Gaf 51 Change To 45 Gaf

[Maurice]

At the time of the C and P Exam the GAF 51. It was change today to GAF 45. Should I send a copy to the Veterans Affair for my C&P Exam for Depression. What should I do? I need an answer now. Thanks you

[cloudcroft]

Well, I guess I'll answer since no one else is after 33 views...

Short answer: No, not at this time.

I'd use it LATER though, if you need to show a downward trend of your GAFs (if that's what's happening since your last C&P, I don't know). This "later" would be when/if you need to rebut any denials...you could cite lower GAF scores to show you are NOT improving (if that's what you were trying to prove).

What's really important is your GAF's "behavior" over time...does it pretty much stay the same, is it moving upwards or downwards over time, or is it up and down somewhat randomly (like stock-market graphs)? If your GAF is fairly low and staying that way, OR, moving downwards, then that would argue for a higher disability rating. Of course, if it's moving upward over time, that means you appear to be better and that definitely wouldn't help trying to get a increased rating. And since the VA seems to use high GAFs against vets and ignore the low ones, that's not good.

So for now, just this one GAF of 45, I'd keep it in mind and use it later if you need to, as part of any rebuttal you make to any SOC you may receive.

I haven't been following your posts (or anyone else's, I just read some and respond) so I don't know your GAF history (don't have the time to follow everyone's claims) so I am just responding to your question here. But I see you're rated at 60% and I assume for a mental disorder. GAFs of 50 and 40s should definitely help you get a rating of 70%, unless all you have is low GAFs and nothing else to support them...or vice versa.

-- John D.

At the time of the C and P Exam the GAF 51. It was change today to GAF 45. Should I send a copy to the Veterans Affair for my C&P Exam for Depression. What should I do? I need an answer now. Thanks you

Edited October 23, 2007 by cloudcroft

[Pete53]

I would go ahead and send the Exam with 45 GAF cause that is a big difference. The reason and I don't understand why that would put you in the 40's criteria and 50 is in the 50's criteria a whole nother bag of worms.

I do know where John is coming from and understand his point also. Its not even that I disagree with him.

A lot of people read Hadit and rarely or even never Post. The strength of this Board I think is that a post rarely stays unanswered for a long time.

[cloudcroft]

Pete,

Maybe I misunderstood him...he's not very clear at all.

And I'm not sure what YOU are saying exactly, either.

Is it just me?

I thought his C&P GAF was 51 and later he goes in for some regular appointment (I have to guess here) at Behavioral Health (BH) and gets a GAF of 45...so we're talking about 2 GAFs because I doubt someone actually changed the original C&P GAF of 51 to 45. Never heard of that, and it sounds illegal also, to "edit" the records like that. So I thought he got the 45 GAF after the C&P. And I didn't see the word "exam" given re: the GAF of 45 so I took it as just a routine appointment SINCE the C&P exam.

So that was my guess what he was saying...I had to fill-in the blanks so maybe I got it wrong.

So a single GAF of 45 from one routine visit isn't going to make much impact...and they have a fudge-factor built-in anyway because they are subjective: One BH person may give a 45 and another a 50.

Aside from that, I was talking about GAFs showing trends, not taken individually OR out of context.

Maybe none of us in this thread are making sense...

-- John D.

Edited October 23, 2007 by cloudcroft

[Pete53]

John:

I guess I did not make my point. There is a real difference between 51 and 45. Not so much the numerical difference but the description in DSM of a GAF in the 50's as opposed to one in the 40's.

You and I are pretty much on the same page after that. One other thing that is important is just plain something to hang your hat on. I don't know if you remember or knew him but Alex Humpfrey a 100% Vet who practiced Veteran Law used to say on this very Board that you give him a Vet with a GAF of less than 50 and he would get 100%. It does not mean that a 51 would not get 100% either cause the truth is I think any Vet who cannot work should qualify for TDIU but you know me.

Keep in mind I said a Veteran that can't work not one that would not.

I read your comments and I agree most always with you but this Board is supposed to be here to help Veterans make decisions that they need to make to win their claims. I get called out many times and I actually appreciate it when someone gives me another oint of view or even says I am wrong so that I can learn.

Anyway thank you for being willing to discuss and issue with me that is exactly what is needed here.

[john999]

I agree with what Pete is saying about the difference between a GAF of 50 and one of 45. I had a GAF of 50 and I got 70%. If I had evidence of lower GAF scores I would send in this evidence. I don't believe in holding back evidence to rebut a rating. That means more time in appeals. The number 50 for a GAF is the real boundery between someone with severe symptoms and someone who is totally incapacitated by their symptoms.

[10thFO]

Send it in, but I think the whole GAF thing is overrated, and I dont know the VA to use it unless it is favorable to them.

After being in the PTSD program, my GAF was rated at a 35. The VARO decided to keep me at 70% PTSD because of the other listings for the percentages for PTSD. They don't use GAF in determining disability levels for compensation. They use the CFR, and it doesn't talke about GAF in there at all. But I would go ahead and file the GAF of 45 if you so choose, but you need to have other evidence that supports the findings. What was in the report that you recieved the day you were labeled with the 45 gaf? There should be something quantifiable for the intern or resident to give you that level of GAF. Stop worrying about the GAF so much and look or have a loved one look at the CFR regs on PTSD ratings level, and how that is affecting your life.