ptsd Ptsd C&p Exam Result. Input Please

[scott2120]

I have to type this all by hand so if I skip something that might be important ask and I will try and find it for you. Thanks for the help.

Does the Veteran have a diagnosis of PTSD that conforms to DSM-IV criteria based on today's evaluation? YES

2. Current Diagnoses

a. Diagnosis #1: PTSD

b. Axis III - medical diagnosis: ( to include TBI)

c. Axis IV- Psychosocial and Environmental Problems:

exposure to personal assaults, inadequate income

d. Axis V - Current global assessment of functioning (GAF) score: 60

3. Differentiations of symptoms

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a. Does the veteran have more than one mental disorder diagnosed?

[X] no

4. Occupational and social impairment

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a. Which of the following best summarizes the Veteran's level of occupational and social impairment in regards to all mental

diagnoses?

[X} Occupational and social impairment with occasional decease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, although generally functioning satisfactorily, with normal routine behavior, self care and conversation

Does this stressor meet Criterion A (i.e., is it adequate to support the diagnosis of PTSD)? YES

Is the stressor related to the Veteran's fear of hostile military or terrorist activity? No

4. PTSD Diagnostic Criteria

a.

Criterion A:

<X> The Veteran experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event that involved actual or threateded death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others.

<X> The Veteran's response involved intense fear, helplessness or horror.

Criterion B:

<X> Recurrent and distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions

<X> Recurrent distressing dreams of the event

<X> Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

<X> physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

Criterion C:

<X> Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the trauma

<X> Efforts to avoid activities, places or people that arouse recollections of the trauma

<X> Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities

<X> Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others

<X> Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)

<X> Sense of foreshortened future

Criterion D:

<X> Difficulty falling or staying asleep

<X> Irritability or outbursts of anger

<X> Difficulty concentrating

<X> Hypervigilance

Criterion E:

<X> The duration fo the symptoms described above in Criteria B, C, and D is more than 1 month

Criterion F:

<X> The PTSD symptoms described above cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

b. Which stressor(s) contributed to the Veterans PTSD diagnosis?:

<X> Stressor #1

5. Symptoms

<X> Depressed Mood

<X> Anxiety

<X> Suspiciousness

<X> Panic attacks that occur weekly or less often

<X> Chronic sleep impairment

<X> Mild memory loss, such as forgetting names, directions or recent events

<X> Disturbances of motivation and mood

<X> Difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships

<X> Difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a worklike setting

<X> Suicidal ideation

6. Other symptoms: NO

7. Competency

Is Veteran capable of managing his or her financial affairs? YES

[Philip Rogers]

You do have PTSD and with a 60 GAF I would guess you'd get 10% - 50%, max, probably 30%, "if" they award service-connection (SC). jmo

pr

[Radio_Dog]

I agree with Philip..Looks like max 50 but mostlikely 30-10

[scott2120]

wow not what i wanted to hear. I thought my First gaf of 50 was high and when i saw that he gave me a gaf of 60 i was very surprised. I dont think they know how hard it is for me to keep my shit together. What do i do now? should i file for a new C&P? Do i just wait and then do something?

[harleyman]

I plugged this into the evaluation builder during lunch today. The evaluation builder says 70%. However, remember there is some flexibility in the percentage, if there is evidence in your claims file that indicates the disability should be rated lower. The rater still has some discretion in assigning a lower or higher percentage of disability, as long as he justifies his decision with sound rationale. But, it looks like a 70% disability, to me.

For Information Purposes- the kicker was the suicidal ideation combined with Occupational and social impairment with occasional decease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, although generally functioning satisfactorily, with normal routine behavior, self care and conversation.

This claim without the suicidal ideation, would be most likely 50%, and that still may be the raters decision based on what he/sh sees in your claim file as evidence. Good luck, I hope you get the decision you are looking for. More importantly, I hope you continue to get the treatment and suppport necessary to help you cope with this condition. - Harleyman.

[john999]

Once you get a VA approved rating for PTSD you can hire your own doctors to write IMO's to try and increase your rating. If you are working full time you probably won't ever get more than a 50% rating. When you have PTSD so bad you can't work then you get the 70%-100% ratings.

[scott2120]

Harleyman Thanks so much for taking the time to look into this for me. Means more then you know. John999 thanks for the feedback but Im new to this so can you tell me what an IMO's is. I dont know if it matters but I did tell the doc during the interview that getting a job is the easy part keeping a job is the hard part. In the 22 years that I have been out I have had close to 30 jobs. does that matter or make any differnce?