ptsd Had C&p Exam For Ptsd And Then Got A Call

[bozoc]

I am so glad to have found this forum. I am a Vietnam combat veteran 69-70. There appears to be a wealth of knowledge hear and some very interesting discussions.

I filed my first claim in Oct. of 2007. It was for PTSD. A week or so later I filed for chronic headaches due to past shrapnel wounds and shrapnel still present in my head. I had a C&P for the wounds and headaches on January 8th of this year which I thought was pretty fast. No results yet.

I had a C&P exam for PTSD on Feb. 1st of this year. The psychologist who did the exam told me he thought I had a pretty severe case of PTSD. I don't have the exam results yet. After the exam he asked if I wanted to talk to a psychiatrist while I was there. I told him "no" and that I had talked about all I was capable of talking that day. He said he would make me an appointment for a future date.

I got a call today and the VA has scheduled me to see a psychiatrist on Feb. 20th. Is it normal to see a psychiatrist before any results from the C&P have been established? Of course, I am going to the appoinment. Just curious if this was a normal part of the process. Thanks so much for any info.

[Berta]

Bozoc- shrapnel residuals involve a definite "stressor", and if you received the PH on your DD 214-this usually involves a fast PTSD award.

(By fast I mean it might take many months but the PH is a proven stressor)

I assume you filed a formal claim on the 21-526 forms and claimed both PTSD as well as schrapnel wound residuals (headaches etc)

do you have any visible scars from that? if so claim that too-

Since you are not working I suggest you fill out and send the VARO a TDIU form-

there is NO specific rating a veteran needs ( dont believe those reps when they say you have to be 70%) for the VA to award TDIU.

Do you have any personnel reports from your emplyer to show that your disability affected your ability to work?

Certainly if you get headaches from the schrapnel it must have caused you time off from work-as well as any PTSD issues.

I will attach the TDIU form-

I suggest something after YEARS of experience with PTSD claims-

raise the PTSD as the main issue-and you can say that the panic attacks are secondary to it.

Dont claim just panic attacks- this doctor knew right away that you have PTSD and did the right thing by setting up an appointment for you-

By seeing the shrink-this helps establish what the VA needs- documentation not only of the disability but treatment for it-

the VA loves paper-

in your case you dont have a lot of paper yet-re PTSD but you do have a very probative claim-for both PTSD and residuals such as the headaches- of the schrapnel wounds-

and I feel you should apply for TDIU too- and then SSA disability-

If you dont have a PH and the schrapnel was from something that VA MIGHt not consider a stressor-

(I always look for the landmines in what they might do- you will be asked to provide a verifiable stressor at some point.

I hope you dont have to-

it took my husband a week to debrief himself from writing his stressor letter (USMC 65-66 Nam)

Welcome aboard here- ooops cannot attach the TDIU form here- will in next post-

Edited February 8, 2008 by Berta

[Berta]

TDIU Total Disability due to Indivudual Unemployability-

same compensation as 100% $2,527 per month with a little more for any dependents-

Under # 18 check Yes and then apply for SSA disablty-

Under Remarks # 25 state you are referring them to additional page, put your c file and name/address on it and tell them how PTSD affected your ability to work as well as the headaches from the scrapnel-

they are used to hearing it all- personal problems with spouse, getting fired from a job, etc - PTSD has numerous ways it can affect us-

Then say that you have anxiety (from PTSD -which is an anxiety disorder)that is causing you to have panic attacks.

Tell them if you fear going out or into crowds, have trust issues,anger issues, etc-and how these things affected you on the job.

It all doesnt have to be too involved at this point with the TDIU form.

Now is the time to tell the VA if you also have tinnitus or any hearing problems, diabetes, or any AO condition-and any other physical disability that could possibly be due to your service. I hope you dont but now is the time to tell them of any other conditions too.

TDIU_form.pdf

[bozoc]

Bozoc- shrapnel residuals involve a definite "stressor", and if you received the PH on your DD 214-this usually involves a fast PTSD award.

(By fast I mean it might take many months but the PH is a proven stressor)

I assume you filed a formal claim on the 21-526 forms and claimed both PTSD as well as schrapnel wound residuals (headaches etc)

do you have any visible scars from that? if so claim that too-

Since you are not working I suggest you fill out and send the VARO a TDIU form-

there is NO specific rating a veteran needs ( dont believe those reps when they say you have to be 70%) for the VA to award TDIU.

Do you have any personnel reports from your emplyer to show that your disability affected your ability to work?

Certainly if you get headaches from the schrapnel it must have caused you time off from work-as well as any PTSD issues.

I will attach the TDIU form-

I suggest something after YEARS of experience with PTSD claims-

raise the PTSD as the main issue-and you can say that the panic attacks are secondary to it.

Dont claim just panic attacks- this doctor knew right away that you have PTSD and did the right thing by setting up an appointment for you-

By seeing the shrink-this helps establish what the VA needs- documentation not only of the disability but treatment for it-

the VA loves paper-

in your case you dont have a lot of paper yet-re PTSD but you do have a very probative claim-for both PTSD and residuals such as the headaches- of the schrapnel wounds-

and I feel you should apply for TDIU too- and then SSA disability-

If you dont have a PH and the schrapnel was from something that VA MIGHt not consider a stressor-

(I always look for the landmines in what they might do- you will be asked to provide a verifiable stressor at some point.

I hope you dont have to-

it took my husband a week to debrief himself from writing his stressor letter (USMC 65-66 Nam)

Welcome aboard here- ooops cannot attach the TDIU form here- will in next post-

Thanks so much for all of the info. You obviously know the process extremely well.

There are a couple of things I need to get sorted out in my military records. My dd-214 does not have the purple heart listed. My military records do make reference to my wounds in a write up of a bronze star I was awarded for the incident. There are also hospital records where I was treated for the wounds in Long Binh. I applied to the department of the army about 7 months ago to have the purple heart added to my dd-214. If they just look at my military record it is readily evident. There were also many witnesses including my old company commander who are willing to make statements if it comes to that. Again, it should be readily apparent to anyone looking at my military records. I also still have shrapnel in my head and have the x-rays to prove it.

I retired from my job in 1999. I supervised a lot of people and just grew weary of it all. My employer asked me to come back and work after I retired. I told them I did not want to deal with the personnel aspect anymore and they told me I could work alone developing projects. I agreed and worked until 2005 when I felt like I just could not do it any longer. I never had performance problems but I knew I wasn't earning my money due to my problems and I had a lot of guilt over that. I walked away from a lot of money and haven't worked since. I worked with computers my entire career and didn't mind that part of it. Dealing with people was a different matter. I haven't worked since. We moved to "the country" and I rarely leave the house anymore. I don't know how all of this plays out in terms of unemployability.

As far as the headaches, I have had them since Vietnam. I learned to cope but I am just tired of coping. My medical records allude to headaches after the wounds as well. I have had a C&P for this issue but have no results as of yet. This was just done in early January of this year.

I should not have an issue with the stressors for PTSD. In my stressor letter I described two combat incidents. I was awarded bronze stars for both so there are military writeups of each as well as my own. In one of those I was platoon sergeant of an infantry platoon where the entire platoon with the exception of 7 soldiers was hit. I also submitted a witness statement from a buddy who was sent the next day to relieve me so I could be evacuated for medical attention.

Thanks to you Berta for your help. Everyone else as well.