Was I 0% Service Connected In 1986 For Adjustment Disorder?

[blanco63]

I was discharged in 1983 for personality disorder and opened a claim that year for psychiatric disorder. The 2/28/86 decision states the following - Decision: Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric condition is not warranted. Reason For Decision: Veteran is diagnosed with personality and subsequent adjustment disorder is not a disability which is compensable under the law as outlined by the 1945 Schedule for Rating Disabilities. In the beginning of this decision, it said number of sc disab - 0. I reopened claim on 5/23/00. Their 6/30/00 letter states - The claim for sc for a mental condition was rated 2/28/86. SMR's showed a personality disorder. VA exam in 5/85 showed an adjustment disorder. Neither of these are disabilities for which compensation is payable. So, was i rated 0% in 1986? If not, why wasn't i rated 0% or more in 2000 because adjustment dis had become payable in november 1996? What could i do now? Ask the VA, where's my rating or how about an increase more than my 0%? Cue time? No, it wasn't an error. Would it be called unintentional forgetfulness?

[cowgirl]

At the end of your rating decision - does it show NSC adjustment disorder or something similar? (NSC is Non Service Connected - but is diagnosed in medical records). If you were rated 0% for anything in 1986 the decision would state that. Do you have a service officer? think they can print out a current list of sc and nsc ratings.

Best to ya,

Cg'up!

I was discharged in 1983 for personality disorder and opened a claim that year for psychiatric disorder. The 2/28/86 decision states the following - Decision: Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric condition is not warranted. Reason For Decision: Veteran is diagnosed with personality and subsequent adjustment disorder is not a disability which is compensable under the law as outlined by the 1945 Schedule for Rating Disabilities. In the beginning of this decision, it said number of sc disab - 0. I reopened claim on 5/23/00. Their 6/30/00 letter states - The claim for sc for a mental condition was rated 2/28/86. SMR's showed a personality disorder. VA exam in 5/85 showed an adjustment disorder. Neither of these are disabilities for which compensation is payable. So, was i rated 0% in 1986? If not, why wasn't i rated 0% or more in 2000 because adjustment dis had become payable in november 1996? What could i do now? Ask the VA, where's my rating or how about an increase more than my 0%? Cue time? No, it wasn't an error. Would it be called unintentional forgetfulness?

Edited January 21, 2010 by cowgirl

[LarryJ]

I was discharged in 1983 for personality disorder and opened a claim that year for psychiatric disorder. The 2/28/86 decision states the following - Decision: Entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric condition is not warranted. Reason For Decision: Veteran is diagnosed with personality and subsequent adjustment disorder is not a disability which is compensable under the law as outlined by the 1945 Schedule for Rating Disabilities. In the beginning of this decision, it said number of sc disab - 0. I reopened claim on 5/23/00. Their 6/30/00 letter states - The claim for sc for a mental condition was rated 2/28/86. SMR's showed a personality disorder. VA exam in 5/85 showed an adjustment disorder. Neither of these are disabilities for which compensation is payable. So, was i rated 0% in 1986? If not, why wasn't i rated 0% or more in 2000 because adjustment dis had become payable in november 1996? What could i do now? Ask the VA, where's my rating or how about an increase more than my 0%? Cue time? No, it wasn't an error. Would it be called unintentional forgetfulness?

"In the beginning of this decision, it said number of sc disab - 0."

It said "number of service-connected disabilities - 0" as in "you had zero service-connected disabilities", as in "none".

You never had a 0% rating. You never had a service-connected rating at all, the way I read your post.

Maybe I am missing something, if so, please help me out.

[broncovet]

Blanco

I agree with you in that there is some crazy stuff going on here.

There is a big difference between service connection denied and service connected at 0% even tho they pay the same amount..zip...zilch, nada.

If your are service connected at zero percent, you can always ask for an increase if your condition worsens. However, if SC is denied, then an "increase" does not apply.

Your one year appeal period of the 1986 has long since expired, so you will have to "CUE" the claim in order to get RETROACTIVE BENEFITS to 1986.

If you reopened your claim in 2000 due to 'new and material evidence' then you need to state what that evidence was. For example, if you saw a doctor prior to year 2000 who stated in his medical report that you had a psychiatric disorder, that is far different than a 'personality disorder'. Usually, docs dont say 'psychiatric disorder', they say you are depressed, bipolar, schizophrenic, etc...all of those are 'psychiatric disorders'.

Are you on, or have you ever been on antidepressant meds? (Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Lithium, etc). If you are/have been on those meds, the doc wont prescribe them unless he has made a diagnosis, usually for a mental disorder. The doctor is not trying to "treat" your personality..that is who you are. If you have never been on any doctor perscribed drugs, I would say you are unlikely to get any benefits for a mental disorder (unless maybe you had electro shock therapy, and they dont usually do that until they have tried pills first).

However, if you have been on antidepressants or other mental disorder meds, or have been hospitalized (mental hospital) with things like "suicidal ideations", then you are much more likely to be awarded benefits.

To get benefits, you have to have a current condition or disability, as well as a link (nexus) to military service.

I think I have heard before of Vets who were discharged with a "personality disorder" rather than a mental illness in order to not have to pay benefits. To fix this, you would need ANOTHER Doctor (VA or not VA) to state in his medical report 1)that you do have a mental condition, such as depression and 2)that it was "at least as likely as not" due to military service.

If a Doc Did state this in his medical report, I think that would be "new and material evidence" to open your case.

Finally, of course, you should review your medical records both in service and out of service. If a doc did prescribe pills for you, or if he did diagnose you with MDD or another mental disorder, then you can "CUE" them...that they failed to consider Doctor.....(Jones) evidence. The VA is required to consider ALL evidence, so if they failed to consider a doctors report then that is a basis for CUE.

[LarryJ]

Like I said, from what you've told us, you were never service-connected for anything from the "git-go"...........so, you've never been actually "rated" at anything.....0% or otherwise.

Best bet.

File a new claim, with new evidence and citing the change of heart of the VA vis a vis personality/adjustment/psychiatric disorder(s).

IMHO.

[blanco63]

I have always thought that the VA did not give me a percentage in 1986 for adjustment disorder because at that time it was not payable but believe that they should have when i reopened in 2000 since it had become payable in 1996. I guess that i've been thinking that the adjustment disorder was something called NCSC, non-compensable service connected until it became compensable in 2000. So it is time to forget that claim, stop all this nonsense, and open a new claim. I have been treated and on medication for several mental disorders since 1996. I am pretty sure that my psychiatrist will write the simple letter to get the ball rolling. My patient's bipolar do was incurred during his military service in the US Navy. It is related and connected to the schizoid personality do diagnosed by the Navy. GAF, meds, military records were reviewed. I see him on feb 1st. Thank you everybody!

[carlie]

My patient's bipolar do was incurred during his military service in the US Navy. It is related and connected to the schizoid personality do diagnosed by the Navy. GAF, meds, military records were reviewed. I see him on feb 1st. Thank you everybody!

blanco.

Are you saying you have copies of an actual DX of

schizoid personality while on active duty in the Navy?

Was that your reason for discharge?

carlie