ptsd Ptsd And Mdd Combined

[diver]

I am looking for information. I was talking to the rater of my claim and she stated that even though I am rated for 50% MDD/Depression they will still rate my PTSD if granted and then they will combine the 2 and grant a higher rating. Has this happened to any one and if so does that change the % that it goes up. Does it still go up from 50 to 70 or because of the combined would they change it to 60%

Diver

[Navy04]

I don't know about your case, but mine is combined for 70% to include PTSD/Anxiety/MDD. Good luck and keep us posted. God Bless!!!

[tdubya82]

[deleted]

Edited July 21, 2016 by tdubya82

[diver]

I hope so. I see a lot of people that have med,PTSD, and anxiety all together. What I don't know is if they were rated for 1 first then was rated for another 1 later and then how they would be combined together. I am currently 50% depression due to service connected knees and have a claim in for ptsd. I hope that sense the VA has diagnosed me with ptsd that they will accept it and rate me for it also. As of now I am sitting at 90.33% so 90 and if they combined the 2 and granted me 70% I would go up to 93% and then I have about 9 other claims pending that will hopefully move me over the 95% Mark. My original benefits letter on Ebenifets stated that I was 90 with a review in 2020 for mdd but now it just said 90% so I wonder if they have changed something with the ptsd already. I do have a claim in pending approval. I know I have the sciatica that would be pending but I have 2 class open I. Ebenifets 1 old and 1 new. The pending approval is for the new claim and that does not have my ptsd of sciatica it is for my knees. I was told that they are ordering a c&p for my knees just the day before yesterday and they have already added my knees to the old claim so I am really confused about it.

[john999]

Are you working? I have a combined rating for emotional disorders that includes just about everything in the book. The VA does not care so much about your DX as they do the way it affects your ability to work and to live as a social being. Mainly, it is your ability to work. You can be as crazy as Daffy Duck but if you work 40 hours a week and make a decent living you are probably never going to get a rating above 50% for a mental/emotional disorder. I know a guy who was on SSDI for his PTSD and the VA kept him at 50% until he filed for an increase. He wasn't really working but just doing odd jobs. He has the worst anxiety attacks I ever saw but worked for himself fixing docks in Florida. He reported nothing.

[diver]

This next week is my last week. I had no choice but to leave I physically can not do that type of work anymore. I know the C&P doctor stated difficulties in most areas. They are reviewing my records to make the ruling on the PTSD. I hope that now that my vocational rehabilitation is in the system that they will use that in support for the higher rating.

[ArNG11]

Everything above is pretty much on the money. I have a 3 tier diagnosis that I am waiting on for the decision to become official. They are rating anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The thing with mental conditions as with other things even if it is multifaceted they will only rate one predominant condition. As in my case, this is just from conjecture from information of my attorney and speaking with the DRO unofficially. I will be rated for depression and anxiety vs the PTSD. They will or rather are supposed to rate your service connected conditions to the disease and condition that more accurately fits your mental health issues. I think, just personal opinion here, that I feel most people who have some form of disability from service will suffer from depression, it is inevitable. Even if you had depression before service, I believe it would not be too hard to connect the dots that your military injuries or disease have made it worse. Mind you, you are going to have to have a Dr. relate it to you service and that they have reviewed your entire SMR's. That is a must. The VA is not going to connect the dots for you even though the regs say to do so through VCAA. It is imperative that you have contemporary records showing treatment and progression. JMO