ptsd Out Of The Mouths Of Docs

[nlualum82]

I'll be making a few posts in categories to cover my bases.

I am 47 and SC'ed for 50% hearing loss. I work as a mail processor at the PO, 16 + years (8 years 8 months 2 weeks and 6 days 'til retirement).

Last year I finally got active in the process and got good advice here at Hadit.

After seeing a VA Psych and an SO, I filed for some other things we felt should be considered. WHAM! Been between 5 and 8 months since the claims went in and I got 2 letter in 2 days advising me of 4 C & P's this month!

15th - ENT for chronic otitis

19th - Audiology for tinnitus

26th - a 1215 Ortho for a jeep wrecked knee and a 1300 in Psych for them to determine between PTSD with MST, depression secondary to hearing loss, something else, nothing at all?)

I picked up my progress notes from the PsyD at the Vet Ctr. and made my appt. with my VA Psych at the VA clinic.

The Doc. and I talked, I told him about the C & P's and he said they might not want me to work anymore.

Sounds good to me - my PO is known to be hard on its employees.

I have to wonder if it's possible, though. I thought you wouldn't end up TDIU unless you were unemployed. I would think the post office would avoid letting a vet go based on his disability, even imagine that these gov't entities would collaborate to find some function at the PO rather than put me on a Federal paycheck for sitting home.

Any thoughts?

It is pure speculation at this point, but don't want to make a wrong step.

[JR Reihs]

I'll be making a few posts in categories to cover my bases.

I am 47 and SC'ed for 50% hearing loss. I work as a mail processor at the PO, 16 + years (8 years 8 months 2 weeks and 6 days 'til retirement).

    Last year I finally got active in the process and got good advice here at Hadit.

After seeing a VA Psych and an SO, I filed for some other things we felt should be considered. WHAM! Been between 5 and 8 months since the claims went in and I got 2 letter in 2 days advising me of 4 C & P's this month!

    15th - ENT for chronic otitis

    19th - Audiology for tinnitus

    26th - a 1215 Ortho for a jeep wrecked knee and a 1300 in Psych for them to determine between PTSD with MST, depression secondary to hearing loss, something else, nothing at all?)

    I picked up my progress notes from the PsyD at the Vet Ctr. and made my appt. with my VA Psych at the VA clinic.

    The Doc. and I talked, I told him about the C & P's and he said they might not want me to work anymore.

    Sounds good to me - my PO is known to be hard on its employees.

    I have to wonder if it's possible, though. I thought you wouldn't end up TDIU unless you were unemployed. I would think the post office would avoid letting a vet go based on his disability, even imagine that these gov't entities would collaborate to find some function at the PO rather than put me on a Federal paycheck for sitting home.

  Any thoughts?

It is pure speculation at this point, but don't want to make a wrong step.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Welcome

it seems as though you are getting your ducks in a row, after your exams you need to get copies of them.....check them out to see where your doctors are going with your injuries.

If all looks as though you will be 100% then there are some decisions that you are faced with.

Do not worry about the Postal bums, they will not be the ones who make a decision on your retirement, and I found OPM to be easy and helpful.

I retired from the USPS in 99 at age 37 after 16 years, was a little scared at first but after everthing came together it was a good thing.

I hope that you took advantage of the TSP because this will be your ace in the hole if you decide to go this route, and no penalty for withdraw if you go out on disability retirement.

You need to get a annuity estimant from personel, and you need to check with SS, to see what amount you would draw from them so you can figure out the offset with SSDI.

[Arch]

QUESTION??

Isnt the TDIU offset by your disability income? And SSDI is also subtracted? Am I wrong in misunderstanding the regs?? Ive been on SSDI since 1987 and have recently been able to get SC'd for Hearing and tinnitus. I wonder how or if I would be gaining anything or not by applying.

Arch

[JR Reihs]

QUESTION??

Isnt the TDIU offset by your disability income?  And SSDI is also subtracted? Am I wrong in misunderstanding the regs?? Ive been on SSDI since 1987 and have recently been able to get SC'd for Hearing and tinnitus. I wonder how or if I would be gaining anything or not by applying.

Arch

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is no offset with SSDI and your VA , what you get is what you keep. The only offset would be if you are taking a Fed Disability retirement under Fers, and with that you would be offset from your SSDI based on a percentage.

[john999]

I retired from the USPS at 51 years of age and with 20 years of service. That place is an injury factory and they just hate disabled vets especially PTSD. They are just dogs and you are lucky to be getting out of there.

[Arch]

There is no offset with SSDI and your VA , what you get is what you keep. The only offset would be if you are taking a Fed Disability retirement under Fers, and with that you would be offset from your SSDI based on a percentage.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for clearing that up, now I have to figure out if Im elegible or not? Im only 20% Sc due to VA bull and something called deferred decisions? VA says I have PTSD and am unemployable but wont pay me though. Oh I could go on and on, same BS just one day later!!! They will win because Im 62 yrs old and have end stage liver disease!!!

Still fighting though.........

Thanks Arch

[Pete53]

Any Veteran who can't work because of PTSD service connected at any rate should get 100% in some way or another.