Mental C&p Exam Results

[dav_marine72]

Hi Everyone,

I picked up my mental C&P exam results yesterday. I am currently 30% for adjustment disorder secondary to my back. This report looks like I should be 50% at least I am guessing. Anyone have any thoughts?

mental_exam_8_29_08.pdf

[Rockhound]

dav_marine72: Knowing the VA and how they like to low ball everything, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they decided that their was nothing of note to show that an increase was warrented except your own statement to the fact.

If it was my claim, I would try to get my PCP Dr to make a statement in your progress notes that reflect that since treating you, your pain due to your worsening back condition has steadidly increased since they began treating you and do not expect it to get any better in the forseeable future. Further I would be getting your Psychiatrist to do something similiar in that your adjustment disorder has also progressed in relation to your worsening lack of pain management as indicated in your self medicating with alcohol and the increase in anxiety attacks, panic attacks and irritability.

I know if I was a VA rater, I would be looking for this kind of medical evidence that would help support a higher rate, otherwise I would have to compair your last C&P exam with this new one to see if their is sufficiant differences in the two to warrent an increase. Of course that is me and not at all what I expect the VA rater to do.

Again, do not rely solely on the C&P exam results, or you will more likely than end up NODing your results of your claim.

Rockhound Rider :(

[George Patton]

Hi Everyone,

I picked up my mental C&P exam results yesterday. I am currently 30% for adjustment disorder secondary to my back. This report looks like I should be 50% at least I am guessing. Anyone have any thoughts?

Yes, you should have received a 50 percent evaluation based upon what I read on the examination. Certain symptoms warrant an automatic percentage. However, the medical doctor mentioned that further formulation was not possible due to prescription "narcotics" tranquilizers, and alcohol. (Although in some cases abuse of alcohol and medications may not be seen as willful misconduct if the veteran is attempting to self-medicate.) The physician concluded by noting you suffer from "mild" to "moderate" impairment in vocational function and significant impairment in social function, and gave a GAF score of 50-55. Also, the doctor mentioned you have not seen your psychiatrist since 1/2007--a specialist in mental disorders. Currently, you are employed full-time and have no difficulties at this point. The doctor noted you brought records to the assessment that were not included in the c-file--I hope those records were seen by the evaluator. In most instances, reports from a spouse carries significant weight, as the patient is sometime unable/unwilling to discuss his/her problem and it is the spouse that fully observes the behavior.

With the medication you are taking (buspar, ativan) it seems that you have an anxiety disorder as diagnosed by the physician and the anxiety/panic attacks you experience. The rater should have reconciled the adjustment disorder by stating: adjustment disorder to now include anxiety disorder; or your diagnosis has changed from adjustment disorder to anxiety disorder to more accurately reflect the disability picture.

In any event, it is noted in VA regulations that two evaluators may come up with different percentages when reviewing evidence--this is especially true with mental examinations. Thus, if you were to request to be re-evaluated because you believe a higher evaluation is warranted, it is unlikely that the previous 30 percent evaluation will be increased. However, again, I saw a 50 percent evaluation.