ptsd C&P review and suggestions please?!

[joerohling]

This may be a little long so please bare with me.  Background info: In Army from 1998-2001. Had a head injury that resulted in a fracture of my frontal sinus with surgical repair including reconstruction and plate and screws.  The injury was the result of a fall off a humvee while setting up antenna in november 2000 (non-combat related).  I do not recall whether I was completely knocked unconscious or not.  I know that I had a huge gooseegg and very bad headache, but didn't seek medical attention until the following morning after waking up with blood on my pillow from my nosebleed.  Once again had surgery next day for this injury.  During this time I was also being treated for Bilateral plantar fascitis and was recommended a medical honorable discharge and went through that process as many know.  Received severance pay and 10% rating on the plantar fascitis but 0% on the surgical repair of the fracture.  I was a young 21 year old and had no idea what was ahead of me in life, but the fact I received 8k severance was all I thought about at the time. Fast forward to the last few years: I began drinking heavily after discharge, using drugs, and abusing pain medication.  Lost 1 marriage, on my 4th actual career due to inabilty to maintain employment including 10-15 different jobs in the interim, been to inpatient alcohol treatment, and finally sobered up 2 1/2 years ago by using a 12 step program .  Then came the feelings, depression, anxiety, difficulty concentrating (actually have had this one all along), suicidal thoughts, as well as emotional breakdowns with anger and nightmars resulting in panic attakcs.  I almost lost my current marriage because of it.  My wife pushed me to seek proffessional help and thats when I began this journey up to this point.  I have been advised by a fellow veteran to look at the link between the head injury and my path afterw] the military.  So I put in a claim myself without any guidance from a VSO(mistake probably) and have been going through the process since January.  I have continued to see MH including Phsychiatrist along with PTSD eval.  No one has come out and specificifically told me I have PTSD, however, after looking through my medical records over the last 8 months, it is mentioned mild PTSD by the phsychiatrist as well as my primary care doc.  My regular therapist lists my problems as Major Depression Disorder, recurring and generalized anxiety.  I also have had diagnosis previously in 2012 of insomnia, anxiey, and depression.   The following is what I put in as my claim:

·          01/05/2016 (Compensation)

·         Estimated Completion: 05/15/2016 - 06/18/2016 

The time it takes to complete you claim depends on factors like the type of claim and the type of disability claimed.

The estimated dates are based on a statistical analysis of historical processing times for similar claims. Some things you should know:

·         Historical data may not accurately predict current conditions. Your claim may take longer.

·         Dates may change as the statistical analysis is updated.

·         Some claims will take longer than the range of dates given as they are based on an average.

Submitting the supporting documentation that has been requested quickly and electronically is the surest way to get your claim decided as quickly as possible.

·         Disabilities Claimed: PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) to include alcohol abuse and Depression (Secondary), headaches (Secondary), open reduction internal fixation of frontal sinus fracture (Increase)

·         Current Status: Preparation for Decision 

 

I had my c&P done for PTSD, mental health and also for the headaches.  The PTSD eval was quite surprising to me, as I was very anxious and nervous from all I read.  I waited an hour to get in to see the examiner.  The exam took a total of 7-10 minutes.  He asked where I grew up, What branch of military, and reviewed symptoms he saw in my record.  That was it.... I figured since he basically reviewed and recited the symptoms he saw in my medical files and said ok we are done, that it went well but then I got the results and have attached them here as well as the last psych report and problem list.  The issue I have is the fact that he has stated no response provide to most of the questions, along with no official opinion at the end, as well as stating the following :

It is difficult if not impossible differentiate what portion of
each symptom is attributable to each diagnoses. There is a high
degree of overlap and comorbidity between the disorders. 

My C&P for the headaches appears to have been more in depth and looks like there should be an increase there.  Can someone with experience please review this and tell me what you think I will receive if anything as well as suggestions of what path of action I should take if denied for the mental portion of this?  I did file the claim without really doing my foot work as well as a pretty weak statement (my opinion since researching on this site as well as other sites).  I know I haven't sacrificed as much as most disabled veterans, but I was injured while in service,  as well as signed up to fight for our country and feel my physical, emotional, and mental health issues stem from this pretty serious injury I sustained while serving.  God bless and God Speed!

C&P Exam and notes.docx

Edited April 21, 2016 by joerohling

[Navy4life]

Based on the attached C&P exam under "Occupational & Social Impairment" you are looking at 30%.  Here are the ratings for PTSD....

 

Here are the ratings for PTSD:

0% – A mental condition had been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.

10% – Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication.

30% – Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).

50% – Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech (meaning one sounds like they are on speed but they are not. This is a natural and physical outward expression of a chemical imbalance in your brain. An aspect that might appear most frequent in those with TIB ); panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short-and long term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. (This goes beyond hard to get along with).

70% – Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsession rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a work like setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

100% – Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment of thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.

[Lemuel]

Joe, did you get any response to your claim yet from a Rating Officer (RO)?  

Are you in appeal?

[broncovet]

The original post was from almost 8 years ago, Lemeul.  While it would be awesome if the OP responded, it is not exactly likely.  Im not sure how/why this is happening.  

[Lemuel]

Just checking.  Could have been misdated.  Popped up by itself no responses.  And I would sure have responded because the injury is so like mine.

Joe may be gone already.  I am 82.  But many do not make it that far.  Tbird is investigating these old postings.  Something funny here.