3Ring

The VA has been "disappearing" requests for a neuropsych. C&P exam for 5 years now. In 1970 I was knocked out with a blunt head injury. They stitched me up and sent me on my way with no follow up even though I began having excruciating headaches, my brain kept resetting, trouble communicating, neck and shoulder problems, and felt like I was in a constant fog. I wont go into the sordid details of the mis-diagnosed hell that followed until my early discharge for "inability to adapt to military life." I spent the rest of my life struggling to make it on my own, often unemployed or working for minimum wage. Seven years ago out of desperation I finally took the advice my doctor had been throwing at me for years, and applied for benefits. I got medical benefits right away, but it took 2 years before I was finally given a physical C&P for NON-service connection. In his report he voiced concern about my mental state & recommended neuropsych. testing. A year or so later another doctor asked for it. To date there have been many requests made for C&P's and TBI testing, but each time those requests magically vanish from the system! Many requests for military records have also been made in the last 7 years, but all records pertaining to my injury or resulting problems are again nowhere to be found. They say they finally found some of those records several months ago, but have refused to release them to myself or my doctor. Maybe it was just another way to postpone the VBA hearing that was scheduled soon after. After talking to my local congressmans office and another doctor, I was finally tested for TBI with positive results, but now I find out that the VA will NOT accept those results unless THEY request the C&P exam, which they continue to refuse. Is this some kind of Catch 22 ?!?! I have an upcoming hearing, but without the requested C&P exam/TBI results, nor any PERTAINENT records, I'm afraid it'll just be another flat out 0% denial. One of their reasons for denial is that there are no medical records prior to TEN years ago showing continuity of symptoms/treatment. OF COURSE NOT!! Doctors routinely destroy medical records after ten years!! Another reason is that they're saying that I had a "pre-existing personality disorder!" WHAT?!! I'd love to know how they came up with that! Soooo....why didn't their pre-enlistment psych testing detect my "pre-existing" mental deficiencies and "personality disorder?!" That's funny too, since they made me "Troop Commander" en route to basic training due to having the highest test scores in our group, and apparent leadership skills! Does anyone know how to get the "top brass" to request a C&P exam so my TBI test results aren't just thrown out? Any way to force them to release my records so I at least have a fighting chance?? Even the Congressmans office hasn't been able to get my military records. Something just seems very VERY wrong with this picture.