ptsd Findings Of Ptsd Study & Ptsd Comp - Military Service

[carlie]

https://www.1888932-2946.ws/vetscommission/...on_05-10-07.pdf

http://www.iom.edu/CMS/26761/33979/42926.aspx

Got this from another site - hot off the press.

Hope this helps a vet.

carlie

[Pete53]

4 billion is not a problem its the willingness to spend 4 Billion that is the problem

[huskerfanfl]

Let me think, they say that there is a problem with equitable use of the GAF, so they are going to develop another system? The VA is going to be involved with the development of that system? I am not sure anyone should jump up and down and be joyful about that.

[Jay Johnson]

I've said for quite some time that the VA should lock veterans into their highest rating (held for a period of time..say 1yr+) for PTSD regardless of any change. But, this "locked" compensation should be defered by any money the veteran is able to make while employed.

Basically, if a 100% veteran finds that they are, after much treatment/time, able to hold a low-stress, low-pay job than that veteran will receive his current 100% compensation less any money earned through work. In other words, if compensation = $2500/mnth and he/she is able to make $1600/mnth, said veteran would then receive $900/mnth from the VA instead of the full $2500, but if said veteran should lose employment, at any time, he/she would automatically receive the full compensation amount again.

This allows the veterans to "attempt" employment under very low stress conditions and accounts for relapses. It saves the VA money and helps the veteran in the recovery process. To be honest, I think a lot of IU and 100% vets would jump on this program and the current system actually works to keep those veterans reclusive.

As for the GAF thing - I find it ironic that they say, on one hand, that a GAF is innacurate, yet, on the other hand, they say they need some sort of system that puts together the various symptoms that tend to go along with PTSD (which is what GAF is precisely for). The reason they want to do away with GAF is because it deals directly with VA ratings criteria and the VA has a tough time ignoring it (though they do and often). Essentially, a GAF is EXACTLY how the VA currently rates mental disorders...it's a numerical system that highlights occupational and social functioning (overall).

So, a GAF of, say, 40 means, quite literally, total occupational impairment with severe social impairment....under current VA rating's criteria that should qualify as a 100% rating (or, at worst 70%+ IU), yet many veterans get far lower ratings based on that GAF.

I also find it laughable that the VA thinks it can supersede the entire medical community and develop a system better than all of the greatest mind in psychology's history have developed to date. This part of the report can only end badly in my opinion.....

[SLEDGE]

"Basically, if a 100% veteran finds that they are, after much treatment/time, able to hold a low-stress, low-pay job than that veteran will receive his current 100% compensation less any money earned through work. In other words, if compensation = $2500/mnth and he/she is able to make $1600/mnth, said veteran would then receive $900/mnth from the VA instead of the full $2500, but if said veteran should lose employment, at any time, he/she would automatically receive the full compensation amount again."

That looks good to me. I really like it.

However, the VA will have to form a study group to investigate whether or not there are any prospective clients for this new rehab work program.

(Social Security already has the program that you have proposed).

Then the VA will have to develop methods for tracking the utilization of the wonderful new program and for gathering data on the highly trained and supremely patriotic management personnel and the effenciencies of the proposed model.(Uh-OK) Since this is exciting new ground for the VA, maticulous records will have to be kept so statistics can be compiled on these dope addicts and/or drunks as they stumble and drool and bitch through hangovers and withdrawal.

Then a 'Tiger' task force will have to be formed and implimented to come up with the proper forms that will be used by the experimental rehab system, tracking system.

Of course, people will have to be trained to use the new software that is being designed to facilitate the exchange of information between the DoD and the VA. (Here's yer sign). The DoD is highly motivated to interact with the excellent data collection systems that were wonderfully designed by award winning, hairy, spider monkeys in Central America for the VA at a cost of 24 million dollars because of the amount/numbers of highly employable, faking, lazy, suffering from entitlement syndrome, traumatic, brain injuries that are collecting to many benefits instead of picking strawberries or shoveling gravel or wearing that animal costume in zero degree weather or putting nuts in with the bolts on a line in the sheltered workshop.

The rigged, SSA, Gainful Employment Guidelines will have to be modified to allow for the 'temporary reductions' (Temporary, Yea Right, Here's yer sign) in the amount of service connected disability that each participant of the award winning experimental program will 'tempoarily lose' (UH-HUH) while 'successfully transitioning' into a higher level of confidence in the workforce. (What?)

Compliance with ALL of the rules and guidelines of the new, award winning, experimental slave force (did I say that?) will be accomplished by ignoring the privacy act and stealing and modifying all medical records of all traumatic brain injuries, whether real or imagined.

PTSD claimants, considered to be faking imaginary injuries and not crazy by government standards, will be included into the mandatory, voluntary, rehab trials as controls.

All compensation adjudication of housebound claims will be defered until it can be determined if the supposed housebound are capable of making lillies for the American Legion. Since vets get paid for making lillies, the process of making lillies by slobbering, fat, oxygen sucking, lazy bums will be included in the experimental rehab program.

