Already Have Ssdi But V.a. Disabilty For Same Thing..

[hammerman15]

Hi,

I have already been approved for SDDI (totally disabled) and have been receiving benefits from them for about 8 months. I want to file for VA disablity for aggravation of a condition while I was in the Army. I am rated 40% with the VA currently but all for physical conditions no mental.

My SSDI was approved soley for mental conditions using my VA records of treatment for mental health treatment received at the V.A.

My questions are:

1. Does my SSDI "count" at all for a VA mental health rating?

2. I was taking lithium prior to my entrance into the service but the Army discontinued it and I never took it while in the Army

3. I had to have a waiver to get in the Army because of my lithium usage and a Army doctor signed off on my enlistment

4. Is that enough of a nexus?

5. Any tips?

6. My dates of service were 88-96 gulf war era veteran (West Germany,Western Corridor Korea and 36 opfor rotations at NTC)

Thank you very much

19D20 Cav Scout

[jbasser]

The VA will tell you this.

A Preservice disability only pays for the aggravaton part and only to te extent of the aggravation.

Usually half or less of a rating schedule item.

J

[meghp0405]

the va will use the documents from SSDI as additional medical evidence in your evaluation, however you will still need a nexus if you plan on submitting a claim for any type mental health condition.

[carlie]

Hi,

I have already been approved for SDDI (totally disabled) and have been receiving benefits from them for about 8 months. I want to file for VA disablity for aggravation of a condition while I was in the Army. I am rated 40% with the VA currently but all for physical conditions no mental.

My SSDI was approved soley for mental conditions using my VA records of treatment for mental health treatment received at the V.A.

My questions are:

1. Does my SSDI "count" at all for a VA mental health rating? Answer - NO

2. I was taking lithium prior to my entrance into the service but the Army discontinued it and I never took it while in the Army

3. I had to have a waiver to get in the Army because of my lithium usage and a Army doctor signed off on my enlistment

4. Is that enough of a nexus? Answer - NO - that is not even a nexus.

5. Any tips?

6. My dates of service were 88-96 gulf war era veteran (West Germany,Western Corridor Korea and 36 opfor rotations at NTC)

Thank you very much

19D20 Cav Scout

carlie (in blue)

[stillhere]

You don't say wether you are taking lithium now or not but I assume you are. J is right though a condition that you are wavied to serve with will ONLY be granted an evaluation if you can prove agravation and by what amount. In other words if it was say 30% when you went in and lets say in got 60& worse you would be comed at 30%.

Stillhere

[hammerman15]

I am taking numerous meds given by the VA and going to VA mental health groups and have been now for over a year on the groups and three years on the meds. I am extremely aggressive when not medicated and have several run ins with the police and had firearms taken away twice and 2 psychiatric lockups at the VA over the past 3 years.

My thinking is that my aggressive tendencies were exacerbated by my MOS and duty stations as well as witnessing several very scary events while in the Army including the deaths of three soldiers who were killed when there Bradleys flipped during an exercise in Ft Irwin CA.

My diagnosis's from the VA are several and several different VA doctors are saying different things

Axis 1 Depression NOS possible dysthymic disorder

Axis 2 Paranoid Personality Disorder

Axis 3 No current diagnosis

Gaf of 50

This is the general consensus

I have been told I have anti social personality disorder as well in my VA treatment notes over the last few years and have taken the MMPI twice at the VA

and both times came back as Paranoid Personality Disorder.

Any other information I can provide to you guys please let me know.

Thanks

19D20

[Testvet]

my SSD was based solely on VA treatment records CABG x 3, stroke, 7 heart attacks by June 2002 ejection fraction of 35%, SSD was approved in 4 months, the VA claim took until a BVA Judge granted it in April 2009, during the period after I filed the cardiac claim I was diagnosed with PTSD I was granted 100% P&T by the VA for my PTSD and they kept denying my cardiac claims on the NODs and DRO hearings, I also changed the cause or nexus of the cause of the cardiac issues, I started out blaming it on toxic exposures at Edgewood Arsenal while I was a human test subject and the water weels we used have 77 toxic substances which cause every known medical issue there is, but the VA and DOD refuse to discuss it, so my 2007 my lawyer changed it to my already SC PTSD aggravated my cardiac issues and used the lab results going back to 1974 to show the progression and she got a prominent cardiologist to write that elevated triglycerdies and cholesterol were the beginning of my severe cardiac disease, since 2002 I have had a few more attacks and am now after my 11th heart attack in a wheel chair and have an ejection fraction of 10% and have a aicd/defib both of which are on their own 100% ratings lol I am now paid at SMC L level and am grateful for every day I wake up and am capable of spending the checks they send.

I am not saying you will win your claim but I am saying be prepared for a long fight very few things are a gimmee with the VARO