deserteagle

Have any of you heard of a BCMR for PTSD? I was honorably discharged and am trying to see if changing my characterization to med retirement would benefit me at all. I have proof that I was exhibiting the symptoms in service but have been out for 6 years. I am now 100% VA SC for PTSD. Is this uncommon? What paperwork should I file and to whom? Should I get a lawyer or representative? If I do get representation, where should I start looking? If I was able to succeed in winning this, a friend has mentioned the possibility of CRSC. I am not quite sure what that is or if I would actually be entitled to it. PLEASE HELP!!

I have been out of service now for about 6 years. I have documentation of my post deployment health assessment, evals, documents stating that I would no longer be considered for promotion (basically forcing me out). Since I have been out, I held 5 jobs in 4 years and finally went for treatment at my local VA. I am currently rated 100% SC for PTSD alone. I would think that with this backing my case, I would stand a pretty good chance, maybe?

I was asked an interesting question and wonder if anyone here would have the answer. If you were honorably discharged from service during OIF I and were exhibiting signs of PTSD before discharge, could you have your discharge changed to medical or medical retirement? What would you need to back up such a claim? If you are 100% SC for PTSD, does that help? I have read that you can have discharges upgraded if OTH, but was curious on this topic.

carlie...the effective date of my 100% rating is around Aug2009. I am going to ask my doc what my prognosis is next time we meet.

pigdriver...thanks for the advice about the PET. My therapist has been trying to push this down my throat saying that it has great results. I, for one, am a HUGE skeptic of anyone who says they can "cure" the mind. If they could, you could do the same for many other mental illnesses. I am going to have to talk to my doc. I have been seeing the same guy for over 3 years and I think that he has a pretty good handle on where I have been and where I stand. I don't think that he should have a problem helping me out with either a statement of support or other such documentation. basser...I know that I need to ask to be rated or the VA will never just hand me the rating. I have been advised by my VSO to file a notice requesting the permanent status. Thank you for the form number and the wording that I should use.

Hey everyone, I am ramping up to open a claim for P&T PTSD. I am currently rated 100% PTSD and want to get all my ducks in a row before submitting for a claim and possible C&P exam. I am wondering what sorts of documentation or other proof would help in winning the permanent status. Right now what I have is: 1) I have been receiving SSDI for about the same amount of time as VA Dis Comp 2) I have been attending both individual and group therapies as much as possible with little to no improvement 3) I have obtained a service dog for help with my PTSD symptoms I also plan on bringing my wife to my C&P exam who can elaborate on what life is like with me. Since I am going to be opening the claim, I was also going to try to get the P&T rating back to the original claim date at which time I was only rated 50% (which was approximately 18 months before I received 100%). What, if anything, would help me with this case? I was thinking since I was released from the hospital right before this claim was opened would help me but I am not sure what else would. If anyone could please help me in getting as much ammo as I can going into this, it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks, I am looking forward to it. I hope that it will get me out of the house more too

I am 100% service connected PTSD (not P&T) and SSDI. I have recently been accepted into a service dog program and am scheduled for training from end of Oct to mid Nov. I am wondering if anyone knows if this could influence qualifying for P&T or should I leave it alone until my next review (OCT 2013)?

I have a 100% schedular rating for PTSD and receive SSD. I was originally rated 50% and began receiving SSD shortly after this rating. I was rated 100% a year later. My question is I am thinking of applying for P&T backdated to the date I began receiving SSD. I am wondering if the SSD award would actually help me in this case. I have researched the diagnostic codes for the SSD and they are for my PTSD. If so, what would I need to do to begin this process?

How would I file for P&T? Is there a VA Form or do I just submit a written request within 1 year of decision? Is it useful to get an outside Dr's opinion or should I just stick to the VA system? I want to be fully armed going into this, so any ammo you can give me going into this would be great. Thanks

I just had a PTSD review exam in OCT and I recently received a letter that I am up for a review OCT2010. My question is, I had my initial exam in Sept2008, review Oct2009 and now have another review Oct2010...does this mean that I will have one every year until they can reduce my rating from 100% or is it just standard practice to have these every year?

My initial exam lasted about 30 minutes and I thought it was a bit of a joke. The man who conducted it was "contracted" by the VA to conduct these exams on the weekends. He was asking me to list the symptoms that I thought I had (as if I am a Doctor and know the entire list of symptoms of PTSD). The C&P report was about 1.5 pages long. My last exam, a review, lasted about 3 hours. The exam got me an increase from 50% to 100%. I got a copy of the C&P exam and the doc was very thorough in his notes. The report was 6-7 pages long and noted everything from the behavior I displayed in the room with him and confirmed behavior that he read in my therapy notes. I wish that all examiners took this much time and effort to get veterans what they deserve. I think that it just depends on the doctor and whether he/she is for Veterans or just there to make extra money.

My VSO told me to request my VA medical records and see if there are any instances in those records that would substantiate having an earlier effective date. As it stands now, he said that the Oct 6 date is the correct one, but they probably only took into account the C&P exam and not my mental health records in their decision. So I hope to receive those soon and look through them to see if there is a point that I can say it was worse before Oct 6. It shouldn't be tough to find.

I will keep in mind not to let them know that I have been researching on the internet. I would hate to start off on the wrong foot.

Thanks for all the info from all of you. I am meeting with my VSO on Monday morning and let you know what they say. But now I have plenty of questions to ask them. I will keep you posted as things develop.