ptsd Stessor Verification Without Jsrrc?

[SigBnSoldier]

This is my first post in hadit, but I've been reading for nearly a year, thank you for your wisdom!

I've faced a lot of criticism for having a non combat ptsd claim on a different site, so I'll briefly qualify my circumstances in order to get help.

I was stationed in Germany, 1990-1992. During a field exercise, at night, while in uniform, there was a large explosion near my AO at the training area, it was a German civilian transport truck and a small passenger car that had wrecked and caught fire on the nearby autobahn. I along with several other soldiers rushed to the scene and rescued the driver of the truck, and tried unsuccessfully to pull out his passenger before it went up in flames. The passenger didn't make it, and I can't forget the scene and the hopelessness of standing by...

Within a few weeks I started experiencing nightmares, anxiety, panic attacks. I was under the naive assumption that PTSD was only for combat veterans until about a year ago, when I was at the VA clinic in my town to see the mental health. The Psch diagnosed me with PTSD non combat, and encouraged me to file a claim.

To digress, I was diagnosed bipolar at the VA in 2002 also with a previous history of suicide attempts a year and a half after discharge. I was discharged (ETS) honorably in 1996. First suicide attempt was 18 months after. I have many similar diagnosis of bipolar, one of "reaction psychosis", and a depression diagnosis all through VA and inpatient for bipolar/suicidal ideation. I was awarded SSDI in 2003.

Having filled you in, here are my questions-

Do these many diagnosis other than PTSD, after discharge, completely negate this new diagnosis of PTSD?

Second question, I have had a heck of a time gathering proof of my stressor. So far I've submitted a German newspaper article and two eyewitness buddy statements, as well as two family statements and all my post discharge medical history. I've written to the JSRRC, they claim no record of my Signal Battalion in Germany was ever turned in. My brigade and battalion were inactivated in 2007. I have ran into dead ends in finding unit reports of the incident. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where to search for S-3 reports or Staff Duty journals, so that I can send the VA further proof of my stressor?

Thank you for reading my thread and for your help!

[Hollis]

OK sorry thanks for reminding me.

[SigBnSoldier]

It's been 5 months since I started this thread. I had two C&P's this week, one for Asthma on Tuesday and a PTSD C&P today. It was intense, 130 minute long review of my life from childhood to now. No computer tests or written tests, just an oral mental assessment test. They psychologist was quite professional.

However, I feel a little hopeless about the success of this claim. At least 1/3 of the exam centered around questions having to do with bipolar disorder that a VA doctor consistently diagnosed me with in 4 different inpatients stays at VA hospital. At the end of the exam, the psych said, "Oh, by the way, I noticed one of the treating doctors noted in your progress notes the possibility of some bipolar symptoms while you were a teenager before you joined the army, what do you make of that..?" I was stumped. I told him I didn't remember any such conversation, which is true, and that the only thing I can remember psychologically noteworthy about my childhood was being told I was hyperactive, not allowed to eat sugar and being given coffee at night to put me to sleep.

Perhaps this admission at the end of my C&P ended my hopes of a successful PTSD claim... any thoughts?

[Berta]

Do you have your complete SMRs and copy of your 201 (Personnel file)?

"At least 1/3 of the exam centered around questions having to do with bipolar disorder that a VA doctor consistently diagnosed me with in 4 different inpatients stays at VA hospital"

Was the first hospital stay within one year after your discharge?

PTSD as a new criteria (as of 2010) and the criteria VA uses is in the PTSD forum.

Bi Polar is a psychosis that, if manifested to at least 10% ,by medical evidence within one year of discharge, can be considered by VA as a chronic presumptiv.e disability and service connected on that basis.

It seems you have had more treatment and diagnosis for the Bi Polar then the PTSD.

,

The reason I mention tat... I had a dear friend with Bi polar and it took almost ten years to succeed on his claim.He kept forgetting to obtain his personnel records

When he finally got them we found inservice manifestations of his bi polar in his Personnel file.

His VA shrink agreed and finally he attained service connection.He went from no SC at all to 100% P & T.

I mention this because you might have a stronger claim for the bi polar then the PTSD. Still it is impossible to really comment at all on that yet. Have you requested a copy of the C & P results yet?

[SigBnSoldier]

I have no in service diagnosis of Bipolar, nor any proof. My first psych hospitalization was 18 months after discharge. I have a confirmed stressor event while in service though.

[Philip Rogers]

This claim is going to take a while, as I feel you have a potential claim date back to your first VA hospitalization.

pr

[SigBnSoldier]

I received a copy of my Cfile in January. There was only a sheet of paper that showed awards, date of rank, medals, etc... There is no testament to poor behavior. Is this my "Personnel File"?

However, and this is self reported, so not sure if it holds any weight- I was awarded SSDI for bipolar in 2004, the "team" (board psychiatrist, and social worker" wrote my letter to Soc Sec. In the letter they state, "Patient reports Bipolar symptoms started while in the army". I was awarded SSDI on first try.

It's my understanding that my report of events holds no weight? But I've been telling doctors since 1997 that I started getting depressed and having mania a year before I got out of the army in 1996.

None of these psychological things started happening until my stressor event in 1991. It was a fiery wreck on the autobahn. The stressor has been confirmed. I have numerous buddy letters submitted with the claim, including eyewitness and statements from roomates that say they were concerned about my mental health back then and my drinking (5 years sober now).

So, this questioning by the C&P examiner yesterday seemed to be steering me toward a diagnosis of "pre-existing bipolar disorder". Can I still be service connected for PTSD even if I had the pre existing condition?

I myself cant tell you whether I agree with the bipolar condition or not, all I know is things went very bad starting that horrible night in 1991.