ptsd If 100% But Not Pt Should You Apply For Pt

[eddingtons]

I was rated 100% in March of 2010. My disability is Bi-Polar and I was determined to be unemployable but in same ratings letter they stated that I was 100% so unemployability was not necessary.

I go to VA for all of my health needs and my children have a medical card through the state of KY but my wife does not have health coverage. Because I am not PT my dependents do not qualify for Champ VA..

I have thought about applying for PT but my rep through Kentucky Dept of Veteran Affairs and others at Louisville regional office all say dont rock the boat. You are 100% but if you draw attention to that you are asking for trouble and may get reduced.

Personally I dont see my condition ever improving. Technically it is PTSD due to sexual trauma aboard a ship but I have not applied for compensation for PTSD as I receive compensation for Bi-Polar.

Quesion.. can I submit evidence of PTSD without a new claim?

Are these service reps correct that asking to be PT to provide health insurance for my family could hurt my family?

I really worry about leaving my family if I should die without money. I tried to get additional term life insurance but was turned down flat by many insurance companies because I have had in patient hospital stays related to my mental illness. It seems wrong that my mental illness causes me to be hospitalized at the VA yet if I died tomorrow I could not protect my families support. My wife and children would only receive compensation if I died as a result of my SC disablity..not likely unless I commit suicide or die of a drug related illness.

[jbasser]

Bi Polar is a mental disability. The VA will not pay for both.

You need to get a MH doc to say your condition is static and is not likely to improve.

J

[eddingtons]

I receive SSDI. I applied for it at the same time as first VA claim and was approved for it two weeks before my 70% VA for Bi-Polar. I know that Bi-Polar is a mental disability as well as PTSD and that 100% is the maximum benefit. I applied immediately for 100% after 70% rating and received it one year later. I am very fortunate that my claims went through quickly. Maybe because I only had one condition and a long history of mental illness with the VA. I was in the nuclear power program in the Navy and had a pretty strict psych eval showing I was normal when I went in but received an honorable discharge for a mental illness. Called it a personality disorder then and put a letter in my service record stating that the Navy took no responsibly for this mental disorder either direct or implied. Kind of hard to say not service connected with that letter in there.. I hated it when I first had to read it but twenty years later it seemed to help expedite things

What I wanted to know is should I submit evidence of PTSD to show that this Bi-Polar is not likely to get better as the triggering event and aggravating issue is PTSD as a result of Military Sexual Trauma.

I know MST is usually women but there is a psych lady I am working with in Cincinnati who is researching and finding many more male vets who are victims and have never received treatment.

I was also told by KDVA to never utilize Voc Rehab as the VA would use that against me to say I was capable of working but I see what you are saying that Voc Rehab can swing both ways.

Thanks,

Sean

Edited May 6, 2013 by eddingtons

[carlie]

I receive SSDI. I applied for it at the same time as first VA claim and was approved for it two weeks before my 70% VA for Bi-Polar. I know that Bi-Polar is a mental disability as well as PTSD and that 100% is the maximum benefit. I applied immediately for 100% after 70% rating and received it one year later. I am very fortunate that my claims went through quickly. Maybe because I only had one condition and a long history of mental illness with the VA. I was in the nuclear power program in the Navy and had a pretty strict psych eval showing I was normal when I went in but received an honorable discharge for a mental illness. Called it a personality disorder then and put a letter in my service record stating that the Navy took no responsibly for this mental disorder either direct or implied. Kind of hard to say not service connected with that letter in there.. I hated it when I first had to read it but twenty years later it seemed to help expedite things

What I wanted to know is should I submit evidence of PTSD to show that this Bi-Polar is not likely to get better as the triggering event and aggravating issue is PTSD as a result of Military Sexual Trauma.

I know MST is usually women but there is a psych lady I am working with in Cincinnati who is researching and finding many more male vets who are victims and have never received treatment.

Personally, I would say NO to submitting a claim for PTSD since you are already SC'd for Bi-Polar,

with the letter in your records referring to a Personality Disorder - I would not open up anything else at all

regarding VA benefits and mental health and since your SC'd at 100 percent for mental health (Bi-Polar),

I see nothing else to benefit you on that issue.

FYI - I would certainly get treatment for the MST and PTSD if you have that but you don't have to be

SC'd for PTSD to get treatment for MST. I suggest checking out your nearest Vet Center.

www.vetcenter.va.gov,

Also, symptomology of Bi-Polar is in my opinion, a bit different than the symptomology of PTSD.

Regarding gaining P&T status - Ditto on basser's post.

JMHO - carlie

I was also told by KDVA to never utilize Voc Rehab as the VA would use that against me to say I was capable of working but I see what you are saying that Voc Rehab can swing both ways.

Thanks,

Sean

[jbasser]

Do not ever take advice from the KY department of Veterans Affairs or the DAV. Your best rep is in your Back Yard. Randy Fisher of the AL is the best one here.

He works at the louisvilel RO and he has reps at any Legion Post.

J

[carlie]

I agree with Carlie and Jbasser.. If you filed a new claim for a Bi-polar that would only open a can of worms. The thing that you could do is get a psychiastrist to say that your service connected condition will not improve. You already have the ammunition of being on SSDI. It's upto you if you want to decide whether or not to try the Voc Rehab. In my opinion, that is just covering everything. However, it could work against you and they could deem you as retrainable.

Regardless if you are PSTD or MST makes no difference. This is not the place nor you should have to defend yourself to anyone on this board. The events that happened to you were tramatic and no one lives in your shoes. I wish you the best of luck with your claim.

Dot

Dot,

Perhaps I have misunderstood something as I do not read anywhere in this thread

where the OP has been attacked, flamed, slammed or anything at all that would suggest

a need to defend themselves.

Can you point out whatever I might be missing?

Thanks

[carlie]

He wasn't attacked, flamed, slammed. I was just reasurring eddington that he shouldn't ever have to explain or defend himself to anyone in regards to his conditions. I took his comment, "I know MST is usually women" as some what defensive and research wise. My point was it doesn't matter if it is mostly female and that it can happen to both. I was agreeing with him and gave him encouraagement. If I affended anyone I'm sorry and I won't say anything along those lines again.

Good luck

Eddington

Dot,

Thanks for the reply - I just didn't know if I had missed something

that should have grabbed my attention.