Tbi C&p

[DEWY]

I filed a claim over a year ago which the VA is still adjudicating for Menier's disease, although they all tell me they think it's Menier's disease they keep testing for other causes of my reported sympmtoms (i.e., migraines, etc). I received a call from the people handling my case stating that, after review, they feel my symptoms are indicative of a TBI and asked to file a claim for TBI on my behalf. I agreed. The problem is this; I'm a Viet Nam Viet and my head wound occured in 1968. I now have an upcoming C&P appointment for TBI and upcoming appointments with ENT for my pending Menier's claim (i.e., they have already awarded me 30% for labyrithisis but have agreed to revaluate after ENT gives a Dx for my condition).

My questions are: What should I expect at the TBI C&P, will it cause confusion with my current ongoing claim, and was it prudent at all to file a claim for TBI (...I was told at the time that my head injuries were temporary and was sent back to field duty after a couple months of hospital/bed rest).

[porg]

Thank you for responding to my posting.

No record of explosion in my service records. In fact no treatment at that time. Yes this is one of the PTSD stressors listed in my PTSD claim. I have a buddy letter stating the explosion occured and we survived. My MRI report is clear that a trauma occured. Putting two and two together and realizing that many of my problems are likely related to this event, has been a great releif. I read the VA's list of common problems related to TBI and it is really great to finally understand what has been happening to me. In 1969 I went to a VA hospital for bladder problems which have never abated. I can't empty my bladder and that is one of the effects of brain trauma. Another is sleep apnea. I have always had this. I also have extreme fatigue. All these things I believe and so does my neurologist, are related to brain trauma.

I'm still waiting to hear from the VA. I filed in October and so far I've just received the letters saying they are working on my claim. I will take your advice and respond to the VA as soon as they require.

Best Wishes

[porg]

Yes I have dizziness, vertigo and blank moments. Those blank moments are a bit weird, it's like a stop action movie or series of still photos with space in between. I did see a neurologist and he said I had visible brain trauma in the MRI. I'm just hoping the VA will accept that this because it happened so long ago. I wish I had gone to the VA earlier but I didn't so here we are. Thanks for the info.

John

[Berta]

A"ll these things I believe and so does my neurologist, are related to brain trauma."

Is this neuro doc willing to prepare an IMO that complies with the IMO criteria here in our IMO forum?

[porg]

I have an IME from a neurologist and he said the following.

He has classic TBI signs and symptoms (as per the VA guide for TBI examination) of headaches, dizziness, weakness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, balance issues short term memory problems, bladder problems, hypersensitivity to sound (as per his attached lay statement and clinical exam) and he was exposed to blast injuries in service with likely TBI (traumatic brain injury) as per my clinical interview and my review of his brain MRI report which describes findings consistent in my medical opinion with old trauma (“…T-2 hyperintensity…right inferior frontal lobe…frontal operculum….may represent prior trauma… Dr. Levy…”.) I understand that Dr. Levy used the word may but an injury in the operculum is a classic location for trauma to be manifest as the brain hits the inner regions of the skull in this area during trauma and causes encephalomalacia which is visualized as increased T-2 signal. This patient has increased T-2 signal in his operculum and therefore it is my opinion that this is most likely due to his service time trauma as this is a classic location for post trauma brain injury.

It's mostly greek to me but he does correlate the brain trauma to the event. So I'm hoping for the best. I'm currently 50% PTSD and 10% Tinnitus so I hope this adds to my compenstaion and I hope they don't lump the TBI issues into the PTSD.

[porg]

Thanks for the information. i can only wait and hope for the best. My IME was pretty thorough he even tied my sleep apnea to my TBI. I also appealed my PTSD rating which is currently at 50%. We will see.

[timetowinarace]

It appears to me you have plenty of medical evidence to support your claim. As stated by the other poster, it will come down to whether the VA finds the injury occured in service.

The only thought I have that might help is whether you have medicall records that state you have complained of these symtoms through the years. They don't need to show a diagnoses of TBI but just that you mentioned/complained of the symptoms. This would prove without a doubt that the injury is not new. I reccomend getting ALL of your medical records and going through each and every word to see if you had mentioned any TBI symptoms to medical personell. If it is in the records, send them to VARO. If it is not, do not send them. Send only the records that have complaints of these symptoms.

I won my claim 12 years after injury and was not diagnosed for years. However, I did have extensive records of complaining about the symptoms within a year of the injury.

I harp about neuro-pshycological testing on this board but I cannot stress the importance of it enough. While you allready have diffintive/unarguable proof from MRI and don't need the diagnostic side, a often overlooked fact is that you cannot get more than 40% under DC8045 without this testing.