ptsd Saw "contract" Psych At Vamc Cnp For Ptsd Claim

[Johnny K.]

81. What if I did not serve in combat?

For veterans who did not serve in combat, the VA requires independent credible proof that a stressor actually occurred. It will give you a questionnaire to describe stressors to which you were exposed, and you should spend some time making this as complete as possible, including dates wherever available. It will go to military historians to search for unit histories, which are rarely helpful unless you can narrow the stressor down to ten days or so. Other types of independent proof could include “buddy” statements, contemporary letters home and newspaper accounts.

[Johnny K.]

I saw a "contract" Psychiatrist at VAMC C&P hearing for a non-combat PTSD Claim. He denied service connection but conceded my PTSD.

I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman attached to the 3rd MARDIV during Vietnam and was an Emergency Medical Technician at USMC Base, Camp Pendleton, after rotating home, for a period of about two years. VA has accepted my stressors but has denied my claim.

I just received notification for a DRO hearing on September, 12, 2007.

I have a representative from American Legion who is helping me and will accompany me to hearings.

I have four private Doctor opinions and one VA Staff Psychiatrist opinion which support my claim, and I attend VA group meetings twice a month for PTSD.

Please give me your opinions on what I can expect at the hearingand what else I can provide the DRO besides all of the records which I mentioned above.

Thanks, and Welcome Home!

[Testvet]

a C&P doctor can NOT make the determination if your PTSD is either SC or not, all he can do is make a statement about YOUR medical condition, do you have PTSD or not. Then your record speaks to stressors or not, the VARO decides if it is SC, if they can verify your stressor I am SC for PTSD non combat, I was attacked and left for dead by 7 fellow soldiers in Alaska in Feb 1975, they beat me unconcious and robbed me and left me in a snowbank in 20 below zero weather, the general court nartial was for robbery and attempted murder, 4 of the 7 went to Leavenworth and the other 3 were given field grade article 15s and then given BCDs. Each case is different I had to find the copies of the court martials because the DAV would NOT do it, I was denied I found the clear of court office in washington DC she nice lady there put my name in the computer and pulled up the 4 court martials and mailed me copies, at the DRO hearing I presented them the copies,and they had to concede it happened. I have numerous other stressors besides that but it is not necessary to prove multiple stressors just the fact you have at least one, they awarded me 50% despite the fact the medical records justifed the higher rating and I appealed the lowball award after they gave me the 50% a year later they awarded the 100% based on my treatment records, you can win a PTSD award for NON-Combat PTSD you just have to have the hopsital reports and the legal records to justify it.

[Johnny K.]

a C&P doctor can NOT make the determination if your PTSD is either SC or not, all he can do is make a statement about YOUR medical condition, do you have PTSD or not. Then your record speaks to stressors or not, the VARO decides if it is SC, if they can verify your stressor I am SC for PTSD non combat, I was attacked and left for dead by 7 fellow soldiers in Alaska in Feb 1975, they beat me unconcious and robbed me and left me in a snowbank in 20 below zero weather, the general court nartial was for robbery and attempted murder, 4 of the 7 went to Leavenworth and the other 3 were given field grade article 15s and then given BCDs. Each case is different I had to find the copies of the court martials because the DAV would NOT do it, I was denied I found the clear of court office in washington DC she nice lady there put my name in the computer and pulled up the 4 court martials and mailed me copies, at the DRO hearing I presented them the copies,and they had to concede it happened. I have numerous other stressors besides that but it is not necessary to prove multiple stressors just the fact you have at least one, they awarded me 50% despite the fact the medical records justifed the higher rating and I appealed the lowball award after they gave me the 50% a year later they awarded the 100% based on my treatment records, you can win a PTSD award for NON-Combat PTSD you just have to have the hopsital reports and the legal records to justify it.

[Johnny K.]

There is no military medical record to support my claim, only the facts of traumas which I was in contact with as a Corpsman which I can correlate to my service records.

I have found those through the help a Navy Historian in D.C.

Aside from those I am depending on the opinions of the doctors I've seen since my original discharge in 1976.

[Jay Johnson]

There is no military medical record to support my claim, only the facts of traumas which I was in contact with as a Corpsman which I can correlate to my service records.

I have found those through the help a Navy Historian in D.C.

Aside from those I am depending on the opinions of the doctors I've seen since my original discharge in 1976.

You don't need *medical" records to prove a service connection; you only need evidence showing that there was a stressor. Combat is *one* type of stressor, but there are many others that can lead to SC without actually being in physical combat. I knew a vet who got SC for PTSD just for seeing the bodies coming back from nam at Dover AFB.

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit. Your Doctors opinion if linking your service should get you service connected. Has PTSD impaired your life and how you relate to others? Are you working? Do you have Social Security disability? Any failed marriages or a lot of job changing. All of this is a record since you left the service.

Many Veterans with PTSD have spouses who have stuck with them and support them. Its a mixed bag. Hang in their you need to build your claim with evidence and hang on and not give up.