ptsd How Long Does The Varo In Ga Take To Process Claims

[Cm Burns]

I filed my claim in October, I have gotten 2 brown envelopes and have completed the docs and sent them back. I have also taken advise from here and working on what I have been told to do to try and find my records. When I called and asked for a status update they said they were waiting on my civillian records to come back. They claimed they did not get some of the docs I sent so I am sending them another copy. Since I have no records I am also sending them a statement from a girl that worked in outpatient phyciatry where I was seen on active duty as well as a few more statements. That will be done by the end of the week. I am just curious how long claims are taking these days. I say another post that said 5 mos but not sure where they are located. Do you guys have any idea in this area how long I should expect to wait. My cliam was extensive. I had several problems from Depression to ptsd while on active duty. I also had an issue that caused me to almost die having my second daughter. I was told there was some issue within my uterus that caused this and my first daughter was delivered by c-section at Winn army hospital. What do you guys thing as a guage. I have not been able to work at a job out side my house due to symptoms of my ptsd and rarly leave home unless with my family. even then I am so paraniod I can rarely enjoy myself. Its tough on me and my family because the lack of income is very stressfull. I have not worked outside my home since 1999. I also applied for pension but am told the pension will take the same amount of time as the compensation claim so there is no relief in the near future for my finances. Thnx in advance for your help and advise. I am just looking for a way to guage time. I know also there is no guarantee what the outcome with be but with my symptoms I am just hopefull that out of the 27plus things I claimed I will get a min of at least 80-100% Thnx in advance again for your help this board has been a God send to me for info and insite into my condition and has let me know that I am not totally crazy that what i am going through is something that other exp as well.

Thnx

[Berta]

"I know also there is no guarantee what the outcome with be but with my symptoms I am just hopefull that out of the 27plus things I claimed I will get a min of at least 80-100%"

There is no room for Hope in the VA claims process.

Awards depend solely on medical evidence.

It seems you claim you are unable to work primary due to PTSD with depression.This should be your main focus-

Have you gotten a formal diagnosis of PTSD yet from a psychologist or psychiatrist?

I dont doubt that you could have depression as part of the PTSD and it can cause other mental health issues but the VA will lump it all together-as there is only one rating given for PTSD with other mental health issues.

Unemployability due to service connected PTSD is a medical determination.From 1999 to present have you ever applied for SSA disabilty or SSI? Do you receive either SSA disability or SSI for anything you have claimed with the VA?

Any SSA or SSI determination can be considered as medical evidence of unemployability.If the SSA or SSI is solely for a service connected condition (or what could become a SC condition) then it has probativbe value to VA in determining TDIU (or schedular 100% award)

If you have a residual documented disability due to the birth of your child-I see that as the second issue you would want them to address.

You would need proof of the additional disability and also it would have to raise to a ratable level for any compendsation to be awarded.

For the PTSD claim-any vet with the PH, CAR or CIB on their DD 214 is concecded 99% of the time as having experienced a stressor.

If you dont have any of those awards on your DD 214 you will have to have a proven nexus (link) to your PTSD.

Do you have copies of your complete SMRs?

"Since I have no records I am also sending them a statement from a girl that worked in outpatient phyciatry where I was seen on active duty as well as a few more statements."

The statements could help you but the actual out patient records will help more.

Have you requested copy of your SMRs from NARA?

Do you have a vet rep?

[Berta]

PS-it is almost impossible to guess on a time frame for the claims process.

There are almost a millions claims at the VA these days and even the Secretary mentioned that he added to the backlog when he put 3 new presumptives onto the AO list.

Also the VA is now going to look at thousands of PTSD awards of OIF OEF veterans that might well have been rated too low-

and GWVs claims might also get a second review eventually due to recent developments.

The best thing any vet can do to try to get to a proper decision ion a reasonable period of time is to send them exactly what they ask for in the VCAA letter they get and -in many cases- they might even need to get an independent medical opinion.

I dont think the VA wants to even read beyond the first page of a claim or any responses to SOCs etc so it pays to be brief and to the point and to highlight and send any medical evidence that is pertinent to the claim.

It sounds like the VA has focused on the PTSD claim

"From there All I can do is wait for them to get the records from the civilian sources and then wait to see where things go."

You could attempt to get these records yourself too.

The most critical medical records my husband had for his PTSD claim were from a VA in New Jersey and from his VA psychiatrist here in New York.

VA said they had no Record of any of his Newark VA med recs (but the SSA had obtained a stack of them)

and they ignored his VA New York psychiatric records until we got copies of them ourselves.

It often does not pay to depend on them to obtain anything critical to a claim.

Or to double check with the source to see if they requested them and then received them.

[evandc]

The ACAP and the Transitional center or anyone that files 27 issues for a vet is full of crap. I have a 145 lb. friend that had someone also file claim that sounds like yours. My favorite was "obesity".

These clowns go into your records & file for everything you even went on sick call to compalin about. What a bunch of crap.

These people probably think they are serving the vet. Guess what, they will only complicate your life. I found that if you have PTSD that will always be much worse for your health than an ingrown toe nail, if you have Cancer not much need to file for injured finger playing basketball. If your heart is failing why worry about pimples. If your kidneys are failing should you worry about sty on your left eye. Why can't these people just file on the (pick a number) 1,2,3,4,5 issues that really amount to something. This SHOTGUN APPROACH sucks.

Sorry, JMHO

Don

[myround0]

CM, I understand you, fully. I must say these guys are right, the more disabilities attached to a claim, the less likely it will be done in an expeditious manner. That said, IF YOU HAVE 27 UNADDRESSED ITEMS IN YOUR SERVICE RECORD, CLAIM THEM. When you separate, or retire, from the service, the VA reps doesn't do the job he/she should. He/she cherry picks only a few items, so it is up to you, to go through your records and point out THE THINGS YOU WANT REVIEWED. The VA is under close scrunity, so I expect they will review your case quicker than the culture they fostered in the past, but, in their own creative way, it will take some time. Just make sure you do your part, make your package presentable, give them all the documents they ask for, in the shortest amount of time possible. Highlight the examiners name, the medical center, your name, ssn, the dates, and the results of the visit. IF YOU HAVE 27 ITEMS, my advise is send them in, but be prepared to wait. As someone stated, the other option is send them in one at a time. That would not be my approach, but it is a viable option.

[Pete53]

In my op[inion making a specific claim presumptive should speed things up as the VARO Rater just has to award based ON A PROPER DIAGNOSIS THAT LINKS TO SERVICE?

[AimHigh1986]

My initial claim with Atlanta took 9 months. But I didn't claim 27 issues.