Ptsd claim

[DebbieS118]

Two years ago my husband was diagnosed PTSD from a veterans contract psychologist. Although he is 66 years old, and the Vietnam war has long been over for decades his symptoms did not appear until he became sober five years ago when he quit the alcohol. He never actively seemed help for his alcoholism because he was self medicating. The psychologist send him to a va psychiatrist for medication. Both doctors believe his ptsd was caused by the anxiety of being on standby to deploy to Vietnam for 5 months. He started drinking heavily while in Okinawa and by the time he  was discharged he was already an alcoholic.

To make a long story short, he filed a claim with VA. Of course he was denied. Did a reconsideration claim. Said he needed new/material evidence which was sent in. It was a dbq for ptsd. We received acknowledgment of the new letter stating it was indeed new evidence and claim would be going to rater. Got another denial of claim 2 weeks later saying they never received new evidence so reconsideration claim was denied.

Now what? This process is so frustrating makes you want to quit

[DebbieS118]

I am so ready to give this whole thing up. 

[Berta]

Have you or your husband made any attempt to follow any of the advice here as far as obtaining his SMRs and inservice personnel file?

Is your husband willing to give up?

If not ,can he join us here?

 

I have been searching the BVA to find a similar case.

I found something yesterday on remand that might help…might...and am willing to post it but

 

 we need to see the actual initial denial.

 

I am withdrawing my suggestion to contact IRIS (unless you already did).

It is something in the Initial denial, that the VA stated, and/or referred to as evidence, as the main reason for the denial,….. something we do not know about yet.  

Their rationale might be correct.

But many hundreds ,if not thousands of us here, over the last two decades have definitely overcome multiple denials with valid probative evidence. ...because we were willing to do the leg work that all involved.

(I say "we" - as a non disabled civilian) but just about everyone here who has fought the VA until they succeeded, is Disabled, some in many ways,  yet they still managed to get through the claims process and were unwilling to ever give up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Berta

[DebbieS118]

I will scan everything I have when I get a chance. I am the one doing all the work on this claim bc husband said he doesn’t know how to do it.

[DebbieS118]

[Berta]

We need to see the June 6, 2016 denial that was based on the April 2016 claim

[DebbieS118]