ptsd 70% Ptsd>>>Should I File For Tdiu

[Gridsmasher11]

I am currently 70% service connected for PTSD and MDD.I am still within my year for appeal....I am currently employed by the Department of Defense as a mail clerk...It is a boring job with little responsibility and limited contact with others..My main function is just to be here......But I am having problems with attendance due to my PTSD and really barely just hanging on....My meds make it extremely difficult to wake up and drive the 90 miles to work and to function properly once there.I don't really work well with others and have had altercations in all of my previous jobs until this one.....I have a wonderful supervisor who signs off on my sick days but my attendance is getting worse..I now average between 2 and 6 days a month missed time due to the PTSD and meds........It is getting to be really difficult to keep working..........Should I go ahead and file for TDIU or should I wait until I get to the point where they have to fire me and then file....By the way I am 48 years old.......Any thoughts would be appreciated....................................................Grid

[maset22]

Gridsmassher, as I read your posting and of the others. I want to mention Safety First. And it bring back some memories that I went thru as a mail carrier.

In those moments for me I did not know what my condition was, I just knew it was hard to drive almost two hours to work, then put in six hours at work, then drive back home, all while I was and I am, on some though medications. Sleeping on the road, waiting to hear the sounds of the other cars moving, so I could open my eyes at the stop lights and go. In one case, a school bus ran me off the road, luckily we were in a rural area, in my case I resign, I had nine years and eight months, four months from early retirement, plus the days I miss. I ask? Who would do that in there right mind?

I was angry, I did not know how I was going to feed my family, I could not leave the house unless it was somehow Dr. visits and I seems to be more relax with my veterans at VA and Dr.'s. I just wanted to... many things, But I got some treatment, and I am still in treatment.

I cannot tell you how to proceed, I was honest as I could, even that took some time, the word that I think most help me came from one of my Dr. at the Va. "Compassion" Not so much as nice to others, but, kind to yourself also. Wish you the best, but most off all, don't give up

[john999]

Grid

You can do as I did when I worked for USPS. I waited until they drove me crazy. Then they had enough on me to fire me for cause. I hired a MSPB lawyer and got a disability retirement instead. I filed for workers compensation. I also filed for SSDI and TDIU. I would not do it that way again even though it worked for me. When I knew I could not do it any more I would put in for the retirement and start the ball rolling on all the other programs as soon as I became eligible. It is very stressful to get fired. I got picked up by workers' compensation within months of being fired because my condition was known to them and I was already on light duty for it. See if you can sign up for one of the group disability programs the feds offer. While you wait you can draw money from your TSP. OPM is easy to get but it is small money. Once you get TDIU or 100% you will be making more take home pay than your buddies who were telling how sorry they were to see you go.

John