or caused by TBI. The testing for TBI they said it look more like LD(Learning disbilty) than TBI. IS the LD statement going hurt my claim? I did get a letter from my school phycoligist I had in school and he wrote a letter saying that I did have significate LD in school but in the area of reading and english. And I was not a problem in school. And he also stated that my LD I still got good grades A's B's and C's and was also on honor roll for the last year of school. So my question is should I worry about the TBI testing that saying that the results looks more like LD than TBI. My C&P exam the doctor did say he reviewed my cfile and the testing. But at the end of his report he wrote at leats likely as not result of or caused by TBI. Also he did mention head injury in service with behavoral changes. What do you all think?

Also talked to VSO all there could tell me it was deferred for futher developement

Berta Well I have service connection right now for the scar and bump I received from the injury. I had a C&P exam in Oct that the C&P doctor stated it is at least likely as not - depression, sleep disorder, headaches was caused from or result of TBI. All records related to my claim is with the VA hospital. Not sure what other evidence they would neeed. They have my service records and they have the hospital reports from the army hospital. Only thing I could think is maybe my doctor I see at the VA noted in his report that she cant say for sure if its TBI or PTSD from a assult I had in the military. (would that hold it up?) But she still diagnoise me with TBI from the head injury. So I cant figure it out what else they would need. Also when I filed for TBI it was for TBI with secondnary depression. But when I checked on it they have it down as Increase for TBI with PTSD and Depression as seconary. Not sure why PTSD was added on the claim cause I already was rated on that in June and was denied.

Ok I just have to sit and wait.

Ok this be like the 3rd time its been returned to development.

Got theese response from IRIS why would they read differnt? January 4th This is in response to your January 4, 2010, inquiry regarding your claim. Thank you for your service to our country. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you. Your claim, dated July 2009, is open and being processed. It appears you claim was previously at the rating board, however, on December 29, 2009, it was determined additional development is needed to complete your claim. It is ultimately the goal of the VA to provide each Veteran with every benefit for which they are entitled. Therefore, additional steps may be required depending on the circumstances of the claim, to ensure this takes place. We recognize the claims process can be lengthy, and we apologize. Your continued patience is appreciated. Once the additional development has been completed, your claim will be returned to the rating board. January 5th Dear XXXX: This is in response to your inquiry dated January 4, 2010, regarding the status of your claim. We show that your claim is open and is being worked on. There are several administrative steps that must be completed before we finalize the claim. This process is in place to ensure accuracy. If the decision is in your favor, you will be paid retroactively to the date you became entitled to benefits based on the claim being processed. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work our way through the claims processing procedures. You will receive notification via U.S. mail once your claim has been finalized. Your notification letter will explain our decision in detail.Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other contact information below. So which one should I go by? Is usually when its done at rating is the second email what they send out if its finally been rated? What are your guys thoughts?