ptsd Ptsd Vs Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia

[DD0351]

i'm currently helping my dad with his va claim

He put in for PTSD, Anxiety and Depression on the mental side, already seen the C&P Physco

His private doctor diagnosed him with Major Depression Disorder and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia in a letter to the VA since he only see private not VA docs.

BUT my thing is since he put in for PTSD would he have to have a diagnoses with PTSD specifically?

i know depression and panic disorder are symptoms of PTSD but does he need a actually PTSD diagnosed to help get approved for PTSD.

[Berta]

Yes. Under the new 2010 PTSD criteria he must have a PTSD VA MH professional's diagnosis.

If he claims Major Depression Disorder and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, the VA will probably accept that letter if it conforms to the IMO criteria here at hadit in our IMO forum.

I am bumping up that IMO info and some PTSD info in that forum as well.

Is he able to establish a service nexus (in service cause or treatment in his SMRs) for the MDD?

Thank you for helping him.

If he claims also PTSD, they might diagnosis the PTSD at a C & P but very hard to say......

They will only compensate him for one MH disability..

If he should succeed in a TDIU or 100% award they also should award for the agoraphobia as SMC S (Housebound award)

in my opinion.

Not enough info here to know what type of rating he could get,if they SC his MH issues.

[DD0351]

Yes. Under the new 2010 PTSD criteria he must have a PTSD VA MH professional's diagnosis.

If he claims Major Depression Disorder and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, the VA will probably accept that letter if it conforms to the IMO criteria here at hadit in our IMO forum.

HE PUT IN FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PTSD

I am bumping up that IMO info and some PTSD info in that forum as well.

Is he able to establish a service nexus (in service cause or treatment in his SMRs) for the MDD?

YES HE IS ABLE TO CONNECT IT , HE HAS NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FROM THE INCIDENTS AND HIS DD214 HAS THE LOCATION HE WAS INVOLVED IN, HE WAS INVOLVED IN ON BASE MULTIPLY ON BASE SHOOTING

Thank you for helping him.

If he claims also PTSD, they might diagnosis the PTSD at a C & P but very hard to say......

HE WENT TO HIS APP WITH THEM BUT I DONT KNOW IF THEY DIAGNOSED HIM THERE, IT WAS VA OUTSOURCED. BUT HE HAS NO VA DOC DIAGNOSED

They will only compensate him for one MH disability..

HIS TRYING TO GET PTSD AS HIS MAIN COMP, WHAT SHOULD HE DO THAN?

If he should succeed in a TDIU or 100% award they also should award for the agoraphobia as SMC S (Housebound award)

in my opinion.

Not enough info here to know what type of rating he could get,if they SC his MH issues.

Edited May 10, 2015 by DD0351

[bassrunnin1]

IMO he should go to the VA and get a diagnosis for PTSD then MDD, and Anagrophobia (sp?) would be secondary. They only rate one mental health condition on paper, but they do take into account the other conditions. For instance, I was awarded for PTSD but the Bipolar aspect is what got me TDUI. HOpe that helps

[john999]

All the symptoms you describe could be secondary to PTSD. If he were SC'ed for any one of those conditions he could be TDIU or be 100% if it were bad enough. However, if he was involved somehow in a shooting on base I can see the PTSD DX has being a better fit. PTSD, depression, agoraphobia are all part of the same ball of wax. I would go with the DX that has the best documentation. In my day to get a PTSD dx you almost had to be in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. If you came home from the war and were having anxiety, depression or were acting funny they would just throw a DX at the wall and see if it stuck. I got DX'ed with schizophrenia. That was a misdiagnosis, but what did I know then in 1972. I was just lucky I made a claim during the first year after discharge or I would still be waiting. They treated it like a chronic condition during the first year after discharge so I got a rating. It took 30 years to expand that rating to TDIU and then P&T and housebound. Getting that foot in the door is crucial.

John