ptsd Firefighter, Ptsd Proof Of Stressors

[FireguySD]

I was a firefighter in the airforce, I separated in 2010. I filed a claim in December of 2013 for ptsd, along with other injuries that I had while in service. I gave all my medical files when I first filed. On 3/8/14 I was schedule for my c&p exams and it said they requested proof of in service stressors from where they keep everyone's records I guess. I had my c&p exams on 4/6/14, but it's still waiting for those records for proof of stressors, and now is saying past due. My question is since my stressors are from emergencies that I responded to while being a firefighter like responding to vehicle accidents treating the occupants adults and children, almost dying on a few fires, and working in the 911 center and hearing people call in panicking and freaking out, along with numerous medical emergencies I responded to. I don't know if specific emergencies or exactly what I did will be in my records call by call that they're requesting. I'm just curious how long these records take to receive and if they're going to see that I was a firefighter and know that I went on emergencies, or if they want specific records for every emergency that I claimed for.

[Philip Rogers]

They are looking for a specific incident(s). You can help if you can specify any dates, like a plane crash, a large accident or something like that. jmo

pr

[Berta]

PR is right . Maybe these links will help.



And more importantly these are the new PTSD regulations:



"Effective July 13, 2010, if a stressor claimed by a veteran is related to that veteran's fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and a VA psychiatrist or psychologist, or a psychiatrist or psychologist with whom VA has contracted, confirms that the claimed stressor is adequate to support a diagnosis of PTSD and that a veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor, in the absence of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, and provided the claimed stressor is consistent with the places, types, and circumstances of that veteran's service, a veteran's lay testimony alone may establish the occurrence of the claimed in-service stressor. 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(3) (2013).

"[F]ear of hostile military or terrorist activity" means that a veteran experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or circumstance that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of the veteran or others, such as from an actual or potential improvised explosive device; vehicle-imbedded explosive device; incoming artillery, rocket, or mortar fire; grenade; small arms fire, including suspected sniper fire; or attack upon friendly military aircraft, and the veteran's response to the event or circumstance involved a psychological or psycho-physiological state of fear, helplessness, or horror. See id.

A veteran must have experienced, witnessed, or have been confronted by an event or circumstance that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of that veteran or others, and that veteran's response to the event or circumstance must have involved a psychological or psycho-physiological state of fear, helplessness, or horror. The occurrence of an actual event or circumstance is necessary. In making this determination, VA must duly consider the places, types, and circumstances of a veteran's service as shown by the service record, the official history of each organization in which such a veteran served, a veteran's medical records, and all pertinent medical and lay evidence. The new rule is limited to cases in which the claimed stressor is related to a veteran's fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. See 75 Fed. Reg. 39843 (Jul. 13, 2010)."

Source:http://www.index.va....vetapp14/Files1

Many veterans, by virtue of their MOS, whether combat or not, experience many stressors.

It does not depend on how horrific a stressor could be, it depends on the ability to adequately verify the stressor.

We have plenty here on Buddy statements as well:

[FireguySD]

Thanks, and I did send in my PTSD letters with descriptions, dates, and people involved in the specific incidents. It's going on 3 months now that they requested my records from the central records place, and I'm not sure how long that takes, but even then I don't think that all the emergencies that I've responded to will be in my personnel records. I don't even know if my old base will keep records of old emergencies for that long. How long does it usually take for them to get records back and maybe give me an update? I 800# makes it sound like they just have everyone's records in a giant pile somewhere that they have to sort through to find mine.