New With Some Questions, Please

[kate7772]

My husband is a Vietnam era Marine Corp. veteran.

He filed for disability for Membranous Glomerulonephritis /Stage 3 kidney disease, depression and tinnitus.

The kidney disease was diagnosed through his private kidney doctor and the tinnitus through VA.

The kidney disease we feel can be linked to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

Everything was across the board, denied. This was filed through a veterans service officer who seemed a bit clueless to the proper way to do it. There was no Nexus letter included.

My husband plans to appeal or whatever we need to do now (just not sure.) He hasn't asked his doctor to give him a letter yet but will do so this week. Trying to get enough supporting evidence together to show the doctor so he will understand but not overwhelm him. My husband has no other factors to cause the kidney disease. I wonder if it would be a good idea to make an appointment with a VA kidney doctor to review his records also. We probably will get an IMO done also.

The tinnitus was VA diagnosed, so not sure why that was denied.

My husband claimed depression because he just knew he was miserable in so many ways but didn't know why. Now, very recently, he has been diagnosed with PTSD with major depression (still amazed that this could happen so many years after the fact but looking back through the years, there were a lot of clues.) When he took the PTSD test, he was told that he was extremely bad. The diagnosis was made by a VA clinical nurse specialist and clinical social worker. Doesn't it need to be diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist? The nurse said it needs to be someone specially trained in PTSD treatment such as the social worker. They want him to do drugs (which he hates) and therapy. Could PTSD now be added as part of the depression he originally claimed or would it need to be an entirely new claim with a new start date?

I appreciate any thoughts you are able to give me on this.

Thanks,

Kate

[stillhere]

TDFEW you might want to start another post so folks can see your question and help you.

Stillhere

[Navy04]

TD,

What state and RO do you use? Also when was your C&P exams? I submitted an FDC in Sep 2013. I had my C&Ps on 2/14/14. My exam reports already showed up online. I am hoping that your claim moving fast is a good thing, and hopefully mine will pick up pace too. Keep us posted and good luck.

[TDFEW]

My RO is Atlanta Georgia I had my C&P on 11 February 2014......