ptsd Tbi Disability

[USMC_VET]

I have been trying to search everywhere for how to get evaulated for TBI etc.

When I first got out i didnt want to have anything to do with the VA, compensation etc. I only went because A buddy made me go in and jsut get in the system.

Because i was OIF, they had me screened (what they call level II?) for TBI.

What the couple guys (didnt look like doctors, were in jeans and polo) told me was I didnt have TBI because I didnt actually go unconscious after the blast. What happened to me was this...

1) in slow motion sort of, seeing the dust lift off my cammies a few inches and thinking "thats so cool looking"

2) After I dont know how long starting to hear "GO GO GO GO" since i was driving and we didnt want to lolly gag in the area. I had apparently slowed down to an idle (when above was happening). so i was being yelled at and finally clicked in my head what was going on and we went

3) the sound of the firefight as it was a ambush in conjunction with the ied.

i dont remember anything after that just starting to drive, that is it.

I dont remember if i passed out, i dont think i did, but i was "out of it" for a few seconds maybe longer, i just dont really know. may have been longer havent talked to any of the guys who were with me for years and never asked.

I dont remember the rest of that day or week for that matter.

Anyways, fast forward to now. I have PTSD, depression and migraines. I want to get re-evaluated but not sure how to get that as well as how to file a good claim for TBI to relate it to the other issues. I dont htin kthe PTSD is part of it, thats more of the sum total of the experiences and a couple in particular not related to the IED per say. But i would say some of the depression, the forgetfullness and the migraines could definietley be part of it

[Berta]

Are you rated for the PTSD as service connected?

Lots of info here on what the VA is supposed to do:


http://www.va.gov/optometry/docs/VHA_Directive_2010-012_Screening_and_Evaluation_of_Possible_TBI_in_OEF-OIF_Veterans.pdf

Info here on what they might not do, but should :

http://www.disabledveterans.org/2014/05/16/va-screwing-tbi-vets-quick-facts-tbi-evaluation/

TBI is rated on it's residuals, that are directly due to the TBI..That could be migraines, memory problems,. speech problems, change in personal behavior,

there are many residuals that can be medically attributed to TBI.

But they were using a Level II criteria and you dont know if you were unconscious or not, for a while.

You might need to prove the incident that caused the TBI, if you have documented and ratable residuals.

) "the sound of the firefight as it was a ambush in conjunction with the ied."

This should be noted in your Unit's Morning Reports.

You might need to ciontact any " buddies" who can verify what happened and possibly state you were unconscious for a while,.
Buddy statements can be searched for here as to the criteria VA needs for them to be valid as evidence.


Or was this incident part of your PTSD stressor?

VA must separate and rate TBI residuals from PTSD ratings.

This is an example of the DBQ for TBI residuals:



In this case the vet was not involved in close proximity to an IED blast, he hit his head on a pool in service.

What is the rating you have now for the migraines , as well as the PTSD?

What did VA attribute the migraine rating to?

How long ago did they award the 60%?

[USMC_VET]

Are you rated for the PTSD as service connected?

50%

Lots of info here on what the VA is supposed to do:

http://www.va.gov/optometry/docs/VHA_Directive_2010-012_Screening_and_Evaluation_of_Possible_TBI_in_OEF-OIF_Veterans.pdf

Info here on what they might not do, but should :

http://www.disabledveterans.org/2014/05/16/va-screwing-tbi-vets-quick-facts-tbi-evaluation/

TBI is rated on it's residuals, that are directly due to the TBI..That could be migraines, memory problems,. speech problems, change in personal behavior,

there are many residuals that can be medically attributed to TBI.

But they were using a Level II criteria and you dont know if you were unconscious or not, for a while.

You might need to prove the incident that caused the TBI, if you have documented and ratable residuals.

) "the sound of the firefight as it was a ambush in conjunction with the ied."

This should be noted in your Unit's Morning Reports.

Trying to find out how to get acess to my Marine Corps units reports. The National Archives are for decades past not recent. I have written a FOIA request to HQ Marine Corps for my units record

You might need to contact any " buddies" who can verify what happened and possibly state you were unconscious for a while,.

Buddy statements can be searched for here as to the criteria VA needs for them to be valid as evidence.

I have written to a couple old buddies to do jsut this

Or was this incident part of your PTSD stressor?

It was one of many that i cited.

There was a major battle in 03, with over, from what i was told, i never counted, 400 bodies around our position. This was a big one, there was a incident where a family wouldnt stop at a checkpoint and another where i had get the remains out of a HMMV after a IED blast that took off a PSYOPS soldier attached to us, head. The clean up i still dont remember in detail.

VA must separate and rate TBI residuals from PTSD ratings.

I guess i need to look over the notes i get in the CFILE , once it get it....and see what has been put in under PTSD as stressor incidents and see if this was one of them.

This is an example of the DBQ for TBI residuals:

In this case the vet was not involved in close proximity to an IED blast, he hit his head on a pool in service.

What is the rating you have now for the migraines , as well as the PTSD?

PTSD is 50%, migraines was decided as 0% in January, i want to file a NOD for the 0%. My PTSD is under consideration for reduction which i talked about in a different post. The 0% Migraine was backdated to 2012, so thats another reason i want to NOD vs reopen, if i can get the migraines at 10-30%, they meet 30%, then i can get the retro back to 2012. I know they will fight it

What did VA attribute the migraine rating to?

I believe they SC it to the IED blast.

How long ago did they award the 60%?

My combined was awarded in 2012 backdated to 2011 when initially awarded.