Just Received C&p Medical Report. What Do Ya Think?

[LarryJ]

It is this examiner's opinion that the veteran's major depressive disorder more likely than not had its initial onset during the veteran's troubled childhood. The veteran did experience a significant injury while serving. The injury did lead to lifelong chronic pain and the veteran did continue to experience episodes of depression throughout his adult life. Some of these episodes were/are severe. With regard to the issue of depression being secondary to the service connected left ankle injury, it is this examiner's opinion that the veteran's depression was not caused by his service connected ankle injury. However, the veteran's ankle injury at least as likley as not has been a significant exacerbating factor in the veteran's level of depression. In other words, this examiner believes that the veteran's depression has been made worse and probably more chronic and somewhat more intractable due to the contribution of the chronic pain that is caused by the veteran's left ankle injury.

[LarryJ]

John, I just told the doc the truth. I figure that that is the best policy.

I suppose he had the need/right to ask me most anything as long as it had to do with my depression......like asking me about how I was, before my time in service.

I mean, my childhood, the fact that my father was a dope addict, etc., is ALready in my psych file (I'm being treated for my MDD at the VAMC and my mental history is ALready part of my medical records), so, I kinda figure that he was probably looking at my med recs on his computer screen at that very moment, when he asked me to tell him about my childhood.

'sides, if you tell them the truth, you don't have to remember your lies...and seeing as how I have this terrible short-term memory problem, I'd REALLY wind up putting my foot in my mouth.

And, they can tell if you're being straight with 'em, and I would expect that they would be more likely to find a way to acknowledge your truthfulness.

For example, the doc COULDA said "Nope, No Way. He was screwed up when he was a kid.", instead, he gave me the benefit of the doubt and opened up the "aggravation" venue.

[Pete53]

Larry:

You did the right thing. Fact is you have pretty subtantial proof that Military Service made a pre existing condition worse.

Good Luck