ptsd And, The V A People Wonder Why We Veterans.....

[LarryJ]

Could it be things like THIS!

THREE opinions positive for PTSD.

Receiving TREATMENT FROM A VA PSYCHIATRIST AND TWO VA PSYCHOLOGISTS for PTSD!

Fourteen Months in I Corps.

USMC

....and he gets this!

[GuaymasJim]

I am sorry Mr. Breckenridge but while I appreciate your stated desire to help very much, your first paragraph is exactly the circular argument that infuriates so many reasonable people. It is also the type of illogic that is mostly to blame for the million claim back log. We have Norma Perez telling her fellow providers not to diagnose PTSD. We have the DOD saying not to diagnose PTSD. We have court cases making DOD change their misdiagnoses and ratings, and came very close to having a court ordering the VA to do the same. The BVA and COVA overturn exactly this type of BS. Recently, Justice Roberts was "shocked" when a VA attorney admitted that 50-60% of the legal positions taken by the VA against veterans are legally unsupportable. Half or more of the positions taken by the VA are NOT SUPPORTED BY THE FACTS. Don't you find that information somewhat embarrassing? I most certainly would!

Are VA mental healthcare providers the only ones qualified to diagnose PTSD? Are private practitioners ignorant of the DSM-IV? With access to the veteran's medical records, service records, and C-File cannot private practitioners determine a valid nexus to military service.

If a VA practitioner writes PTSD in your treatment records, is it guess? If it is a guess and these veterans are prescribed strong psychotropic medications, some mixtures are even suspected of causing death, how can this be justified. If I went to the VAMC and complained that I was pregnant, I am sure I would not be treated for it. (Wrong plumbing!)

What do you think the ratio is between combat and MST veterans claiming PTSD and those addicted to crack? That would be a very interesting statistic. I predict that the ratio to be very very lop sided toward combat MST veterans with PTSD.

If veterans come to their VA with mental health complaints, yes most (not all) of them will receive some manner of treatment. Part of that treatment will be a diagnosis. If a vet suffers from depression, he or she should be diagnosed with depression. If you are saying that VA mental health providers lackadaisically writes down PTSD in veterans' medical records rather that a proper supportable diagnosis, then they are malpracticing against every veteran they treat. There are also hundreds of different cancers. You are saying that it would be OK for the provider to just write down cancer and start providing chemo. Is that what you really wanted to say?

LarryJ, I am helping a vet with a PTSD claim with not 3 VA providers diagnosing PTSD, but SEVEN and two private providers, and a prompt SSDI award for PTSD based ENTIRELY ON VA RECORDS! As I watch this veteran deteriorate, it makes me just as angry as you seem to be.

Cruinthe, this veteran has an appointment with his Senator this afternoon. You are so very right that when you become political about this type of treatment, have your ducks in a row FIRST. Congress members don't have any more hours in a day than we do. Be sharp; be concise; and be dead-on accurate and honest. Leave the dramatics at home that day. This is an election year and it will be HARD fought by both sides. That fact may give us a little more leverage than usual.

This crap has to stop! I only wish I knew how. Another generation of America's finest are being flushed down drain by the VA just like our generation was. As the judge said, it is a black mark of shame!

Edited July 29, 2010 by GuaymasJim

[john999]

This is the VA playing "Gotcha". The VBA is still a rotten organiation who main mission is to find evidence to "deny" claims. It is the 4% soulution. Vets who depend on the VA to get SC'ed for any condition are really letting the claim hang on a rotten limb. It should not be that way, but that is the system in my eyes. Obviously, the VA went over this vet's evidence to find some reason to deny. Most vets with PTSD have depression. Since there was evidence that the vet had a mood disorder and PTSD the benefit of doubt should have gone to the vet.

[carlie]

Larry,

I have a strong feeling the decision maker has cherry picked one sentence out of the C&P exam

to support the denial.

Can you post the actual C&P exam results ?

[LarryJ]

Larry,

I have a strong feeling the decision maker has cherry picked one sentence out of the C&P exam

to support the denial.

Can you post the actual C&P exam results ?

Yup, Carlie, that is EXACTLY what happened. I'll post the C&P in it's entirety as soon as I have the time (I was up late last night just getting the stuff scanned in for this posting.....my scanner is old and slow, kinda like it's owner). I've got three more 21-526's to file today, and, I, myself, have spent the entire morning at the VAMC on MY OWN PCP visit, trying to take care of ME, so doing that, what with all the copying, scanning, etc. and putting together a sensible, readable claim takes time. I was able to file two new claims yesterday. I'm gonna give the VA a "trial run" on their NEW 21-526EZ forms just to see if, by me sending in ALL the paperwork, if that will make things any better.....or if they will just go ahead and hang their hat on "pure speculation" as they have done the Marine hereby in question...........causing him more mental anquish.

Oh, By-The-Way, what ever happened to Mr. Breckenridge?

HELLO, OUT THERRRE, JAMES!

[carlie]

Larry,

I feel James will respond but he is probably at work right now.

Believe it or not he does try to help here,several times by showing what needs to be done for a claim to be granted.

jmho

[LarryJ]

Larry,

I feel James will respond but he is probably at work right now.

Believe it or not he does try to help here,several times by showing what needs to be done for a claim to be granted.

jmho

I'm sure you are right. On both counts. 1. He's probably at work. 2. He does try to help.

Now, having said that, I am also a bit peturbed that he jumped to the defense of the VA in this particular instance, after me stating in my original posting that the VA, THEMSELVES, had diagnosed this veteran with PTSD, three different professionals, three different times. I normally do not jump hastily into a fray with the VA and I do NOT make unfounded statements.

But, seeing as how you and I have a personal agreement that I gladly entered into, I will now bow out of this and say no more.

Maybe he can tell me what I need to do to help this veteran overcome the denial(s) (the vet originally applied in 2003 and was denied, the first time).

But, we will see............si'?