RockyA1911

I remember getting the GG in Okinawa and then a booster shot upon arrival in RVN. It was very painful to say the least to kneel down on one knee during orientation much less walk. I was very sore for days after each time. I was told the GG was given to help clot the blood in case of being wounded. I was also told it was one size fits all and the average dose was set for a 250 lb man. I believe I only weighed 145 lbs at the time.

Berta, Yes, I have all my SMR's to include the three Navy Medical Boards and the report on the first EEG prior to being put on six months limited duty afterwards. I returned to GL Naval Hospital a year later, and that is when they did the crainioplasty, then again I was put on another 6 months limited duty. After that second 6 months, I was re-evaluated and then given another 3 months limited duty (No physical activity, No physical contact, no helmets, and no heights above 5 feet, (That was tough being a Marine and all). After that last 3 months of limited duty I was re-evaluated and returned to full duty and found fit for duty without limitation. Yes the neuropsyc lady was very thorough and she is one of the only one's that has ever brought up that I had one abnormal EEG in my medical reports, she also said that she also found where the fragments of my skull had penetrated my brain in the left temporal parietal area and the record of surgery reported there was a dural tear with bone fragments imbedded in the brain where a brain debridement was performed. She asked if I knew that. I told here yes I did but everyone has overlooked it or dismissed it as relavent and when I previously mentioned it to them in the past it was just ignored because back then they did a Neuro-Psychiatric exam that reported normal limits along with a normal EEG that the VA did back in 1976. The 1976 claim for skull loss with brain hernia is still open since there never was an adjudication of the skull loss claim of 4.5 x 4.5 CM, both inner and outer tables. I know that the size of the skull loss is documented fully both in Navy surgical reports, Med Board reports, VA exam reports, and SMRs. According to the CFR 38 under DC 5296 the skull loss exceeds the 50-cent size and is 50% compensation and I'm not sure whether or not they will grant the brain hernia part, but the records show that I had to have fragments removed from the brain, a brain debridement, and repair of a dural tear that had been lacerated. So I should either get 50% without brain hernia or 80% with brain hernia. The records also showed in x-ray report that there was a star shaped cluster and buldge of the occular? representing a high velocity impact. I don't know what part they don't see that I suffered a brain hernia also, the records just specifically don't state brain hernia and my conversations with a few other MDs have stated there is no such thing a the term brain hernia. I always assumed a hernia is a rupture or penetraition of the brain especially when the dura is lacerated and the spinal fluid is lost. But, I am the first to say I am no doctor. The second MMPI-2 was taken because the NP said the first one could be interpreted as faking it because it portrayed a text book example and with a second test coming out the same she could defend the results showing there was no malingering of faking it, etc. That's all I know.

Hey All, I retook the MMPI-2 test last Thursday and the Neuro-Psycologist said that it came out the same as the first one I took in December. I forgot all the problems she said I had, there were a lot cognitive things related to my brain injury. She also said she was writing up a justification for why the MMPI-2 came out the way it did. She said I was severly depressed and that my hospital records back in 1972 from the Navy showed an abnormal EEG even then. She said she was giving me referrals for services to include a Primary Care Doctor, Neurologist, Psychiatrist, and a PTSD support group. She was very infatic that I be extremely careful when driving or even riding a bike. She also said she was going to address my unemployability in her report also and that in her opinion I am unemployable. She also said that my PTSD also contributes to my brain injury dysfunctions also. She was appalled that I had only been getting 10% since 1976 and the diagnosis of Post Concussion Residuals secondary to traumatic brain injury. I told her I also had a claim for Skull Loss with brain hernia also that was never adjudicated in 1976 and filed at the same time when I was awarded the Post Concussion Residuals at 10%. She said I should be more concerned with the brain injury than anything else. She told me she doesn't know how much compensation I should get for the brain injury problems, but she did say it would be more than 10% for sure. Anyway I'm still plugging along. I wonder if the VARO that said they would be making a decision on my claims in 60 to 90 days and that was 2 Dec 05 will get the copy of the NP exam opinion report prior to making a decision on my claim. I did sign a ROI and it normally takes about two weeks for me to get a copy of the report. I do know the NP has to turn it in to the C&P doctor that requested the full NP exam and maybe the doctor writes an addendum to the initial C&P exam report. Since that is the case how would I go about finding out what the C&P doctor submitted to the VARO? And will the C&P doctor furnish the full NP exam report to the VARO for review?

