Please help me understand this

[Okemos_Veteran74]

Background:I am rated at 70% for TBI. The doctor performing my C&P stated that he did not expect my TBI to improve because of the interrelated PTSD symptoms (which are permanent and total).

 

I went to the traumatic brain injury clinic at the Ann Arbor VA. The doctor there told me that he did not believe that I was having any symptoms related from a traumatic brain injury that occurred over 20 years ago. He stated it was not just his opinion but it was the Medical Science Community behind him.  

  I went to a VA social worker and asked to go to a different VA because I said I wanted to be seen by a VA doctor that believed they could treat me. Or I said I wanted to use veterans choice to be seen at a local brain injury Clinic in my area (which is also a private facility).  Both requests were denied.

I guess I'm a little bit of a loss because if I'm rated at 70% for a brain injury by the VA how can a VA doctor disagree and say that I am no longer experiencing symptoms from the TBI. What am I missing here?

Another social worker tried to explain it to me by saying that he believed the VA doctor was saying that my conditions were being caused by mental health concerns not necessarily by traumatic brain injury symptoms.

[Buck52]

IF you can check with your VAMC MH Clinic talk with a LCSW according to the VA thet are the ones that can give opinion from your interview treatment sessions  to differentiate the two conditions, as I understand a veteran can have both diagnose of these  TBI & PTSD and overlapping conditions with your symptoms and and be rated for both,, thus as Ms berta pointed out  if your rated for both , but here is the kicker with the VA they look at your symptoms  and severity of them both to award the SMC, but a Veteran can and should be able to get the SMC....This is hard for a rater to decide and he will have to do some research . 

ok once they decide you have both and your symptoms warrant the severity of both conditions then SMC Should be applied  because they will be separate conditions.  they just have a problem figuring out which one is separate and distinct...eh!  maybe they just need to pick one???

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/problems/traumatic_brain_injury_and_ptsd.asp

I wanted to add if you have a TBI get into treatment asap...now if you have had this TBI Diagnose for over 20 years and your not showing any of these symptoms..I am not sure what to say? maybe the VA and the Dr's are looking at that side?

Edited June 20, 2018 by Buck52

[Buck52]

12 hours ago, Okemos_Veteran74 said:

Background:I am rated at 70% for TBI. The doctor performing my C&P stated that he did not expect my TBI to improve because of the interrelated PTSD symptoms (which are permanent and total).

 

I went to the traumatic brain injury clinic at the Ann Arbor VA. The doctor there told me that he did not believe that I was having any symptoms related from a traumatic brain injury that occurred over 20 years ago. He stated it was not just his opinion but it was the Medical Science Community behind him.  

  I went to a VA social worker and asked to go to a different VA because I said I wanted to be seen by a VA doctor that believed they could treat me. Or I said I wanted to use veterans choice to be seen at a local brain injury Clinic in my area (which is also a private facility).  Both requests were denied.

I guess I'm a little bit of a loss because if I'm rated at 70% for a brain injury by the VA how can a VA doctor disagree and say that I am no longer experiencing symptoms from the TBI. What am I missing here?

Another social worker tried to explain it to me by saying that he believed the VA doctor was saying that my conditions were being caused by mental health concerns not necessarily by traumatic brain injury symptoms.

If this happen over 20 years ago and you were Diagnose for TBI back then  but showed no symptoms back then I can't understand how they diagnosed you in the first place.??

you might try to go back and find that Dr that diagnosed you...but that should be in your medical records...

the fact that an MD  From a TBI CLINIC in Ann Arbor Mention this

''I went to the traumatic brain injury clinic at the Ann Arbor VA. The doctor there told me that he did not believe that I was having any symptoms related from a traumatic brain injury that occurred over 20 years ago. He stated it was not just his opinion but it was the Medical Science Community behind him''.  

you may need to get a IMO from a specialist in TBI conditions and diagnoses to go into further details of your TBI  to rebut this Dr opinion 

I forgot to ask or maybe you mention this but do you have a diagnose for both TBI and  PTSD?

  

 

Edited June 20, 2018 by Buck52

[Buck52]

If your not in treatment for both these conditions TBI & PTSD??

THEY USUALLY SAY THESE  TYPE THINGS

You Quote 

''I guess I'm a little bit of a loss because if I'm rated at 70% for a brain injury by the VA how can a VA doctor disagree and say that I am no longer experiencing symptoms from the TBI.'' What am I missing here?''

 

[Buck52]

Just my opinion here

but if you been s.c. & rated over 20 years and now applying for PTSD for SMC purposes 

It just seems a little far fitched   B/C in my opinion you should have been rated for both back when you were Diagnose for the TBI....Did you see what Ms berta put up about how the VA were treating veterans back in the day for the TBI?  

You could have a Potentially CUE going on here?  by then error of not rating you for both conditions   as it stands now you should be able to get both these conditions S.C. AND RATED and the SMC IF WARRANTED.

[Berta]

There could be a CUE potential when and if we can read their  decisions on the TDIU and the 70% TBI.

This vet,Okemos , has 70% SC for PTSD ( TDIU award P & T) and 70% SC forTBI:

"I have a PTSD rating of 70% which gives me tdiu and is permanent and total. I have a TBI rating of 70%."

In this link below:

 

He  might have the same type of SMC- CUE I had,based on violation of the SMC Mandate.

 

[Buck52]

/www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/21/2016-30509/special-monthly-compensation-for-veterans-with-traumatic-brain-injuryht

/www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/21/2016-30509/special-monthly-compensation-for-veterans-with-traumatic-brain-injuryht