I am new to this forum and would like your opinion. I am the spouse of an Army Veteran. Jerel, was honorably discharged in 2005. He spent 19 months in Iraq. He dealt with several stressors including a vehicle in front of him running over a live bomb and 17 of 19 were killed, having to pick up bodies after the UN Bombing, being fearful every single time he had to travel while there, and while traveling an iraqi girl and her father were standing on side of road while Jerel's unit was traveling. The little girl waved at Jerel and he waved back. The little girl then threw something and in a flash, he thought his life was over. It turned out to be a fish, but when she threw it he had no idea what it was. Jerel's job was a fueler.
In April 2012, I helped him file a claim for PTSD, Back Pain, Tinnititus, Bilateral Foot Rash(both) and Bilateral Hand Rash(both). He had began seeing a VA therapist at a Vet Center near our home. He was diagnosed with PTSD. He did not get his treatment summary until January 2014. His therapist felt he needed more appointments before she wrote the diagnosis down. Because the VA didn't receive the diagnosis, they sent him to several contracted appointments. They were for Back, hands, feet and PTSD.
Let me tell you, the PTSD appointment was horrible. We filled out all the paperwork and answered all the questions before he got there. The appointment lasted less than 10 minutes. The psychiatrist response to Jerel was always this statement "that doesn't mean you have PTSD". In the denial letter, it seems as if she twisted everything we answered on the forms and turned it into her own answers. Jerel, at one point in time, smoked marijuana to deal with his PTSD issues. He quit smoking in June 2009. This contracted appointment was in August 2013. She diagnosed him with "cannabis abuse in early remission" on 2/20/2015. I did my research. For a patient to be diagnosed with "abuse in early remission" the patient had to have quit the abuse within the last 12 months. Jerel had been sober for 4 years at the time of the appointment. I think she read the question on the forms we filled out that asked if he ever smoked marijuana and then came to her own conclusions. I appealed the decision this past week. Has anyone ever dealt with this type of behavior from a VA Contracted therapist and if so, what was done to fix it?
Jerel now has no trust at all in the system and he quit going to therapy. He has a hard time. Horrible dreams about things he saw in Iraq, lashing out at me and the kids, paranoid, feelings of fear, punching holes in walls and an unhealthy obsession of viewing Iraqi streets on GoogleMaps.
Also, he was given 10% rating for hearing. 0% for bilateral foot rash but denied for the hand rash. This denial confuses me as well. The hand and foot rash came from the same source. So how can they say "okay your rash on your foot is service related but we are denying the hand rash claim"
I am no professional, so please have patience with me. I wrote a notice of disagreement and would like your opinion without anyone making me feel bad. If anyone would like to see it, please let me know.
What do you think of the PTSD claim? Do you think we can get the diagnosis of cannabis abuse in early remission thrown out being that he is clearly pass the 12 month in remission stage? Do you think the fact that the therapist was not professional can play a role in the VA approving his request? The fact that he has a diagnosis dated AFTER the Contracted diagnosis should be considered.
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jereljenkins
Hi
I am new to this forum and would like your opinion. I am the spouse of an Army Veteran. Jerel, was honorably discharged in 2005. He spent 19 months in Iraq. He dealt with several stressors including a vehicle in front of him running over a live bomb and 17 of 19 were killed, having to pick up bodies after the UN Bombing, being fearful every single time he had to travel while there, and while traveling an iraqi girl and her father were standing on side of road while Jerel's unit was traveling. The little girl waved at Jerel and he waved back. The little girl then threw something and in a flash, he thought his life was over. It turned out to be a fish, but when she threw it he had no idea what it was. Jerel's job was a fueler.
In April 2012, I helped him file a claim for PTSD, Back Pain, Tinnititus, Bilateral Foot Rash(both) and Bilateral Hand Rash(both). He had began seeing a VA therapist at a Vet Center near our home. He was diagnosed with PTSD. He did not get his treatment summary until January 2014. His therapist felt he needed more appointments before she wrote the diagnosis down. Because the VA didn't receive the diagnosis, they sent him to several contracted appointments. They were for Back, hands, feet and PTSD.
Let me tell you, the PTSD appointment was horrible. We filled out all the paperwork and answered all the questions before he got there. The appointment lasted less than 10 minutes. The psychiatrist response to Jerel was always this statement "that doesn't mean you have PTSD". In the denial letter, it seems as if she twisted everything we answered on the forms and turned it into her own answers. Jerel, at one point in time, smoked marijuana to deal with his PTSD issues. He quit smoking in June 2009. This contracted appointment was in August 2013. She diagnosed him with "cannabis abuse in early remission" on 2/20/2015. I did my research. For a patient to be diagnosed with "abuse in early remission" the patient had to have quit the abuse within the last 12 months. Jerel had been sober for 4 years at the time of the appointment. I think she read the question on the forms we filled out that asked if he ever smoked marijuana and then came to her own conclusions. I appealed the decision this past week. Has anyone ever dealt with this type of behavior from a VA Contracted therapist and if so, what was done to fix it?
Jerel now has no trust at all in the system and he quit going to therapy. He has a hard time. Horrible dreams about things he saw in Iraq, lashing out at me and the kids, paranoid, feelings of fear, punching holes in walls and an unhealthy obsession of viewing Iraqi streets on GoogleMaps.
Also, he was given 10% rating for hearing. 0% for bilateral foot rash but denied for the hand rash. This denial confuses me as well. The hand and foot rash came from the same source. So how can they say "okay your rash on your foot is service related but we are denying the hand rash claim"
I am no professional, so please have patience with me. I wrote a notice of disagreement and would like your opinion without anyone making me feel bad. If anyone would like to see it, please let me know.
What do you think of the PTSD claim? Do you think we can get the diagnosis of cannabis abuse in early remission thrown out being that he is clearly pass the 12 month in remission stage? Do you think the fact that the therapist was not professional can play a role in the VA approving his request? The fact that he has a diagnosis dated AFTER the Contracted diagnosis should be considered.
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Berta
Can you possibly scan and attach here ( cover C file #,name, address, )the part of the denial he received that has the Reasons and Bases for the PTSD denial (and the Evidence List) Many many comba
Berta
Under the Reply thing, there should be a botton for More Reply Options, whereby if you browse for the file you want to attach it should give you a button for that after you access the file (or photo)
Berta
I have a suggestion...please don't take this the wrong way....I know you are doing everything you can to help your husband. Many years ago I wrote a letter to the VA regarding something about my d
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