ptsd PTSD Therapist

[Buck52]

I been seeing a VA registered MMD/PTSD  therapist, and Diagnosed for PTSD Unspecified depressive disorder, meeting B.C,D of the Criteria  for 5 DSM.

 .the therapy seems not to be working for me  but I go to the sessions as he makes the appointments weekly.

I have had 3 sessions so for.

 

Anyhow after the therapy sessions  I ask him off the record if I should file a claim for this disability, he said no not really  because your already getting paid at the 100% level  there's no higher rating  and going through a claim would only stress me out more. 

I am rated 90%combined rating for tinnitus    and severe hearing loss, both SC conditions  and they rated me TDIU P&T with no future exams and disability is of nature and chronic, I  have had this rating the last 13 /3/4 years..

Well beings I don't get out much  pretty much just stay home  only go when I absolutely have/ need too  like VA Appointments.

I was thinking bout filing a claim for this PTSD Diagnoses  to try to get SMC Housebound..but after the therapist said I would not get a higher rating   it would be uselss to file?

 

Any suggestions or opinions?

 

Thanks

 

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

[john999]

You have an official PTSD DX from the VA in your records I assume?  Your therapist is not expert on VA benefits that's for sure.   I would file a claim for PTSD.   Any rating you get will open the door for possible HB.  Let's say you get 30% the first time.  Then you hire yourself an IME and maybe you get 70%.  Now you have HB.    Buck,  you are an RVN vet, so let's assume you will probably get some presumptive rating for an AO condition.  That would also help you get to the 60% level for HB.  I was rated P&T TDIU in 2002.  I claimed DMII presumptive for AO a couple of years later.  Then I claimed PN in all four limbs as secondary to DMII.  Then in 2008 I think I claimed CAD as secondary to DMII.  I got 60% for that.  Then I heard about Bradley v Peake and requested housebound.  The VA called a CUE on themselves and granted the HB with  2 years retro.  I would claim every compensable condition I had because it may pay off in the end.  Mine did for me.  At our age they are not likely to revisit your TDIU claim nor any of your other claims you being p&t and over 55.  I think unless we get hit by a beer truck most of us Nam vets will die from an AO condition eventually.   Even if the AO condition just contributes to our demise it counts towards DIC.

[broncovet]

Be careful who you accept advice from, especially if they tell you "dont file".  That is a big red flag to me.  

You are correct.  If you did get a PTSD rating of at least 60 percent, then, yes, you should be eligible for SMC S, under the "100 plus 60" statuatory housbound rule.  

Its possible, or even likely you can get "housebound in fact" also.  Here is why:

https://asknod.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/cavc-howell-v-nicholson-what-smc-s-really-says/

IN short, VA often denies housbound if you can leave the home to show up for  a C and P exam for housebound.  Thats bull.  Congress intended housbound for Vets who can not leave their home FOR WORK. 

So, if you dont work, you are not leaving your home for work.  

[Buck52]

Yes John999 I have the  DX PTSD /Unspecific Depressive Disorders. By the VA

on getting HB  according to the VA I am not 100% but  getting paid at the 100% RATE because of my hearing problem keeps me from working  of what I was trained to do   so they gave me the TDIU P&T.

I am actually 90% combined rating.

I have some scares from surgery the VA did back in 82  and a scar on my right hand that I had the VA do an Injection of some type of enzyme, its an acid type stuff that melts the cord that causes dupuntrys  contractions.ITS NOT sc but the VA screwed up my hand and I lost grip and its still bothers me and  still painful, I go to the plastic surgon in a week about it.,

As for as AO Contentions  I do have  prostate problems  like swelled prostate which I take medications for but so for there not helping  over a year now for that, my pcp said she will help me on it  but its not a cancer and probably be denied on it.

I just don't want them to mess with what I already been getting  if thats reduced we will be in a big mess, wife just lost her job with her disability and its going to be lateNovember before she gets anything coming in, so right now were just barley making ends meet since she stopped working , paying for a new AC/havc unit and she just bought a new car a year ago and paying for that, so if I get reduced we will lose the car and right now its the only transpertation we have,

So this is why I been asking questions about filing the PTSDclaim  and I know the VA don't care what kind of financial mess your in.

 

broncovet, what do you mean this raises a big a ''Red Flag''?

As for as the therapist,  his opinion don't carry weight with me anyway  when he said 100% is the highest I can be paid , I new right then he didn't know  how claim benefits work.

 

 Now my psychiatrist   may help me??

she ask me if I was going to file a claim a few months ago,( I go see her again next month)...I responded ''I don't know yet  I never thought about it, but I'll let you know if I do''

.I didn't want to look conspicuous ..>.know what I mean?

T

he med's they give me don't seem to be helping me with this PTSD  but she said lets give them time to work about 3 months or so, I agreed  and then she said until then  she recommends for me to see the VA Therapist, I agreed to that and I been seeing the therapist now  ..been to 4 sessions so for  got another appointment this week.

I also join the MOVE PROGRAM  hopefully to lose some weight, I use the DART TRAIN to go  its a hassle but I don't drive cost to much for gas, although I get travel pay, I just started asking for that since my spouse had to stop working, I use  to not ever ask for travel pay  but now it comes in handy for us.

IF VA holds that against me and says if I can go to the VA for weight loss class and to my appointments   I am not consider HB   Which is unfair to veterans  that's a catch 22, how else would a veteran get to the VA?

Other than that I don't go anywhere else not even to the grocery store  and that's getting to be a problem for my spouse  to bad she is not a veteran  eh!

If I file a FDC claim for this ptsd and the scars...what do you guys think I'll be rated? any clues? I will file the ptsd along with the scars and also put in the swellon prostate as AO contention, beings I never had prostate problems until now...however that could be denied.

SO file an intent to file claim first and then file the FDC Claim???

 

suggestion/opinion welcome from anyone that knows the VA system.

 

Thanks

 

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

Edited August 16, 2015 by Buck52

[broncovet]

By "red flag", when someone tells you "dont file", then that suggests they are more interested in VA's interests not yours.    I can not imagine a senario where its in a Veterans best interest "not to file", EXCEPT that you should appeal instead.  Obviously everyone knows their own health history best, and for someone else to suggest not filing, I question why they would say that.  

[Buck52]

 bronco,

well I am guessing he don't know jack about VA Claims, he is just a therapist probably getting 100 grand a year, as for as getting help I think the psychiatrist   will help me all she can, and the social worker, I'm not sure about the rest of the MH docs?

should I file intent to file claim  and then file a FDC Claim with all the contentions , there not SC but hopefully I can get some SC and maybe a possibly 60%rating on the PTSD  and Maybe 10%on the scars,,,hopefully thqt will all add up to the 160%..if it does  will the VA inferred the HB?

 

Thanks

 

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

Edited August 16, 2015 by Buck52