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

[Stretch]

Kate,

Check out the program Berta suggested. It is archived here:

http://svr-radio.com/archives.html

Go down the list of programs until you see 3-7-2012.

[Berta]

They sent the claim, properly ,to the Louisville VA....where these Camp Lejuene claims are processed so that is not the problem.

I am baffled by the lack of a C & P but, as Stretch said, the SVR shows and links I gave you might reveal more info why they didnt do an in person C & P exam.

If you search here at hadit under Camp LeJuene ( I use google and put Camp Lejuene hadit.com into the browser)

these discussions will come up here as well as the Camp LeJuene Fast Letter.

But without being able to read the decision in full, I am at a lost here

[Berta]

Here is the Fast Letter:

Here is the VA M21 implementation of the criteria of the Fast Letter:

M21-1MR, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 1, Section H

It is under 32 a. and you can click on the citations and reg links there for more info.

(Page 1-H-29)

I dont have time to read it all …...

Click on:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.benefits.va.gov%2FWARMS%2Fdocs%2Fadmin21%2Fm21_1%2Fmr%2Fpart4%2Fsubptii%2Fch01%2FM21-1MRIV_ii_1_secH.doc&ei=KmMDU9GuFOrL2gWAwoCYAg&usg=AFQjCNEhRK8wWIqtblNhBiqMV98U1kcRMg&bvm=bv.61535280,d.b2I

It could reveal why they denied but, without knowing their full rationale, in the decision,

we are clueless.

I need to mention something here....I have mentioned this before at our radio shows and at hadit.

VA intends to become fully paperless.

That is good and bad.

It means that future claimants will need PC access and some idea of how to use the internet and a word processing program like Open Office Org.

They will need to be able to use email and IRIS, ebenefits and any other sites VA will provide in the future.

This means that all claimants (and I have stressed this regarding spouses of veterans as well) will find that they need not only a good printer,scan,fax and copy machine, as a PC peripheral but they will need the extreme advantage of the internet in order, in many cases, to research their claims, find IMO doctors, and find Vet lawyers if need.

I have been on the “internet” since 1988 ,way before it really became the Internet, when it was a modem to modem access for Vet link. And for research I would have to call the court (COVA in those days) ,give them docket numbers and names, promise to pay them by mail a few bucks, for them to fax to me COVA decisions.

Things sure have changed.

I live in a rural environment but I have about 7 library cards....and the libraries are all less then 20 minutes away from me. A few years ago I had to use a library PC, because my PC was being worked on.

They ususally have the most updated version of Office Org. and also an available printer ,for a small page copy fee.

Libraries often have brief PC /internet free courses. It is SO easy today for anyone to be able to use the internet.

And it is going to become absolutely imperative for every VA claimant at some point, and their dependents in the event of their death,to have PC access to deal with the VA.

I know peripherals can get expensive but the cost is nothing if a good all in one printer can save you time and even postage (for faxes ,for example).

VA is going paperless and that is a fact and we all must be up to speed with them.

Edited February 18, 2014 by Berta

[shakeyswife]

I would not waste my time on an agent orange screening, my husband had his second AO screening in April of 2013, and the nurse actually listed tremors on this exam, and it was not until he had seen his psychiatrist at the end of April and the psychiatrist stated "you have the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease", and then PD was diagnosed by the VA in June of 2013. So you see, the person who did the AO screening totally dismissed his symptoms as possibly being PD, which is a presumptive of AO.

Tinnitus is not usually not service connected in a Vietnam Vet unless the VA rates the hearing loss. This is how they had rated it for my husbands C&P exams. He is a Vietnam Vet. and they did rate 10% for hearing loss and 10% for tinnitus.

Regarding the depression, it may behoove you to start all over and get a dx of PTSD by a VA psychologist or psychiatrist and have the depression in there as secondary.

My husband had no service connected disabilities, he had worked his whole life, putting in over 60 hours a week, when he became unable to work because of a workers comp injury, lets just say the s**t hit the fan. He had always worked at least 50 hours a week and generally had a few every night after work. Once this came to an end because of his wc injury, my gosh, it was more than an eye opener! I mean the PTSD symptoms were there through the years, but put aside because he was pretty much a workaholic, and always wanted to earn a decent living. Trust me I would much rather he be working at 65 yo than be where he is right now. OK, I vented a bit right there, but that only tells you that I feel as though I might understand what you are dealing with. Good luck, and please research and ask as many questions that you may need to be answered.

[kate7772]

Same thing happened here after my husband had to cut back on work after his kidney disease. He always worked two jobs, even when we didn't need it financially. And, just like you said, it all hit the fan! Throughout the years there were signals. He still is not totally believing he can have PTSD since so many years have passed.

He got a 49 on his depression score test and severe depression is over 29.

The combat stressor test was 159 with mean score of 130 being PTSD.

[TDFEW]

Long time reader first time posting I put in for an increase for anxiety disorder I'm already getting 70% after my C&P examine my claim went from gathering information to pending decision it skipped over review of information I wanted to know if that is a good sign or not in the C&P examine the examiner said that I need to add a physiologist to my treatment team because I got more mental issues than the anxiety disorder I already have a psychiatrist who I see I had to leave my last job in July 2013 because of anxiety attack haven't worked since would like to get any kind of feedback about this....Thank You in Advance