ptsd Hello And Thank You

[BeStrong]

Hello to all and thank you to all of you that have created this place of help and recovery. I am a wife of wonderful man named Paul and he is a veteran that I believe has severe mental problems that are directly service related. We have been together since shortly after his release from active duty in 1996. We have five children that live with us, and my husband has many problems relating to his service related incidences.

I am posting here for my own support and for help and education in getting my husband the help he needs, and also help figuring out how to properly file a claim and how to get it approved.

I would like to be able to tell his story and see if anyone has any comments. There are circumstances that might effect his treatment and any claim for compensation. One other service member involved in the service related incident received a 50 % PTSD rating and has been working with me for the last three years in order to get my husband into some kind of treatment system.

My husband has not worked in over three years. He has tried working for friends or family and it is always a disaster because of his rage and anger issues, as well as his distrust and compulsion to save everybody (service related). His family got him a really great job from home where all he had to do was process 10 phone orders per day from customers that had already asked to place an order and he couldn't even do that type of work. He will just sit and stare and the phone and then get depressed and spiral downward. He is at times what would be considered homeless. He sleeps outside in the woods on his parents property or on nearby school property. His parents are a retired schoolteacher and a Vietnam vet on 75% disability. We live (on the good days when he comes indoors) in their downstairs garage and they pay all the bills for us, which are basically food and one cellphone. They don't charge us rent and are trying to get Paul into the VA for help. He has so far refused to go, even when he is open to it because he has such severe paranoia and delusions (animals outside that might attack him, etc.) He can't drive because he blacks out and has such bad body shakes and many times he vomits. I have to dress and bath him, when he will let me or he will wear the same clothes indefinitely. He only knows to shower when he smells his bad odor. He can't be left alone in the house for fear he might burn it down by accident. He can't remember what day or time it is, and he forgets his children's names. He has had insomnia for almost two years, averaging about 6 hours of sleep a week. He thinks that he will be locked up and his kids taken away. I guess that is enough for now, I just don't have anyone to talk to about this stuff.

We finally got him to sign a form in order to get his DD214 and took it to a VA service rep to get him into the system. The rep said it would take a minimum of 60 days to get Paul his first appointment at the VA, and that was just the initial interview and maybe a medical evaluation.

Paul burned all his military records and memorabilia, so this is going to be a long road. I am not very hopeful about all of this, even though we have read all the DSM-5 criteria and he fits the 100% PTSD rating for each and every symptom. He has severe depression and we have removed all weapons from the home, etc. I won't post much more about that for security reasons.

Like I said, we have been trying to get him to the VA for medical help for years, but he refuses even when he is told that nobody is going to hurt him or take the kids, and that he is eligible for financial compensation as well.

I would like to be able to talk about the service connected incident and how to go about gathering what is necessary to get him into the treatment and also the financial compensation if any. Is there a place to post the service related incident so I can get comment from others? I know that none of this is legal advice and that this is for education and experience between friends.

Thanks,

D

[prollins]

LOL, sorry….my brain is not really working quite right. I am also new to this entire VA system and don't know all the proper terms and phrases yet. I have been meeting with different doctors for my physical and mental problems. I believe my psychiatrist is the one that I meet with most and he filled out a PTSD evaluation type sheet for a claim for me. He listed me in my medical record as being 100% PTSD and he told me he was writing a letter that was supposed to go with my claim that my wife is helping me to file with some guy from the Veterans Service Office behind the VA clinic.

Probably just confused this a bit more. I'm trying folks, don't give up on me. I will find the claim forum and start posting there.

[prollins]

Thanks for moving this topic for me.

I was denied SSDI because I had not worked for five out of the last ten years. The SSDI is the thing that I don't know if I should appeal the denial, I am not up on the laws and would have to hire an attorney.

My VA psychiatrist indicated that I am 100% PTSD and he documented it in my record and said he is writing a "strong letter" to go with my claim.

I have not filed a claim yet and don't know how to and I am here to try to learn so I don't get denied because of some little wording mistake, etc.

I know right now the thing I am doing is searching this site to see if there is any specific wording to avoid or include in a buddy letter, and how many to have in a claim. I am very fortunate to have quite a few people from my command that knew me then and now that are willing to write for me. I also have a friend that will write a letter with his claim reference and that he is rated at 50% for the same incident. He has not appealed his yet and is going to try. He is the one that is still stuck in mexico. He was attacked by a fellow service member while showering, struggled over a gun, etc……he has issues.

[carlie]

This is the form to use on a claim for service connection for

PTSD, that is due to personal assault / mst.

STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF CLAIM FOR SERVICE CONNECTION
FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
SECONDARY TO PERSONAL ASSAULT

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/vba-21-0781a-are.pdf