Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

Va disability & C&P question regarding veteran with suicide risk

Rate this question


Lagin02

Question

So my husband is going though the VA disability process. He began treatment in April doing CPT which aggravated his symptoms immensely. In May, he was fired from the job he has held for 8 years. In June, he was put on disability leave from his National Guard unit after command became aware of his suicide risk and they have mandated that he continues the therapy which is only making the situation worse. He has been in for 15 years and most likely will be medically chaptered out which has worsened his depression significantly. Due to his suicidal thoughts I am trying to manage this financial crisis as best I can because I’m afraid he is being pushed over the edge. He just stares off into space and sits in our basement. I filed for VA disability at the beginning of June because prior to all this he was our only source of income. I left my job a couple months before he was fired because my income was not enough to cover daycare after our son was born. I can’t leave him alone with the kids in the state he is in right now. I payed off our bills for a couple months with our savings but we only have a month left before we will be homeless. I also expedited his claim due to financial hardship in June. His claim seems open and shut to me. He did is C&P exam in July 31st but the VA still haven’t received the report (it was a VA doctor that did it not a contractor).  I called on Thursday to ask where it is and was told “it’s not ready yet” by the office where it was conducted. 

My understanding is you must prove three things:

The stressor:

His stressor occurred in Iraq in 2007. There was a CID investigation due to the circumstances around the event and there are still people in his unit that were in Iraq with him and knew what happened. I don’t want to write details because it would defeat the purpose of confidentiality but there is no denying that it was extremely traumatic and involved death and serious injury of service members in a small convoy. I also have a memorandum signed by the commander sending my husband to the combat stress unit in Iraq after the incident when he became suicidal. In my mind there is no denying the stressor. 

A current diagnosis: 

He is currently under treatment for PTSD at the VA doing CPT and is on medication. His team wants him to do an in-patient program in Chicago but as it stands with our impending homelessness, it just isn’t an opinion right now. 

The Nexus: 

He marked off symptoms of ptsd on his demobilization paperwork and stated he encountered stressors. In his periodic health assessment 6-month and also 1 year follow-ups for his Iraq deployment it shows he endorsed every symptom of PTSD and one Depression question. He was supposed to be referred to mental health according to this form but for whatever reason it slipped through the cracks. His current treatment is focused on the events that occurred during his first deployment. 

I called the VA homeless assistance line and was told that they will place my husband in transitional housing but me and our children (6-month-old and 9-years-old) will need to “find somewhere else to go.” I called the White House VA line and was told “I am so sorry but I don’t know what else I can tell you to do” His ebenifits portal broke 6 weeks ago due to duplicate files and was supposed to be fixed 3 weeks ago but is still broken. I have called veteran resources but all in our area require we have a “resolution” if they assist which we don’t because I don’t know if or when he will start to improve. 

So if your still with me, I have a couple questions: 

How long does it take for the doctor to send a C&P exam? Is it normal that it wouldn’t be don’t weeks after the exam? 

What are the chances that this will be resolved before the end of September when we will be homeless? If we do become homeless how do we follow up with the case with no address? 

Will the transitional housing be able to make sure he doesn’t follow through with his suicidal thoughts? I’m afraid that separating our family and having to toss everything we have build over the last 10 years will push him over the edge and I won’t be there to make sure he is okay. 

Is there anything else I can or should be doing? 

Is there any chance he could get better soon? Like it gets really bad but than starts then better? He has a bachelor’s degree and if he stops staring off into space and having these episodes he could get a job paying good money or I can work and he can watch the kids. I can’t imagine throwing everything we own in a dumpster, having my family torn apart, and taking my kids to a homeless shelter. I don’t even know how to explain it to my 9-year-old. He always struggled but at least he was functioning by numbing everything and isolation prior to opening this can of worms. We were financially comfortable so I just don’t understand how things got so bad so fast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0
10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

I already filled out submitted both forms. I included the disability counseling letter form his guard unit I posted a while back.  I also started the intake process with the  program in Chicago so he can get in ASAP. 

Excellent! I do hope he gets into that program, and very quickly!

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

I am hoping he gets better with this program and it doesn’t come to that.

I am not sure whether to spank you over ego, or take the time to explain why "it not coming" being schedular has serious flaws.

I choose a short explanation.

A 100% schedular rating P&T brings in significant lifetime benefits for him, you and the kids.

There is no stigma with being 100% P&T.

There are no more income limitations if he gets that bump.

He will still get all the medical help he needs, and in fact once the "homeless" flag drops from his account, he will drop to a lower priority group. Getting 100% bumps him back up a couple notches.

There  are about 50 other direct reasons why that bump is good for you and the kids and him.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

What do you think the chances are that he will get better? The C&P examiner didn’t seem very optimistic. He said with therapy it is possible that he could get back 30-60% of his old self but it’s hard to say. 

I am not his shrink and I have no direct exposure to him. I will not hazard a guess if he will get better.

What I do know is he can get better than he is right now. If he does the work and if he gets into a therapy that works for him. not all therapies work for all people. that does not mean they are bad, just different people respond differently.

I won't knock down your C&P shrink, he did a good job in getting you 70% as the starting point and IU.

It is his daily therapist that I would pay attention too on that score.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

I don’t even know what it means 😂 but I assume encouraging me? Is this another southern word? 

you may want to look it up and consider if what I mean by it helped encourage you. no it is not a southern thing. it is an old person thing. an almost archaic term.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

I am so grateful for all the support I’ve gotten. I wish there were stronger words than thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if not for this forum and so many people who were willing to help. 

