Va Mental Health Dr's

[TANKERJOE0]

HI,I HAVE A QUESTION.

ARE THE VA DRS THERE TO HELP IN ESTABLISHING A DIAGNOSIS FOR A CLAIM??

OR DO THEY TRY TO DISCREDIT ANY ISSUE THAT MAY LEAD TO A CLAIM??

THANKS

TANKERJOE0

[gp747]

i know i asked one mental health doc about my pending claim and he

got all frustrated and advised me if that is what i was coming up there

for i hhad 0 chance of getting compensation . i asked my wife after winning

30% bi-polar do you remember that incident,as she was with me. she said

yeah. i said you cant believe anything these people tell you.

[rentalguy1]

They are not there to help you with a claim. They are there to help you get better. Sometimes we get lucky and find one that just happens to be willing to help us with a claim.

[Hoppy]

If you plan to use their opinion to support your claim it would be best to ask the doctors to address issues specific to your claim. Have your SO identify the issues, These issues would include whether not symptoms first occurred while you served in the military or get required nexus statements. Getting reports up front from a treating doctor is the best way to advance a claim. Relying on the C&P process can be problematic. If you get a favorable opinio in advance of your claim it will be harder for the C&P to mess up your claim.

I walked into a VA clinic and told the doctors I was mis-diagnosed in the military for one condition and required a review of the SMR and a re-diagnosis and the doctors I saw were very helpful. In another claim I was denied because the rater played doctor and said my condition was the result of post service employment. The head of the immunology dept. looked at my SMR and said the rater was crazy. He then wrote a report that my condition first occurred in the military and was chronic and there was no known cure. The rater had to eat his words. I was awarded based on the Immunologists report.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Hoppy

[Hoppy]

In addition to my previous post I am getting ready to take action against psychologists who will not review the SMR and make a re-diagnosis or an opinion as to the first date of onset of symptoms. I am arguing that such review and etiology statements are a required part of treatment.

I will file complaints with the hospital and the licensing agency of the doctor’s involved.

[Pete53]

Most VA Docs are more interested in treating Veterans and not so much helping them. If you have one that is helping consider yourself very fortunate.

[poolguy11550]

rentalguy1 and pete are correct- VA docs are there to help you get better and scare away rather easily when asked to make statements into a claim. However, the flip side of the coin is if you get a doctor that consistently writes in the MH progress notes that you are only interested in seeking help with claims issues during your appointments. I've seen this many times and it leaves a negitive impression. I'd try to ask once and only with a doctor that you've seen awhile and trust, if he/she shys away- drop it fast and just continue with treatment with him/her. Also, many times I've seen statements from doctors that dont really say much at all and give only mininal detail- so consider the total value of the statement also.