ptsd Members Opinion Needed!

[Buck52]

Hello,

As most you guys know I was recently diagnosed with PTSD and Moderately Severe Depression by the VA in June 2015...code 9411 not sure on this rating?

also Unspecific Depression disorders code for that is 9435...which for the rating I would ask for that suites my symptom's would be 70% I understand there suppose to award/rate the highest of the two!

My dilemma is I cant make up my mind rather to file a claim or not, I am getting TDIU P&T on a combined rating of 90% for servere hearing loss/tinnitus, been that way now for almost 14 consecutive years. (paid at the 100%rate) Iam well over over 55..actually 63

IF I get a 70%rating with PTSD this would qualify for SMS's House Bound &some extra income If I win the claim and it sure would help out.

I just don't know what to do.? need suggestions and opinions & I do know it all boils down to my choice I realize that but just needed some suggestion as what maybe you guys would do if you were in my shoes?

If I decide to file I need to file as this as a new claim correct? not an increase claim or FDC claim.

I can't file it as FDC because I need some STR's and more Service Records to prove some stressors, as evidence this PTSD is because of my Military Service From RVN. years later.

The VA social Worker says this can happen to Veterans years later , as same as what my MH doc said & she a license BOARD CERTIFIED VA Physiatrist.

Matter fact the physiatrist ask me if I was going to file a claim? I told her I don't know yet?

So as my friends & experience members with compensation claim here on hadit (in your opinion or advice) do you have any suggestion as to rather or not I should file a New Claim with this and just hope for the best?

I trust everyone here on Hadit especially the elder members such as Ms Berta, Jbasser, Jerrel Cook, asknod, Ms tbird, Carlie, Phillip Rogers, Georgiapapa , broncovet, Pete 53, Pete 992, Chuck 75 John999,Gastone,and other hdit members as well.

Thanks you all for your support and your valuable Advice.

I'm at loss right now and can't think very well....and just need a little help on this matter, as my spouse wanted me to ask on here, as she too trust all the hadit members vs any VSO or Vet Center, or any other Veterans organization.

We both Appreciate you guys!

..........Buck & Ms Buck

Edited August 1, 2015 by Buck52

[Pete53]

If it was me I would file the claim and let the VA sort it out. Could end up with an S Rating that is a nice boost

[knap-sack]

Buck its up to you and your wife. I'll share the process with ya. It requires extensive tests and weekly visits to see doc. I have been going weekly for over a year.

The good is I have been seeing psychologist and I have a good understanding of what ptsd is and how the symptoms effects me. The symptoms have not gone away but I am medicated and it reduces the severity of the symptoms. I am glad I am receiving help. It can help you. But I will never be cured.

I can't tell you what to do buck but I can share my experience with ya

[broncovet]

I can not see a "downside" to filing. Like yourself, I am seeking SMC S. You see, 100% is supposed to be the average, but that is about 36,000 per year while the average income is between 50k and 60 k.

One problem is keeping up with inflation. You see, inflation goes much faster than the Cola's we get. You see that quite well with very old people who are on social security, some of who bring in less than 1000 per month.

Worrying about a reduction wont do you any good. There is no real evidence that applying for an increase makes it more likely you will be reduced. If the VA has evidence to reduce, they do so, if they do not have said evidence, then they cant reduce you. IU is very hard to reduce..as long as you are not working.

I would be interested in knowing what your puretone average and speech discrimination are, if you would reveal that. Thanks.

[Andyman73]

Buck,

It's me, again. I say...file the claim. It's the least you can do, for you and your family. I have only just begun my own MH journey, mostly due to the fact that I always believed I wasn't worth it(still do), and that there wasn't VA help available for Vets like me. Don't let another day go by without it. You deserve it, you and your wife have earned this. You by serving, her by loving and caring for you.

Semper Fi

Andy

[Gastone]

Your 90% SC on hearing (??) & Tinnitus (10%). Those 2 conditions never improve with time. You been getting paid at IU 100% rate for 14 years based solely on your 2 SC's, right?

What affect would a reduction back to 90% SC rate have on your quality of life, very dramatic, I think. Do you see any downside to filing the PTSD claim? Neither of your current SC's can expect to be re examined, your over 55 and the conditions have been static over 5 years or worsened.

A few months ago, some of the pencil neck squirrels in DC started discussing and proposing changes to the VA IU program. Probably won't go anywhere but you never know. With your 90% SC, a PTSD rating of 50 or 70% would get you to 100% Scheduler, no more worries about future IU cost cutting.

Semper Fi

Gastone

[Buck52]

Thanks Everyone anyone else?

broncovet ,

The Dr that performed this test is a board certified Otolaryngology ENT (expensive) state certified Audiologist.

He used the Maryland CNC word discrimination used by the Veterans Administration.

and followed the VA guidelines as close as he could.

Another hearing test was done at a regular Audiologist office with similar results the rater went with both these test as evidence to my loss of hearing.

As well as other evidence.

notarized statements from family & friends as witness to my bad hearing problem, Voc-Rehab Counselor letter stating it is not feasible to retrain this veteran at this time.

I had my own business at this time and had to close it because of my bad hearing problem and I did this work since my military and had no training in anything else, when you can't hear , it makes it hard to find any type of job and with no proper education other than criminal justice degree to where you need'' good hearing'', I could not find any jobs. period.

I went without work for a period of 5 years before I was awarded TDIU P&T... we lost our home and luckly for us we found an old 1956 10 ft wideX48 ''leaky'' mobile home to live in for 150.00 a month, and we were luckly our children were grown and already left home.

I Mowed yards and pick-up aluminum cans for a living as my wife supported us as a hair dresser...so needless to say all those 5 years I felt like crap with no real income.

my speech discrimination is 0%left ear 35% right ear.

hearing tested at 110 decibels on right ear at higher & lower frequencies & showed no hearing on the left ear at these same frequencies

Impression, Bilateral Severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Although I have Fitted VA Provided Hearing Aids,probably the best with Bluetooth capability, I need them turn up at the loudest Amplification & still have to ask most people to speak louder, I can't hear anything without them, other than a loud noise like crackly booming thunder, I sometimes for get to turn my car off if my wife didn't remind me, so I got to where I look at the RPM gauge to see if its still running,

I don't hear ambulance or cop cars sirens and that's getting to be a problem for me.

I can use headphones to hear but barley if its loud in the room then the headphones are useless, I listen to the hadit podcast radio show but can't hear them very well I can hear jbasser better than Jerrel cook but that's because jbasser has a deeper voice I can recognized his words better.

The most part I miss the most with this hearing problem I can't enjoy a lot of things said from my grand children.

if I could have my hearing back I'd take it in a New York Minute and give up the TDIU.

This new disability that I am having problems with now it would help us financially If approved for a rating but its not the end of the world if I don't get approved.

sure would help out tho because my wife lost her good paying job to her is disability too in April with a bad Back and osteoporosis is eating her bones up & as well as other complications , she has applied for SSD...but has to wait 6 month before that takes effect, she just was approved.

the hard thing is we were not prepared when she became disabled with a car payment, her medical bills, home mortgage and things like that and now it takes all I got with my TDIU & SS to make ends meet .

Thanks Again Everyone!!!

......................Buck