ptsd Wife And Caregiver Of Totally Disabled Vet

[Caregiverjc]

My husband is a Vietnam vet. He applied for PTSD 3 years ago and has been denied. He appealed, had another exam about a year ago, still waiting to heal. We are sure that they chalk his PTSD to his other condition. A little history: Over 20 years ago my husband was in an accident and suffered a severe brain injury. The catastrophic injury has left him in a wheelchair and I have to take full care of him. He has severe short term memory problems and needs help with every daily existence. He has no VA benefits because of the, I think 2003 law change about qualifying. I think he can qualify for housebound but not sure. My question is should he wait until we hear about the PTSD claim or start a new claim in the other direction. I would like some advice on what to do and where to start. This is all new for me and my husband isn't able to help. If anyone can help I so would appreciate it.

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit.

[Caregiverjc]

Thank you for your post. My husband did go to VA for a couple of years for counseling and group meetings. The VA counselor agreed he has PTSD . He stopped going because he felt it was not doing him any good. Even now he is a very proud and private man. I have not seen any exam result. The VA has record of 2 of his PTSD stressors. I know he experienced several difficult times but the ones that hurt him the most was watching his best friend and fellow pilot being killed by the enemy after his helicopter was shot down. My husband also has pictures of his helicopter after it took 56 rounds and a crew member was killed. My husband was wounded with shrapnel which he just pulled out of his arm and didn't report it. He job was rescue and recover so he did witness injured men and some that didn't make it. He would have to wash blood out of his helicopter after a mission. These are just a few of the situations he experienced while in Vietnam. He is a very modest man and felt like he was just doing his job. He did receive several awards while there but does not talk about what he did to receive them. Sorry, I have gone way off track. It just makes me angry that after all that he did that he could be treated like this. I know people who got PTSD awarded and never put a foot in Vietnam...

[Berta]

Rescue and recovery says it all.

I am astonished that VA denied his PTSD claim and fortunately he appealed that denial.

Can you tell us why they denied the claim?

“It just makes me angry that after all that he did that he could be treated like this. I know people who got PTSD awarded and never put a foot in Vietnam... “

PTSD does not discriminate and we here at hadit don't either.

There are probably more PTSD victims globally due to non combat causes then the percentage of US combat veterans who have it.

911 survivors, rape victims, sunami and earthquake victims, and,of course, victims of any catastrophic accident on land ,air and sea.

I worked at a vet center with a PTSD combat group. But we also saw non combatants with bonafide PTSD too.

The first PTSD veteran I ever met was incountry Vietnam, but not in combat. Dont ask me what she did there or after she came back or what she did in service before she went.

Even without her Vietnam service, she had bonafide service connected PTSD probably prior to Vietnam.

If your hsband's diagnosis of PTSD came prior to his accident, I dont understand why they denied him in the first place.

"The VA has record of 2 of his PTSD stressors"

Were they able to verify these stressors via JSRRC?

Wat ever reason they denied for is the reason that must be overcome on appeal.

[carlie]

My husband is a Vietnam vet. He applied for PTSD 3 years ago and has been denied. He appealed, had another exam about a year ago, still waiting to heal. We are sure that they chalk his PTSD to his other condition. A little history: Over 20 years ago my husband was in an accident and suffered a severe brain injury. The catastrophic injury has left him in a wheelchair and I have to take full care of him. He has severe short term memory problems and needs help with every daily existence. He has no VA benefits because of the, I think 2003 law change about qualifying. I think he can qualify for housebound but not sure. My question is should he wait until we hear about the PTSD claim or start a new claim in the other direction. I would like some advice on what to do and where to start. This is all new for me and my husband isn't able to help. If anyone can help I so would appreciate it.

Please post exactly what is stated in the Reasons and Bases Section of the denial -

without personal info like name, claim #, etc . . .

[carlie]

Thank you for your post. My husband did go to VA for a couple of years for counseling and group meetings. The VA counselor agreed he has PTSD . He stopped going because he felt it was not doing him any good. Even now he is a very proud and private man. I have not seen any exam result. The VA has record of 2 of his PTSD stressors. I know he experienced several difficult times but the ones that hurt him the most was watching his best friend and fellow pilot being killed by the enemy after his helicopter was shot down. My husband also has pictures of his helicopter after it took 56 rounds and a crew member was killed. My husband was wounded with shrapnel which he just pulled out of his arm and didn't report it. He job was rescue and recover so he did witness injured men and some that didn't make it. He would have to wash blood out of his helicopter after a mission. These are just a few of the situations he experienced while in Vietnam. He is a very modest man and felt like he was just doing his job. He did receive several awards while there but does not talk about what he did to receive them. Sorry, I have gone way off track. It just makes me angry that after all that he did that he could be treated like this. I know people who got PTSD awarded and never put a foot in Vietnam...

What awards did he receive ?

What awards are shown on his DD214 ?

PTSD IS NOT limited to "never put a foot in Vietnam".

Not every veteran that was in combat in Vietnam or another war / conflict - ended up having PTSD.

Many veterans have never been in a combat situation - but still experienced something on AD,

that resulted in them having PTSD.

[Boxer]

Were you aware that he can receive non service connected catastrophic disability from the VA on the basis of his having served one day in a period of war, just for applying for it? I think they are paying at the 60% level with no dependents which is about $ 967.00 a month. My brother in law (another Marine ) come down with multiple myaloma, didn't know where to turn so they called me. We got got the paperwork together and filed the claim, he was dead within a year but damm it he died with his VA benefits.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Boxer