Berta, The GAF score was 52 given by both the independent civilian MD Psychiatrist and also the VA C&P MD.

John, I answered the questions in the MMPI truthfully the first time as to how I felt, but the VAMC Staff Neuropsychologist said that she didn't want to submit it because it would hurt me and she didn't feel that the first test represented me in her opinion. Berta, She is a a VA Neuropsychologist that finished her VA training and began working at the VA as a Staff Neuropsychologist in December of 05 so she is new there and I think I am either her 3rd or 4th patient. She has worked in private practice prior to the VA for a number of years and appears to be about 40 something. I did have a IMO from a Psychiatrist that included both PTSD and open head injury and associated problems caused by the traumatic brain injury. It was submitted with my claim. The private Psychiatrist was also a Armybattalion surgeon in Vietnam in '68. He did subscribe me two medications and also stated in addition to PTSD that I was unemployable due to my condition. So I have that along with the MD from the C&P exam giving me the same GAF as the private psychiatrist did but she also added in addition to chronic PTSD, Depression, and Cognitive Disorder. That was back in July 05. Does this neuropsychological opinion based on batteries of test scores carry more weight than the private and VAMC C&P doctors that are actual MDs?

Hey all, I made my third trip to the VAMC today, the 5th of Jan 06. The Dr. was supposed to go over the results and discuss it with me. My first trip there was on 9 Dec 05 for a NP evaluation, but the Dr. spent all of the time that day talking to me and obtaining medical history. She did not have any of my records. So, I was set up with another appointment on the 21st of Dec 05 and that is when I took the all day tests, and it took all day. Today the Dr. told me that she wanted me to come back and redo the true and false question test (370 questions) and also a two page multiple choice questionaire (This looked like the same questionaire they used for PTSD). She said that the results from this test in her opinion does not represent me and that if she turned in the results it would appear text book faking or lying. She said as she put it that my scores on these test in relation to the sickest of patients that it showed I am sicker than the sickest. Oh! I wanted to add the test I am to retake is called the MMPI? It's all simply true and false, 370 of them short 3 to 4 word questions. I did not lie or fake answers on any of the tests, I had never seen a lot of this silly stuff before. She said that since I suffered the head injury on the left side of my head all the problems seem to be from the right side of my head which is unusual and that the left side of my brain is functioning normally, but not the right side that wasn't injured. I agreed to come back and retake the tests on the 19th of Jan 06. I was seeking an increase above the 10% I was awarded back in 1977 under Post Concussion Residuals. I had a compound depressed skull fracture with skull loss both inner and outer measuring 4.5 x 4.5 cm (larger than a 50 cent piece), along with brain debridement, and a cranioplasty during the same while in service injury and the same surgery performed by Great Lakes Naval Hospital while I was active duty in the Marine Corps. (I also have a claim in for the Skull Loss w/hernia and PTSD in addition to the increase for cognitive disorder.) After having second thoughts I wonder now should I have just told her to submit the tests as they are because I did not fake or lie about anything and just cast my fate to the wind as to whether the RO want to think I was faking or something based on her text book fake test sheet or something like that. She said if the injury that happened to me in 1972 had happened today that I would indeed be receiving more than 10%. What do you think? Is it ok to go ahead and retake the 2 tests or tell them to leave it as is? Is the VAMC allowed to do things like this, I mean keep having you come back again and again and redo the same tests? The C&P MD that did my exam last July referred me to this physcologist because the C&P MD diagnosed me with a cognitive disorder and stated the cognitive disorder and memory loss is more than likely attributed to SC traumatic brain injury. Recommended a full neurophyscological exam to evaluate just how much this impacts his daily living. And that is why I am seeing this neurophyscologist. Meanwhile back at the ranch. The VARO sent me a letter stating they would be making a decision on my other issues within 60 days now. PTSD, Skull Loss w/brain hernia, disfiguring surgical scar on head. The Skull Loss claim was originally filed on the same form back in 1976 and it just wasn't mentioned at all in the rating when they awarded me 10% for post concussion residuals due to brain trauma and that is the max allowed. The Skull Loss is in all the same C&P exam reports and was even mentioned in several of the VA doctors reports, even in the RO decision document, but at the bottom of it there was only 10% awarded for the post concussion residuals due to brain trauma. Yeah, I am asking for back pay. My current open claims are dated 25Mar05 so it's going on a year from filing date so far. The C&P exam report from last July reported in AXIS I: 1. PTSD, chronic. 2. Cognitive disorder, not otherwise specified, 3. Depression, not otherwise specified and a GAF of 52.

