ptsd Help For A Buddy With Ptsd

[Kirk]

Hello all you wise folks here on hadit,

I have not posted in awhile since I recieved my back pay in june at 100% for the last three and a half years. Too much fun to be had.

I have a freind who was discharged about a year ago from the Army for PTSD. He just recently recieved his decission and they rated him at 50% with a GAF of 52. I know very little about PTSD claims but I figure If this is their first offer there is probably more he should be getting. They denied his claims on knee problems from where shrapnel was removed. They also denied his rotator cuff problems in both shoulders from the same IED Calling them dislocated shoulders which have healed.

I have only known him since he got out. But, from talking with him and his girlfriend (a co-worker) and seeing how he acts I have become aware of the following, He drinks nightly until he passes out His claim is that it keeps him from dreaming, He has mentioned that He offten has suicidal thoughts but believed he doesnt have any particular plans to carry them out, His girlfreind claims he punches kicks and occasionally yells out while sleeping. The bar I work part time in has kicked him out permanently for his agressive and sometimes violent behavior.

What should I recomend that he do? He does a have service organisation but I have no idea which one it is. I know if he will file a NOD I and his girlfreind can write statements. I also intend to recomend IMO's on his knee and shoulders plus one with a GAF from a qualified Pych. What else should he do? It took me several months of talking to him to get him to open up enough to even tell me about his claim and what was going on, particularly the PTSD stuff. I doubt he opened up to the VA shrink and even gave hint as to how he was really doing.

Please help

Kirk

Edited September 3, 2006 by Kirk (see edit history)

[Hoppy]

Kirk,

Your buddy probably won't want top do this however it sounds to me like he needs to keep going to a treatment program. This will develop evidence for a better rating and help secure the rating he has.

As far as the ortho goes. If you want to help on these it would be a good idea to read the rating schedule for these conditions and know exactly what symptoms they rate before you develop a plan to attack these ratings. If you decide to attack the ratings get his SO to file and appeal those denials.

[Vike17]

Kirk,

It sounds like your friend's claim for his shoulders and knees were denied because his Service Medical Records didn't show a "chronic" condition while in service. If his SMR's only show the one treatment after the IED incident and he didn't go to the doctor after that, then the VA cannot grant service-connection. VA grants servcie-connection for residuals of an injury/condition or if is chronic, or both.

Has your friend received treatment for his knees and shoulders within the last year since discharge? If so, then he needs to let VA know this, as this wil help show a chronic condition and that he has residuals from the IED explosion. He should also obtain an IMO, which will help his claim out.

As far as his PTSD, if the GAF score is 52 and the write-up coincides with the GAF, then 50% would probably be the correct rating. However, from what you said, it sounds like his symptoms are worse than his current rating. I would have him go to another Psychologist and get another evaluation. This may help in seeing if he meets the 70% or 100% criteria. Also, as Hoppy says, he should keep goingto treatment. This will also help to show that his PTSD warrants a higher rating.

Vike 17

[Hoppy]

If there were any xrays or MRI's taken in the military and you have either the films or written intrepretations be sure any current examiner has these. It sounds like the RO intrepreted the medical evidence that existed in the SMR rather than sending it out for a current medical opinion. You did not quote current medical examiners opinions on the denial. Get a current review of the record and file it with the RO. You can do this at a VA hospital or with an IMO. Do not wait for them to schedule C&P exams.

When a condition is not shown to be chronic in service then post service continuity of symptoms and treatment must be shown. There is no specific restriction that such treatment must occur within the first year. I have read several BVA cases where veterans did not seek initial post service treatment until 7 to 10 years after discharge at which time the symptoms became much worse as a result of the expected degradation of the condition. Service connection was awarded based on the medical principals known to the specific case.

Some diseases and injuries that show symptoms in the military either one time or 100 times can be service connected with proper medical development. There are diseases and injuries that show such minimal symptoms in service that an individual would not need to seek treatment until many years after service. You only need to herniate a disc one time to have a herniated disc for the rest of your life. Prior to the development of MRI's personal Injury attorneys who did whip lash claims purposely delayed settlements for years because they knew that acute symptoms of disc herniation can takes years to manifest.

This is my opinion on this.

[Hoppy]

One thing I forgot. I injured my knee on active duty. I saw a private doctor who told me I would need surgery in about 10 years. When I was discharged a year later I was service connected at "0"percent. This made it easier when I had the surgery (ten years later) to get service connected.

I have heard that the VA dropped the "0" percent rating. If so and your friend would have been given a "0" percent rating under the old rules, I have to wonder what the VA does on the claims it now denies rather than rate at "0" percent. And I have to wonder if your friend has such a situation if you would need to battle a little harder.

In my case I did not appeal the "0" at discharge and was awarded 10% ten years later on appeal by the BVA based on the symptoms noted in the SMR.

My point being just appealing might get a rating. However it would be best to get as much current medical development as possible.

[Berta]

If he is not employed -dont sound like he can handle a job- he should attach a TDIU form to his NOD-

and make sure he lists his SC meds for the PTSD and their side affects to him-

the last thing-in my opinion- this vet needs -is to be drinking-

that does not help in the long run at all-

and if he is taking VA meds and drinking too- this is a dangerous combo-is the PH on his DD 214 for the schrapnel from the IED?

Terry Higgins is right- I had a friend at the Vet Center who died in 1989,still very young- and left three small boys and a wife-he had 100% PTSD

Vietnam Vet-highly decorated and always high-he snuck beer into the VA Combat group one night in a coffee cup-and absolutely would not listen to any of the recovering addicts alcoholics there who also had PTSD.He almost got me in trouble- as long as I transported a vet to and from the vet center my car was considered VA property- if you know what I mean-forget how they put it-

he got in my car one night to get there and had a six pack stuck in his cameos and one can was open.

When I pulled over and told him to get out of the car he got mad-the team leader picked him up after he dumped the beer-

Alcoholism is an insidius disease that affects everyone around the person with this disease.

What did this war hero leave his family? a bunch of medals and momentos of Vietnam and a void that he caused by willful misconduct.

His choice to abuse alcohol and to avoid any help from VA whatsoever on his problems with alcohol rendered his death due to alcoholism as willful misconduct.