diabetes C&p Examiner Said Ptsd

[avcorpsman]

My husband went for a C&P exam this week for depression, panic attacks and anxiety. I was there with him. He's a Vietnam Navy vet with boots on the ground. We were asking to get these conditions secondary to SC connected diabetes and neuropathy. The examiner said it sounds more like PTSD. He applied for depression in 2002 at the same time as diabetes but was denied. They said he needed new and material evidence to reopen. This time we asked for it as secondary, He's had problems for years. He was stationed in FL and on search and rescue had to pick up body parts after accidents over the water. On carrier in Vietnam saw and treated pilots whose planes virtually disintegrated crashing into the carrier. Doesn't know how to document this. He was close to the pilots because he routinely tested them for flight duty. also an incident when he was to be flown home. In Danang waiting days for a ride they took mortar fire. What should we do now? any help would be much appreciated.

[Aletta]

Have you tried doing a search on the BVA with your hubby's ship name? That is how I helped another Navy Vet. I found an approval for PTSD on the ship the vet was on during the same time. I would be happy to help you research all of it. I was able to find the declassified DoD documents of an attach where lots of air crafts was destroyed. Was anything damage or destroyed during your hubby's incident. The DoD kept good records on any damage of equipment than they did deaths and injury. That is why I found the evidence I did for my hubby's claim. The VA always wanted to know the approximent date of the incident... My hubby said he didn't take notes...lol.. I was able to give them the exact date from the records. Also, you can get ship logs.. A friend of mine has a bunch on his website.. There is another BWN site for connecting with other Vets on different ships.

He will need a diagnois of PTSD before any claim will be approved.. .

[Philip Rogers]

He should file for PTSD, now, and look for evidence of any of the events you mentioned, as he'll need it. Aircraft crashing should be in ship's log. Search & rescue, in FL, picking up body parts, should be in daily logs. Affidavits from buddies who witnessed what he saw can be evidence also. A sworn statement from you about what he reported he saw at that time, if you knew him then. He only needs one provable event for a PTSD claim. He needs a diagnosis of PTSD also. A vet center is usually a great place to get that and counseling also. Once he wins that, I'd pursue the earlier effective date (EED) back to 2002. jmo

pr

[Berta]

Here is the link to the most recent AO ship's list:

That was a year ago so maybe it has grown by now.

But you said he already has SC for diabetes and the PN.

This certainly is PTSD.

With his MOS and with proof of stressors he should claim and be given comp for PTSD.

“In Danang waiting days for a ride they took mortar fire.”

With any proof of that alone, he would fit into the new PTSD criteria.

PTSD claims since 2010 need 2 things, diagnosis from VA MH provider which he has and evidence that gets them into the new PTSD criteria here at hadit.

. “He applied for depression in 2002 at the same time as diabetes but was denied. They said he needed new and material evidence to reopen “

Did the VA mistakenly diagnose him with depression? …..hmmmm. That older denial might have some benefit now.

In any event I feel he should definitely file for PTSD. And not as a secondary condition.

“On carrier in Vietnam saw and treated pilots whose planes virtually disintegrated crashing into the carrier. Doesn't know how to document this. He was close to the pilots because he routinely tested them for flight duty. also an incident when he was to be flown home.”

If he cae remember names and hometowns of any of these men or google them and possibly an old obit might turn up, then with a print out from the Wall,if possible -the obit might be good enough, and maybe a few buddy statements, this would be proof he witnessed their deaths and knew them.

We used print outs from the Traveling Wall. My husband's best friend in Vietnam was blown up right in front of him.VA never acknowledged the Wall print outs however as he had other stressors they easily confirmed. The Wall people need unit info, dates, and Hometown info when they help a vet search the panels for a deceased buddy. The rationale is, if the vet really knew the buddy they would most often be in same unit , maybe even same MOS, same timeframe, and the vet would probably know the buddy's hometown.

Aletta and PR gave you great advise here.

PR said: “Once he wins that, I'd pursue the earlier effective date (EED) back to 2002. “ jmo

Indeed.I concur.

Would he recall the date of the Danang incident? Maybe before or after the monsoons, or close to a holiday here at home?

They took on lots of incoming at Danang air base in the early stages of the war.

Was he in support of a USMC Unit there?

That would be in Morning Reports , probably from the Marine Corps.

I personally feel his MOS was a stressor itself but VA might want proof of stressor to comply with the new PTSD criteria which is here :

Those crashes, "virtually disintegrated crashing into the carrier", and those incidents were horrific. Some of those crashes made National News. With a date and name of the ship, he should google them as them and click on the Google news icon.

If he can place a newspaper article with same ship, same time and place he witnessed these crashes (but only needs one stressor as PR said), along with his service period on the ship ( He probably has a 201 file ,if Navy and they can be obtained from NARA ), to prove that, there should be no problem with proving that stressor.

Was the PTSD diagnosis actually confirmed yet or did they set him up for MMPI or further testing?

Edited March 9, 2013 by Berta

[2E151]

Some of those crashes made National News. With a date and name of the ship, he should google them as them and click on the Google news icon.

If he can place a newspaper article with same ship, same time and place he witnessed these crashes (but only needs one stressor as PR said), along with his service period on the ship ( He probably has a 201 file ,if Navy and they can be obtained from NARA ), to prove that, there should be no problem with proving that stressor.

Berta; Hate to jump in another thread but you brought up a big issue for me; how does the VA feel about newpaper articles used to help verify the stressor? In developing my own case I've heard conflicting information; one side of the argument says the VA gives absolutely no credability to them when deciding a claim, the other side says they do. For me thats a make or break.

[Aletta]

After I replied, I started thinking. Since the new regs on not having to prove a stressor if in combat zone, does this apply to Navy? My hubby's,( Army)claim was filed before the new reg and was approved the month before it went into effect. So he had to prove his stressor. I was just wonder how this effected Navy Vets? From the replies after mine, I assume they still have to 'prove' a stressor? It really don't see just, does it?

[Philip Rogers]

Newspaper articles are good, provided you can prove you were there. If I have an article saying a plane crashed at wherever AFB, I'll need proof that I was on the base at the time it happened and somewhere near the accident. Now if I was with the fire/rescue unit and on duty that day, that would probably suffice. jmo

pr

Berta; Hate to jump in another thread but you brought up a big issue for me; how does the VA feel about newpaper articles used to help verify the stressor? In developing my own case I've heard conflicting information; one side of the argument says the VA gives absolutely no credability to them when deciding a claim, the other side says they do. For me thats a make or break.