Try these links. http://www.neuroskills.com/index.shtml?mai.../btemporl.shtml http://www.braininjurydisorders.org/ http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs18txt.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm

Hey all, I realize every case is different, but you see my buddy had a GAF of 53 and I have a GAF of 52 and we were in the Marines at the same time doing the same stuff is why I figured they would also give me a rating of the same 30% or less. Yes, I do have a service officer but he rarely if ever responds back to my inquiries or gives me answers like "The VA never called me back" after weeks or days later. Apparantley he hasn't learned the art of following up. I asked him once what was he going to do keep waiting year after year for the VA to return his call or was he going to call them back until he get's an answer? I'm on his shit list I suspect now. All of my C&P exams were completed on 27 July, 2005 and guess what? Today I got a letter from the VA and thought it was my rating but it was a notification of an evaluation appointment to evaluate my thinking abilities, (memory, concentration, and problem solving) and my emotional condition. It said I am to be evaluated on 9 December, 2005. I'm now wondering if this C&P is holding up my rating? However my VARO is Chicago and my claim was sent to Seattle, WA for rating back in middle September.

The last written status I had from the VARO was "In response to your inquiry of 19 September, 2005. Your disability claim is currently before a Rating Board for a decision. You should receive written notification of our decision in approximately 60 days." Well, it's past 60 days and when I called the 800 number all I was told was my claim is pending! How long does it normally take once the claim is before the rating board? Also, I will more than likely have to submit a NOD as my Marine buddy with three purple hearts just received a rating for 30% for PTSD and I feel the same would happen to me. He had filed his claim just one month before I did and he received his rating already a month ago. Is submitting a NOD, waiting for response and skip requesting a DRO the best way to go if it is unfavorable? And then bypass DRO and go straight to the BVA docket?

Chicago, IL is my home VARO since I live in Illinois now but apparantley things are out of whack. I orignially filed my initial claims for PTSD, increase for post concussion residuals, and skull loss of 4.5cm x 4.5cm both inner and outer tables to the St. Louis VARO on 25 March 2005. In June my whole C-file and claims were transferred to the Chicago, IL VARO stating that I now live in Illinois and that Chicago will now service my claim. I contacted Chicago VARO and complained about it and they told me that I live in IL and must have my C&Ps and claim serviced by VARO Chicago. Well last July 27th, I had C&P exams at the VAMC in Iowa City, IA. I received the copies of the C&P exam reports the middle of August and it was favorable on all the claims and that the VA examiners agreed with IMO physicians to the tee and also service record documents in the C-File. I contacted the VA in September and they sent me an email on the 29th of September stating that my claim has been sent to another office for rating decision in order to expedite it. They also stated in the email that I would be notified in approximately 60 days. I contacted the 800 number this morning to check on the status and was told it was still in the decision process by a rating officer. I told the guy about the email I had received on 29 Sep 05 and he asked me to hold on while he looked some other stuff up. He then told me that Chicago doesn't have my file and that it was in another office. I asked him what he meant by another office and he said that my claim is being adjudicated at the VARO in Seattle, WA. I asked if he knew whether or not the Seattle VARO had been contracted out (I had read on this site that someone stated it was contracted out) and he said no, they are all VA employees. I really don't understand what is going on especially when the Chicago VARO was so emphatic that since I lived in IL everything had to be handled by the Chicago VARO in the state I live in. I really don't understand why my claim was sent all the way across the country to be rated by the VARO in Seattle when I live in Illinois. They can't even tell me if they have all my claims to include Tinnitus, Barrett's Esophagus, and TDIU as my file is not accessible at this time because it is in Seattle. Does any of this make any sense to any of you experts on the VA bureacracy? My buddy and I filed at the same time in St. Louis and he got his rating yesterday from St. Louis even though he didn't have his C&Ps until last month and I had mine last July. Anyway, he has 3 purple hearts with GAF of 53 and his C&P exam report said that the VA concedes PTSD, the VA added Depression and Sleep Apnea which he did not claim previously and then tinnitus and increase for feet problems (Jungle rot). They rated him at 40% - 30% for PTSD, 10% for tinnitus, and left his feet still at the previous 10%. This just don't sound right to me at all. They gave me a GAF of 52 so I guess since I don't have three purple hearts I'll probably get 10% for the PTSD, Depression, and Cognitive Disorder. I am only getting 10% since 1977 for Post concussion syndrome, they forgot to rate me back in '77 for the skull loss that I had claimed. It's hard to believe that after all the media attention we are still getting low balled by the VA rating officers, even when under scrutiny.

