Misdiagnosed with personality disorder not PTSD. I have been diagnosed by at least 8 VA psychiatrists with PTSD, I need HELP

[MichaelSipes76]

I will make this as succinct as possible due to a recent MVA and some brain injury. I am an honorably discharged army veteran. I was discharged in December 1997. I immediately filed a claim because they misdiagnosed me with a borderline personality disorder, by psychiatrist Dr. Gray at Walter Reed. Which is all over the internet and was common practice to deny benefits. I was seeing a Dr. Mulligan for a few months prior to that and he diagnosed me with atypical depression and anxiety. When he heard she diagnosed me with this other disorder that would deny me benefits he shook his head. He didn't tell me why but I was able to copy all of my military records before leaving the service. I have an email from Dr. Mulligan to Dr. Gray saying he disagreed with her diagnosis and that I was being treated and showing improvement. He stated that my mental condition was a result of extreme stressors brought upon me by my superiors that I worked under. I tried the claim progress myself and was denied twice and was told that unless I had additional information I had a time period to do so or it was final. Well, that's not true as I have been told by numerous veterans. I never went before the board or to Washington to go to the last step. I have been seen by at least 8 different psychiatrists at the VAMC for the past 20 years as well as a psychotherapist, they all have diagnosed and have said you had and have PTSD, not a personality disorder. I was deemed permanently disabled in 2007 through the state of WV for my Anxiety disorder, OCD and depression and have since then received SSD.  I can barely walk, and suffered an MVA last month causing some brain damage to my physical body, not my cognitive abilities. However, with my 149 IQ and now 22 years of continuing medical education and being 41 I am just unable to do this on my own. I need help and I am extremely confident with the proper help from an attorney who has gone through this before, I would receive a substantial back pay of 20 years of compensation from the original date of my claim in 1998. Will someone please, please help me, I am at a roadblock and have been for many years but since I never took it to the fullest level in front of a board I know I still am able to reopen the claim

 Thank you

Michael Sipes, JR, MT

 

[Tbird]

Please post your question only once.

[BuddyLoveAK]

I'm going through a similar situation myself. I was intentionally misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder instead of bipolar disorder in order to deny me benefits and now I'm trying to get that fixed. I contacted Eric Gang, he's based out of New Jersey but he helps vets nationwide. He has successfully represented vets in the past who were misdiagnosed with personality disorders so I decided to go with him. So far he and his team have been very helpful. They answer all my questions and are patient whenever I contact them. His website has a lot of good info on it too. I'd recommend giving him a call, just google his name and it'll pop right up. Good luck and hang in there!

[Berta]

 You stated: "I have been seen by at least 8 different psychiatrists at the VAMC for the past 20 years as well as a psychotherapist, they all have diagnosed and have said you had and have PTSD, not a personality disorder."

Can you scan and post your last denial from the VA here- as to their reason and bases for the denial ?

Cover your C file # and name ect prior to scanning it.

 

"I was deemed permanently disabled in 2007 through the state of WV for my Anxiety disorder, OCD and depression and have since then received SSD.":

PTSD is an anxiety disorder. Was VA aware of the SSDI award? 

" He stated that my mental condition was a result of extreme stressors brought upon me by my superiors that I worked under. "

Is that the stressor you claimed for PTSD?

Do you have other stressors that happened in service?

Also can you scan and attach here the evidence list that VA used?

Edited February 15, 2018 by Berta

[Berta]

forgot to add:

"I tried the claim progress myself and was denied twice and was told that unless I had additional information I had a time period to do so or it was final. Well, that's not true as I have been told by numerous veterans."

I agree there is a time period for appealing a denial-a Notice of Disagreement must be filed within one year of the denial.  If the claim remains denied, in a Statement of the Case, there are steps vets can take to keep it in the system, hopefully to the point of getting an award at the RO level or at the BVA or CAVC level.

" I never took it to the fullest level in front of a board I know I still am able to reopen the claim."

If  you have new and material evidence- evidence that is probative, that VA has never seen before, such as proof of a stressor, or proof that your 'superiors put you under extreme stress' ,in the Military , than  you can re-open your claim.

But I have never seen a PTSD award based on that situation....stress from military superiors....

The last denial-if you can attach it here, will help us find out what was missing from your claim. There are many lawyers who help vets- some are members here, but if the VA denied due to a lack of an acceptable  service nexus, for your PTSD, that is something you might well need to prove yourself.

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Berta