Panic attack during C & P examination

[MPwoman]

I attended my scheduled C & P examination yesterday.  I thought I was prepared for the examination, but questions about the MST incident caused me to become very upset.  I spent more time crying than answering questions.  The examiner was kind, but I wasted precious time trying to manage my anxiety and emotional instability and failed to provide important information as a result.  At the conclusion of the examination, I insisted that the examiner let me exit out of a back door because I was too upset to go back through the waiting room.  

Now I am concerned that the important information I failed to specifically point out will be overlooked by the examiner when she prepares her report, even though that information is contained in my military records and also on my statement of incident.  I am also very concerned that she is going to report me to someone or find me incompetent because I was experiencing a prolonged panic attack.  I am not as unstable as I appeared.

This C & P examination was a horrible experience.  I do not want to have to repeat it for any reason.  Do I have cause for concern?  Has anyone else completely lost it during an examination?

[bluevet]

Hi, Sorry you had such an awful experience. I have had 2 C&P exams for my mental health disability claim and in both cases, I left the exams feeling extremely confident that the examiner understood everything and in both cases, the examiners even assured me that they understood my symptomology  and both told me outright that my condition was service connected, yet one turned in an opinion against service connection and the other resorted to an amazing amount of speculation to opine a pre-existing condition. I have heard others who thought they had a terrible exam and then were given the 'golden trumpet" of results.

The point is this. Try not to drive yourself crazy mulling over how the exam went. Call the VA 1-800 number once a week to see if the results have come in. Then request a copy. You can request they send you a copy, which can take weeks to months to receive or you can walk into you R.O. and walk out with a copy. Once you have it, you can react to it appropriately. Take it from someone who's been there and try to limit yourself to dealing with those things you can control, or you will drive yourself nuts, as I have in the past. Good Luck!

[USMC_VET]

I would write up a "sworn declaration" and spell out what happened.  State that the Examination was extremely stressful and you were not able to maintain any calm or ability to think clearly due to being forced to remember your trauma.  Then i would spell out exactly what you wanted to mention to the examiner but were unable to convey in the time allotted and with your state of mind at the time.

Then wait for the results.  If the decision ends up going your way and you are happy with the %, then congrats.  If not and it was because you were unable to tell the examiner everything then i would send in a Notice of Disagreement.

In that I would state

" In my previous Sworn Declaration dated __/__/____ I explained that I was unable to participated thorough and extensive examination of my trauma that i am claiming.  I also mentioned the other issues and problems that i wished to convey to the examiner.  Due to this inability to convey everything i wished to the examiner I feel that the rating is unjustified.  Some of the symptoms listed as necessary to be rated at a higher level were mentioned in sworn declaration, but were not taken into account during the rating process.  I wish to formally submit by notice of disagreement with the decision dated __/__/____ regarding my PTSD (MST) claim and request a DRO HEARING and a NEW COMPENSATION AND PENSION EXAM."

[Navy04]

Sorry you had to go thru all that, but as you know that has become part of the VA game. If it is well documented, then you have nothing to worry about. Just post the exam results on here when they are available, and we will help best we can. Good luck, God Bless and Keep us posted.

[bluevet]

I would write up a "sworn declaration" and spell out what happened.  State that the Examination was extremely stressful and you were not able to maintain any calm or ability to think clearly due to being forced to remember your trauma.  Then i would spell out exactly what you wanted to mention to the examiner but were unable to convey in the time allotted and with your state of mind at the time.

Then wait for the results.  If the decision ends up going your way and you are happy with the %, then congrats.  If not and it was because you were unable to tell the examiner everything then i would send in a Notice of Disagreement.

In that I would state

" In my previous Sworn Declaration dated __/__/____ I explained that I was unable to participated thorough and extensive examination of my trauma that i am claiming.  I also mentioned the other issues and problems that i wished to convey to the examiner.  Due to this inability to convey everything i wished to the examiner I feel that the rating is unjustified.  Some of the symptoms listed as necessary to be rated at a higher level were mentioned in sworn declaration, but were not taken into account during the rating process.  I wish to formally submit by notice of disagreement with the decision dated __/__/____ regarding my PTSD (MST) claim and request a DRO HEARING and a NEW COMPENSATION AND PENSION EXAM."

 USMC, do you think she should send this in before she knows the results of the exam or just prepare it and have it ready in case the Doctor's opinion is not favorable to her? 

[USMC_VET]

I would send in the sworn declaration now, relating things that she was unable to talk about in regards to her condition based on her mental and physical response to the exam.  I had a psych appointment and due to the circumstances and my memory issues (i write down things to talk about now before any C&P's) i forgot to mention things.  I did send it in, i was still given a proposal to reduce.  So with that subjective report it would seem it may not be any use.  But i feel it cant hurt and each rater is different, they may see this and say "ok the C&P only rated 50% but the doc basically believes what she said happened and all her symptoms so theres no reason to believe that this is also not true and would bump her to 70%" it could happen, idk.

I also believe that if the doc was not a good person they may have just left out the part where they had to leave and COULD write that the veteran chose not to continue the C&P exam, etc.  sending something in quickly could help to make the raters understand what happened vs trying to explain it months from now after a denial or lowball, and sending it in then may be seen by the rater as "them just tyring to get a higher rating".

Thats my subjective opinion. of course no NOD, cant send that in until a decision is made.  this just helps clarify what happened and explain her symptoms and how it affects her.  As i said this COULD be not taken into account at all (which i never understood in terms of subjective reporting of how it makes you feel, etc why a statement isnt as good as an exam, because its just you conveying the same information but in oral format to a doctor). But it could be.  and my opinion has always been if it COULD help her and CANT hurt you, why not?