I think the RAT Ba!!A!D should have spent some time in the infantry, he would have a different outlook that looking through the eyes of SFs. I don't believe any of the SFs ever encountered large numbers of the enemy in Vietnam the way the grunts did. He probably was also assigned to do civil action as were most of the SFs in Nam and did not hump day in and day out and fight whole regiments of NVA. So that is why he doesn't have PTSD and on the other hand I was told that if you don't have PTSD from combat it means you were already crazy to beging with and that's why it doesn't bother him at all. So it would be safe to say the cat was previously nuts and still is and that explains his not having PTSD symptoms.

Thanks all! So I gather that since Depression, not otherwise specified and Cognitive Disorder, not otherwise specified is not exactly on the list of codes. Do they still rate these two as something or since they are not listed are they rated at all? I have no idea what the ballpark rating is for these two things. They stated in the C&P that the Cognitive disorder, not otherwise specified (Memory Loss) was believed connected to SC Brain Trauma Injury and the Depression, not otherwise specified was believed connected to Chronic PTSD. I have additional pending claims I thought for skull loss, inner and outer tables of 4.5cm x 4.5cm with brain hernia that I originally filed in Nov 1976 and received no reply. On that same claim they awarded me 10% in 1977 for post concussion residuals, but missed the 1st item where I claimed "Skull Defect, 4.5cm x 4.5cm". They never sent me a denial or anyother information regarding the skull defect claim that was on the same sheet of paper as the post concussion residuals. In the exam for post concussion residuals the examiner mentions the noted skull defect right in it also. The exam form had next to the skull defect 4.5cm x 4.5cm, "No Exam" and that was all. I have my complete C File and those documents along with xrays, surgical reports, and medical board reviews by the Navy (I was a Marine) are still in there. My AMVETS SO resubmitted the skull loss claim requesting retroactive back pay last June and I have since only had a C&P last July for PTSD, surgical disfiguring scar related to the brain trauma, and increase for post concussion residuals (Memory Loss). I called the Chicago VARO to inquire about the status of the skull loss claim, unemployability, tinnitus, and skin disorder and they said they had no record of them. My AMVETs SO resubmitted them again in August. When I checked on the 29th of September the VARO said they could not tell me because they were unable to access my C File to see if those claims were in there because they had sent my file to one of theiry RESOURCES for decision review and expedited disposition and that I should be notified in approximately 60 days. I assumed the decision review is the RO or possibly contracted out is only rating the PTSD, Depression NOS, and Cognitive Disorder NOS, and Disfiguring Scar since those are the one's I had a C&P for last July. So I guess I won't even know if they have my subsequent claims from last June at all until they have rated me for the stuff I had the C&P for last July. So no one at the VARO can even access my file or check to see what happened to my claims. I had received a letter of acknowledgement for the PTSD and increase for post concussion residuals, but have never received anything from the VARO for the SC skull loss, skin disorder, unemployability request, and tinnitus at all. So I guess I will just wait and wonder as usual.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe if it is 65 it rounds down to 60%. If you had like 65.1 or better then it would round up to 70%. If I were you I would file the application for Unemployability anyway. By not doing so, you are losing months of retroactive back pay if it is awarded, if it is not awarded you haven't lost anything. Do not wait, apply for it anyway. Do you have a IMO stating you are unemployable? RockyA1911

Come on! There has to be somebody here that knows what the diagnostic codes are for depression and cognitive disorders.

I have a question as to what exactly do they mean when they say (Not otherwise specified) next to Depression and Cognitive Disorders? I have not been able to find the diagnostic codes that would apply to these. I have read on Hadit other vets C&Ps that have stated Depression, Chronic and either Severe, Moderate, or Mild. I am confused when my C&P stated in AXIS I: 1. PTSD, Chronic, 2. Depression, not otherwise specified, 3. Cognitive Disorder, not otherwise specified. Can someone explain what these mean and where to find the diagnostic code that relates to them? Thanks, RockyA