Managers will be awarded an extra bonus for the implementing of the program if the system can be promoted well before it could possibly be effective or properly implemented in any way, shape or form.

A grateful nation putting your tax dollars to work.

sledge

[Ricky]

Hmmmmmm........ Sledge may be on to something here! I bet if I agree to fib for the VA I could be put in charge of the whole program. Jez I do not even have to test this thing for I know it will be a success - Where's my bonus?

[vasolas]

Sledge,

Do I detect a hint of anger/sarcasm?

You obviously have deep insight into the inner machinations of the VA. Seriously, when I read your post, I convulsed with laughter and I always have tears when I laugh like that. I generally take things too seriously like everything is life or death, but I've appreciated dark humor since way back then ... when it helped many of us cope - it still does. Thanks, I needed that!

You were kidding weren't you?

Vasolas

[Sam]

My husband was awarded a purple heart his DD214 shows a CIB but he doesn't it being issued to him.

We have fought the VA about the PTSD but for some reason his records have a 6 month gap. They have denied him based of lack of military records which could prove his stressor? He is being seen by the VA and diagnosed with PTSD also he was in a testing/study group conducted by a local hospital and was diagnosed as having PTSD. He is currently 100% permanent no review, for other issues and put the PTSD on the back burner. He was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What should we do about the PTSD claim. He just wants to drop it since he is already 100%. The VFW people want him to fight but he has early stage dementia and forgets a lot of things and doesn't have a lot of patient for people. The medical treatment has been outstanding they do every thing to make his life as good as it get. I have no complaints against the VA medical system.

[SLEDGE]

Sam, Your case is a hard one to call.

This is just me, if they were taking care of all of my medical needs and compensating me at 100%, I would leave well enough alone.

However, having the CIB, his records do support a PTSD, service connected diagnosis and subsequent service connected rating. He could ask for a low percentage rating on the PTSD and probably get it through the rating process the first time out the gate.

The RO statistics will be bolstered and they won't be spending any more money on his care, 2 reasons to get-r-done by the VA.

Next!

"I wonder if the stress and anxiety created by medical and administrative mistreatment by the VA would qualify as a qualifying stressor for a PTSD diagnosis. Service connected naturally."

It's funny you should ask that.

My last counselor was hired and then fired by the VA.

Everything was going great until he wrote an opinion in my favor that included the VA 'lack of diagnosis and treatment' (abandonment by higher authorities, used as bait, witnessed multiple deaths and complete destruction, blasted by an enemy shell, left to die, cannon-fodder, fall guy, attempt on life twice, inservice issues) as a major PTSD stressor in my case.

That counselor's opinion was one of the records that the RO altered to facilitate another denial in my case.

A couple of months later they cancelled my outside PTSD counseling.

If they give me anymore problems in the near future I'm filing a tort claim through my new tort claim lawyer. Ken Carpenter does not do that.

sledge

[Jay Johnson]

Good luck sledge...finding a good lawyer who will take a tort claim is like finding a needle in a haystack:-)

[Pete53]

Sam:

The VFW guys are right. From your post your husband should look into the PTSD rating and also Aid & Attendance. You should be entitled to more money in my opinion. $ 295 a month.

Good Luck

[SLEDGE]

Jay,

The main problem in finding a good lawyer is having a good case, or not, in the first place.

Mine is a slam dunk.

I have reasonable insight into such matters because I know people who have the required education that enables them to be called attorney on their letterheads.

I would prefer to receive my earned benefits and then 'just fade away' but the pursuit of justice runs deep in my genes. I believe the VA has had enough time to get their act together and that the VA has no intention of doing us right.

To do so would disrupt the balance of our 'goodoleboy' system of government.

If the VA leaves me no other choice, I will take the VA to Federal Court and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point, it's probably just a simple matter of time before I file a tort claim, and not much time either.

sledge

[john999]

Sledge

There is no justice in the VA system, only money if you can get it. If it is not going to net you or your spouse some money why bother?

[Jay Johnson]

Sledge,

My uncle was killed by the VA and the VA readily admitted it. He went to a VA hospital in the Chicago area and, during a surgery, they knicked his intestine and didn't notice. He developed severe infection as a result and had to have the majority of his intestines removed once they figured out the mistake. He lived through hell for the next few years (on a feeding tube in horrible pain) and eventually died because of the damage the infection caused to his descending aorta.

Despite the VA admitting they caused the problem AND having documented proof of that fact, his family lost his tort claim against the VA.

Tort is designed not to be won, so lawyers tend not to want to take them...the whole point of a tort is to NOT allow anyone to sew the government for the actions of individual screw-ups in the VA, or any other governmental branch.

I wish you luck, but no tort claim is remotely close to a slam dunk unfortunately... even when the VA admitts it's their fault:-(

[Pete53]

Jay:

Sorry about your Uncle. I figure that someone probably performed the operation that was not up to it. You know the VA uses Vets to train new Docs.