ptsd Ptsd With Cib Question

[Rakkasan]

Forgive me I am a novice at this.

I got out of the army almost a year ago and immediately began my disability claim for hearing loss, stiffness in my knees and PTSD. Did two tours in Iraq as an 11B. I just received my letter from the VA giving me 10% for tinnitus and denying everything else. Explanation was pretty much lack of evidence. I submitted my ARCOM award recommendations that detailed what all had happened. Was told they believe I was in a hostile environment but no evidence that a condition manifest during service. Was told no reason why I was denied for hearing loss even though I can hear perfectly out of my left ear but can't hear jack out of my right. As for my stiffness I had submitted a sick call slip and a prescription from the PA in which I have been taking 800mg ibuprofen almost everyday. It is so extremely hard to get out of bed in the morning and it takes me about 40 minutes to be able to move around. Explanation said that treatment records show that I was seen for it but I was never clinically diagnosed with a problem. I have just typed up a NOD and requested for a DRO review. Other than that is there anything else I can do to better my chances. Any help would be really appreciative. Thank you.

[Rakkasan]

Was taken with my phone...

[Rakkasan]

I am a pack rat so I have copies of EVERYTHING! LOL

[carlie]

Was taken with my phone...

How about taking another picture but in a better, horizontal position.

[john999]

Get in treatment for the PTSD and stay in treatment until you get 100%. Medical evidence will be what gets you where you want to go. The VA's denial is insane. The are splitting hairs with the PTSD dx because many don't have symtoms for years and many have symptoms very soon after events.

[Rakkasan]

Here you go

[Berta]

I couldn't even print this off to try to read it.

But I think it says that you did not present any signs of symptoms of PTSD to the examiner.

This is only page 4 so I don't know what the rest of the decision said or whether the 'examiner' was a VA MH doctor or VA MSW (Master Social Worker) or not.

I am a civilian and I don't know whether the ARCOM award you got was a unit award or did the award specifically state something you did, as an individual ,that garnered this award, as well as indicating a stressful event in service.that you directly experienced.

Although I am a civilian, I worked for VA as a volunteer in a vet center many years ago and it completely altered my life because the PTSD combat vets voted me into their weekly PTSD rap group. What an education I got.

I also married a PTSD veteran,.100% SC for PTSD when he died.

One thing I learned in those days ( and the vets taught me plenty about PTSD)and it is often true today, unfortunately the VA wants some blood and guts stuff on PTSD claims.

I hate to put it that way but they need to know what exactly caused you to claim PTSD.

Was it the deaths of any of your unit buddies?

Did you feel helpless and fearful due to the proximity of attacks and/or the combat you participated in?

Do you have nightmares or flashbacks that bring back the stressor?

Do you have sudden temper outbursts that seem to have no reason?

Are you often in an anxious state of mind, thinking about the war?

The VA, in what I seem to be able to read from the page you attached, is that the VA didnt pick up on anything strong enough to indicate PTSD.

If you held back, believe me, that is not a good idea at all to hold back describing stressors even though they are hard to talk about.

I need to ask again:

“The title of your post says PTSD with cib, I assume you mean Combat Infantry Badge ???

Is that listed on your DD 214?”

Also you stated:

“I did go through audio and talked to a person about my PTSD while they typed it up but that was it.”

Was this a VA MSW or shrink?

Do you have a copy of whatever they typed up?

I am thinking now that this was definitely a C & P exam for PTSD.

Maybe my past post here will help you see what I mean as to a stressor.

It was geared to Vietnam vets when I wrote it ,but a valid stressor is the same for any war veteran and certainly non combatants, in service, can get PTSD too.

The VA examiner needs enough information, from any vet claiming PTSD, to diagnose PTSD.

Then ,unless the stressor falls into the new PTSD criteria, the VA will attempt to verify (and better yet the vet should try too) the stressful event that caused their PTSD,if VA diagnoses them with PTSD.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Berta