ptsd Vamc-Lyons Clinical Treatment Records Disappeared!

[BlakePaigeStone]

I found-out, today, why I keep getting questions about my PTSD inpatient clinical treatment records at the VAMC-Lyons, in 1995.

I spoke, by phone, with the 'Release of Information' office, at the VAMC-Lyons, (now called 'New Jersey VA Health System'); and ...their representative told me that my VARO keeps getting a negative hit because their computer records never show me as being a patient there! Wow! That made me feel like I was in the 'Twilight Zone!' It looks like I didn't even exist!

My inpatient treatment, from the last week of August, 1995 at the VAMC-Philadelphia for my inpatient substance detox; then, transferred to the VAMC-Coatesville in September, 1995 for their inpatient Dual-Diagnosis Program, (PTSD / Life Management); and ...finally, to the VAMC-Lyons for their '6-week inpatient PTSD program.'

I was in three VAMCs ...from the last week of August, 1995; to ...the last week of December, 1995. I received 'post 21-day, temporary 100% disability,' from September 13, 1995 ...until January 1, 1996.

My service-connection was awarded ...from September, 1995. How could my medical treatment records disappear? How could the VAMC-Lyons have no record of my ever being there during the time of my inpatient PTSD program clinical treatment?! Where are my records? How do I locate them?

The 'Release of Information' office acts, as if ...I'm confused about where I was an inpatient; or ...simply crazy!

"IS THERE ANYONE, OUT THERE, WHO WAS A 'PTSD PROGRAM INPATIENT' ...AT THE VAMC-LYONS, DURING NOVEMBER & DECEMBER OF 1995?"

My VAMC-Lyons medical summary, and clinical treatment records, could have been requested by the VARO-Newark; VARO-Atlanta; or ...the VAROIC-Philadelphia. My claims file was relocated every time I moved ...over the seven-year period that my claim was being prosecuted. My claim was awarded, (1995 - 2002), by the VAROIC-Philadelphia. Every previous VARO started the claim over '...from scratch!' All records were requested each time another VARO took over my claims file. Could my Vet Center, in Philadelphia have requested my clinical treatment records?

I'm also, still waiting for my 'claims file;' as ...I just received the following:

Discussion Thread

Response via Email Via Email (Department of Veterans Affairs)

08/27/2011 02:14 PM

Your payment, for your Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records under the Privacy Act, was just received and was forwarded to the VA Agent Cashier to be deposited in the VA Fund. Once verification has been received of the Deposit your copies will be mailed by the U.S. Postal System. Your Privacy Act request will be closed at that time.

We ask that you allow more than sufficient time for the records to reach you.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message. If at some future time we can help you on a different subject, you may submit a new inquiry at https://iris.va.gov, call us toll free at 1-800-827-1000, or visit our web site at www.va.gov.

Sincerely yours,

F. Walden

Veterans Service Center Manager

Email address: https://iris.va.gov

I may find the records among my claims file documents; as ...I received the 'first 100-pages,' for free, in late July, 2011; ('my official F.O.I.A. request was submitted in September, 2010'), but ...had to submit payment for the other 1,500+ pages, that are referred to in the message ...above.

My claims file did, as I recall, have some copies of my treatment summary from the VAMC-Lyons ...when I had looked through my claims file, at the VAROIC-Philadelphia, back in the late 1990s. Now, the VAMC-Lyons says that I never was a patient there ...according to their negative search-response. "WTF!"

Whenever I think that I've seen it all, (relating to the VA), something, that's even crazier ...happens!

Discharged, from the VAMC-Lyons PTSD Inpatient Program ...during the last-week of December, 1995.

How could medical records be sent someplace ...within the VA system, without a notation as to... 'where they are being sent?'

I need some suggestions, and/or, input ...from anyone. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

"Help!!!"

[BlakePaigeStone]

Yeah; I guess the temporary 100% rating, for inpatient hospital time, will show that the dates had to include those 6-weeks in some VA Medical Center, (Lyons) '...somewhere!'

Thanks for the encouraging words; and ...I'll keep everyone, on 'HadIt.Com' posted on the results of this issue.

Regards,

Sonny

The fact that you spent 6 weeks in a VA Hospital and they know that is helpful. The VA for the most part are good at keeping our records but the people who handle and make copies and ship to storage are not exactly the most motivated.

The VA has a duty to reconstruct records if they can't find them

Good Luck

[BlakePaigeStone]

You bring up some interesting points. I just hope that my records were not subjected to censorship, destruction/shredding, or any other negative disposition. I, hopefully, think that... 'they are in my claims-file.' My award of service-connection included the time spent in VA Medical Centers, (temporary 100% hospitalization), during 1995.

I'm still waiting for the 1,500 pages of my copy of my claims-file ...which I requested in September of 2010. I received the 'free,' first 100-pages, in late-July; and ...made payment, for the balance, in early-August. We'll see if anything turns-up when I go through my claims-file.

Thanks for your input.

Regards,

Sonny

The VA is much better at keeping records than the military. I think the military often destroyed records or went out of their way to "clean" them or censor them. I know they did it in my case. My basic training medical records disappeared. My dental records were censored. My psychiatric records were lost in part. The VA kept my records even if they did not share that knowledge with me.