The Other Side Of Service Connected Disability Compensation – Mental And Emotional

[Tbird]

The other side of service connected disability compensation – Mental and Emotional

Brothers and Sisters –Welcome Home! Thank you for your service to our country and thank you for your part in hadit.com’s success. Claims for service connected disability compensation can be a very trying to the veteran and those around them. As you go through the process of applying for disability compensation and do not be mistaken for the vast majority of veterans it is a process and not a thing. Processes take time and resources from the veteran who has probably reached a point where there resources are very low. This information is for you the veteran going through the process, based on my personal experience and years of creating this website and listening to veterans stories. Though the following is directed to the veteran, there is a whole book that could be written on the toll it takes on the veterans family and friends. Probably another book on the effect to veterans advocates. In the end though I am one of you a veteran, a bit broken, but chugging along.

1. Do Not Neglect Your Health! Following your claims from beginning to end can and does consume many veterans. Keep in mind that you are in the claims process because something serious has gone wrong with your health, if it is a physical disability be aware that it will almost always drag you down a bit emotional y, cause extra stress and frustration so if you are seeing someone for your physical disability and you begin to feel the stress is more than you can deal with, be sure to ask your service provider for some help getting a therapist or getting into a group that will help you let off the steam. If it is your mental health, then you are probably already seeing a therapist or have had some kind of mental health help, use this as your support system you will need it. The question of service officers is constantly debated pros and cons, it is my personal opinion that it is always a good idea to have a service officer, consider your service officer as one of many tools you have at your disposal for completing the claims process. Please take care of your mental health, if you are having problems get help. The added stress of the claims process is very difficult for a veteran whose mental resources have been depleted to the point where they need to file a claim. I like to think of it as a safety net, I have walked the tight rope without a net and the fall is quite unpleasant. So if I fall now I know there is a net below that will catch me, I may bounce a bit and rest there a bit, but I will be able to get up again and climb the ladder and start the walk again. I want the same for you.

2. Compensation vs. Validation – You can get compensation from the V.A., but rarely will you receive validation for what you have gone through. If you want validation got to therapy, get in a group of veterans with similar interests or problems as yourself. Don’t let the lack of validation from the V.A. or for that matter the military push your buttons. Remember go to the V.A. for compensation and seek your validation elsewhere. My two cents.

3. Bringing your claim to a successful conclusion can be a life changing event for many veterans and their families. Give yourself to time to get use to it, don’t be surprised if it seems a bit anti-climatic, many veterans feel this - it will pass. Emotional ups and downs after a successful claim are normal, so just be aware of this and if possible try not to make any life changing decisions, including financial during this period. Let yourself level out a bit, you will be fine. On the other hand you may have none of these emotional ups and downs again just my two cents.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I hope it’s helpful.

[sixthscents]

Allan, I disagree, I believe it matters a great deal. To have a claim you must have a diagnosis. It is EASIER to get a diagnosis for an in-service condition... in service. The VA may or may not agree that the symptology you presented leads to a certain diagnosis, however once a diagnosis has been made, it becomes much harder for the VA to simply dismiss a claim with the normal "no diagnosis of.. was found in the service medical record" How MANY times have we all seen that phrase?

Also, to be honest it gives the service-member a sense of ...well a sense that they are not pogues. I mean how many times did you see someone riding a profile, and then something happens to you and it kinda becomes clear. You wonder if you are crazy, if the pain is in your head... a diagnosis is in fact supportive in that it lets the soldier know that there is actually something wrong, and no they aren't crazy... or lazy... or a pogue...

Then all I am left to question is "how screwed up was I".. cause I bought into the whole riding a profile bull mentality that your command actually instills. Who did I unknowingly hurt because I allowed the opinion of my Chain color my own ... Its never REAL until it happens to you. So... I think its important for a whole lot of reasons. Mental - Emotional - and Monetary.

[Guest allan]

>To have a claim you must have a diagnosis

Thanks, but my point is, if you don't have your own copies of in service clinicals, what EVER diagnoses, treatments, symptoms you need to support your claims, may be missing when you file. Don't expect the DOD or DVA to safely care for the, "primary evidence" you will need in the future. It won't help "you" if it ends up in the round file, due to an adjudicator having a bad day. Keep your "own" records. Even if you have nothing to file for during or shortly after service, some symptoms may not hit you for yrs.

CYA!

[sixthscents]

Well, ok I think I misunderstood you. Yeah it just makes sense to have personal copies of your med records... Ive got like 3 or 4, and I keep them updated. I had to submit 4 copies to the VA before they finally agreed that they had them and returned the last set.

So, sure, if thats what you wre meaning. Thats just plain common sense with the VA or any other agency.

[Dean]

Lets not all forget that if it was not for T-Bird and this site, a lot of Veterans would still be trying to figure out how to properly get a claim worked. You can not count on a service officer to know what is wrong with your body or what you go through on a daily basis. A service officer will not take the hours or weeks that it takes to perfect your claim. It should not be our responsibility to have to work our claims but we know better than anyone what is wrong with us. If you do not go to the doctor and get the prescribed medication that is given to you (I did not say that you had to take everything, just get it). The V.A. will deny your case simply because you do not go to the doctor the required amout of times that they think you should go. This is a depressing thing, going to the doctor every time you feel bad. If you do not go to the doctor and shoe episodes of care, you will be denied. It seems stupid and people will call you a hypochondriac (even pshchiatrist), but if you do not constantly go to the doctor, the V.A. will refuse your disability claim.

Thank you T-Bird for all that you have done for me and other Veterans over the past 10 years. I have been getting advice and giving advice here for about 9 of those years and it is a great thing when I see that another Veteran has been helped. My log in's do not show for the years before this new site. I plan on helping more in the future. I have just had a lot of things come up in the past year.

T-BIRD YOU ARE A GREAT PERSON AND MANY VETERANS LOOK UP TO YOU.