ptsd Ptsd

[danang_1969]

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190..._090205,00.html

[Jazona]

"During my years of interviews with veterans I was often asked what PTSD was and what they looked for to be rated totally and permanently disabled. In a lot of clinics, psychologists and psychiatrists would encourage patients to file, and coax them on what to do and say, especially if they were scheduled for an examination or had a personal review with the Board of Veterans Appeals.

Veterans have been able to tell medical authorities exactly what they want them to write. And often, to avoid the hassle and additional correspondence from other government representatives such as congressmen and senators, they would cave in to most requests."

Typical VA employee/rater comment. I never even knew what PTSD was when they diagnosed me with it. I had to ask them what it was. I have never had a VA employee urge me to file a claim for anything. And the entire concept fo telling a "medical authority" exactly what to put in my records is so bogus it's laughable. "They would cave in to most requests" is an absolute lie. VA Drs. "cave in" to nothing.

This attitude is what most of us were up against in the "Nam years". They propagated these lies to ensure their employees would process our claims in the most critical manner possible. It's all about the money and we had to fight for every penney we got. Is it any wonder so many of us are so bitter about the VA?

Hopefully, things have changed, however I doubt it. This is what makes Hadit so successful. We fight the VA lies with their own laws, rules and regulations and no matter how much they squirm, they can't get around that.

Sorry for the rant but this is just a classic example of what we're up against.

jaz

[Berta]

Yep- from a VA employee and this was an old letter that Philpott put into his column- in 2005- the other letters he got tell the real story of PTSD.

I believe some of the raters are biased as to TDIU claims-they might be SC themselves but as long as they work for VA they cant get TDIU.I actually believe even some SOs get jealous when a vet succeeds.

But I think these types of people are few and far between.

[Jazona]

"But I think these types of people are few and far between."

Gosh, Berta, how I wish it were true but over the years, I got the distinct feeling that the Phoenix, AZ. RO had a pretty big number of raters like that. I talked with quite a few Vets over the years that had PTSD claims in with them and most were having a lot of trouble.

To be fair, guys with srapnel wounds or missing limbs were treated fairly and expeditiously. But if one were claiming PTSD, you had to have all the i's dotted and t's crossed. On top of that, the major VSOs wouldn't even help file your claim. I had been a member of the American Legion for 12 years and they turned me down flat, saying, "The VA doesn't accept claims for that". Needless to say, I stopped sending in my dues to the AL.

I hooked up with AMVETS but they did such a poor job, I took everything over myself and about the same time, found Hadit. Hadit helped me get 70% PTSD and then IU. Thank goodness for you guys! (and, of course, ladies)

I really, really hope the VA has changed for the better. The new Veterans deserve it.

jaz

[Pete53]

BS and most if not all have a Medical History that tells the truth. Look at the symptoms. Someone does not develop PTSD 30 years later it starts before most know anything about it and haunts you throughout your life.

[mountain tyme]

Berta wrote: "I actually believe even some SOs get jealous when a vet succeeds."

Now I can contest to that as FACT...when I received my rating of PT the veteran rep. who was submitting my paperwork (note I said submitting for he would not help me develop my claim said he didn't have time to work on individual claims)said "In his experiance the VA makes it to easy for females to get rated out! and when I asked him as to why they used the 2007 date as the retro date instead of the origial claim date since my condition has not changed...he said "I should be happy at that I received such a high rating at all for if I was a male I would be looking at 50% ask me I should know" needless to say I decided not to persue an eed...

MT