Depression Secondary Too Degenerative Disk Disease

[rgero311975]

Well i am trying to get service connected depression due to my back which is rated at 40% as of march 1,2009 which was previously rated at 20%.. Well my question is this...I was stabed and almost killed by someone that broke into my house about 4 years ago so i have pstd and depression and panic attacks..the VA know this ....i recieve my medication and have been treat by va doctor and outside dr for these conditions........ My back has gotten worse as you can see my rating just went up recently.... Since I have allready been diagnosed with depression not connected to serve can and how and what should i do.......I mean my back limits me physically and emotionally ...sex, daily activity,mood,personal realtionships,.....yes i was depressed before but my back limits me and it affects me the most..and the pain meds make me depressed...

Thank you ..this site has gave me hope and thank god for all of you guys...rentalguy1 you have a lot of good post ....

[john999]

The VA is probably going to claim that your depression is due to the attack and not your back. You will need a good medical report that explains why it is your back and not the stabbing that has made you depressed. The VA denied me TDIU because of a minor NSC issue. You have a major NSC issue. The VA is going to try and blame all your problems on this attack that happened when you were out of the service. I am telling how I think they think.

[mags1023]

[broncovet]

Yes..these guys are right. The VA will use any possible excuse to deny you of your rightfull benefits.

Whenever someone says they are with the government and they are here to help you, watch your back.

Here is what you need to combat their (future) denials:

1. Evidence You need to have your doctor write something like, "Veterans pain is most likely due to ........ suffered during military service." If your doc connects the dots, the VA will still deny you, but the BVA people can read and they will overturn it, and award your benefits eventually. Its called a nexus..

2. Persistence Expect to be denied the first time or two or three or 4. It took me 5 RO decsions to finally get my benefits.

3 Patiience It took 7 years..get ready for a long, drawn out fight..the VA will fight you harder than the enemy. The VA is the new enemy..pretending to be your friend.

[clark l namias]

Yes..these guys are right. The VA will use any possible excuse to deny you of your rightfull benefits.

Whenever someone says they are with the government and they are here to help you, watch your back.

Here is what you need to combat their (future) denials:

1. Evidence You need to have your doctor write something like, "Veterans pain is most likely due to ........ suffered during military service." If your doc connects the dots, the VA will still deny you, but the BVA people can read and they will overturn it, and award your benefits eventually. Its called a nexus..

2. Persistence Expect to be denied the first time or two or three or 4. It took me 5 RO decsions to finally get my benefits.

3 Patiience It took 7 years..get ready for a long, drawn out fight..the VA will fight you harder than the enemy. The VA is the new enemy..pretending to be your friend.

[clark l namias]

:) :) the meds you take for back pain might be causing the problem like me i need to take methadone and davarcet at the same time to cope with pain maybe this could be an angle for a claim of deo=pression :) :) :)

[rgero311975]

Well i am sc rated at 40% for my back as of march 1,2009 . I WAS 20 % for almost 3 years. Well here is where it gets confusing for me..... About 5 years ago my home was broken into and i was stabed mutible times and almost died lost everything...and from this i suffered pstd and depression etc... the va know about this bc i get my meds from them and have seen dr about this.....well my back is getting worse as you can tell from my rating going up..my back makes my life the worst becasue it effect my emoition and physically i mean i cant do alot of things sexually,bad moods, i get frustrated and deeply depressed by all this... i know that a SECONDARY