I think I can safely say we all were at or near where you and yours were. maybe not about to be booted out, but in many other ways. The VA doesn't provide a VA to Veteran dictionary or guidebook. No one tells service members that in dealing with the VA you have to learn a whole new language/ set of skills, as well as legal and medical terminology just to crack open the door.

Vets must become their own best advocates and that is a daunting career prospect for those of us with serious harms.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

I truly value the time you spent responding and in your kind (not cranky)  grandfatherly way. 

stop ruining my reputation.

If you are the creative type, maybe you can write a childrens book for vets kids facing what yours were. Help them and their moms. Feature a cranky old grandpa squid. I would kinda like that. I can picture the artwork in my head. 🙂

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

already wrote him an email thanking them for assisting us and attached a picture of the kids so he could see the children he kept from going on the street. Turns out he is a veteran himself. Perhaps that's why he worked so hard and quickly to resolve this. 

Keep that up. school pics. family dog. vet engaging with his kids. you want this man on your side and in your pocket for as long as he is in the Senate. Bake his whole office some cookies. little things. You don't have to support him politically, but you want his allegiance to your needs with the VA.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

Consider me buckled! I won’t give inch! 

take those laps and breathes FIRST!  remember your own training. you are not invincible. recover. enjoy. but then come back recharged and ready to keep on winning the battles.

10 hours ago, Lagin02 said:

When I am able to return to that field, this terrible experience will make me a better advocate for them. 

I will suggest you look into that NVLSP course on basic claims. it is 150, but it will be a solid place for you to learn more in a controlled way and with the back pay you can afford that little bit when it will bring you so much more in the near future.

I would also look into joining Veterans Law Blog and getting some if not all of the training materials there. About 500 bucks total. Chris Attigs primer on TDIU claims will be amazingly helpful to you in the next few weeks/months.

The knowledge will not only help your family, but will help you help others here, and will help you better advocate for purposeful change.

You might even find a new career in veterans advocacy and helping vets get their rightful claim processed.

Good life to you and yours.. I expect to see you very active here in the future.

Edited by GeekySquid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

I also am very happy for you. You did good; you asked the questions, went back and worked the advise, came back with new challenges, did it again and again. You purservered. Wonderful. You got a lot of GREAT advise, so many of us were in the background; we could see they were offering the support and advise you needed so we let them roll. Keep us advised of what's going on and your next battle. There will be a "next battle", but you have proved to yourself that you are up to it. Congrats!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

This is Wonderful News!  Your husband could also  be eligible for SSDI ( SSA benefits for disabled).

Any evidence from VA that he is unemployable due to his service (such as a TDIU award) will help ,if he is considered  100% disabled under SSDI. He can receive SSDi and VA compensation at the same time.

The relief in your post is obvious and I am so proud of all the help you got here from so many.

God is Good too and I know he heard our prayers!

I also am glad that the VA did the right thing. We have vets here who have lost everything -waiting for a VA decision that they were fully deserving of. Vets have  even died durng  the long claims process.

You are a very proactive wife and support system for your husband and I commend you!

I thank everyone here who helped you-too- they did a great job!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

Geeky, GB Army, Vetquest and other members here

This win will open other doors to help with finances  IU is forth coming  and his SSDI, its all good now.

I love these kind of endings ,these type claims is what fighting the VA is  all about, if were denied for any reasons we must keep on fighting eventually we will win.

Maybe Just Maybe This New AMA Process is starting to catch on as this one was fairly fast Adjudicated.  this means this veteran and his family will not be put out on the street , hopefully other veterans will read these post and empower them to keep on fighting.

Edited by Buck52
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
2 hours ago, Buck52 said:

Maybe Just Maybe This New AMA Process is starting to catch on as this one was fairly fast Adjudicated.

Having her Senator call the VA didn't hurt 🙂 in fact Ebennies reported that despite being flagged as homeless or near to be homeless the decision would not happen until Jan 2020, that is what 5 months? I don't consider that faster though it is better than 5 years out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
13 hours ago, GeekySquid said:

It is his daily therapist that I would pay attention too on that score.

What should I be watching out for? 

13 hours ago, GeekySquid said:

you may want to look it up and consider if what I mean by it helped encourage you. no it is not a southern thing. it is an old person thing. an almost archaic term.

I get it now! “An almost archaic term” gave it away. Hector was portrayed as the ideal solider, son, and father. So it fits perfectly in my opinion! 

13 hours ago, GeekySquid said:

If you are the creative type, maybe you can write a childrens book for vets kids facing what yours were. Help them and their moms. Feature a cranky old grandpa squid. I would kinda like that. I can picture the artwork in my head. 🙂

I wish, I’m more of a reader than a writer. 

13 hours ago, GeekySquid said:

I will suggest you look into that NVLSP course on basic claims. it is 150, but it will be a solid place for you to learn more in a controlled way and with the back pay you can afford that little bit when it will bring you so much more in the near future.

I would also look into joining Veterans Law Blog and getting some if not all of the training materials there. About 500 bucks total. Chris Attigs primer on TDIU claims will be amazingly helpful to you in the next few weeks/months.

The knowledge will not only help your family, but will help you help others here, and will help you better advocate for purposeful change.

You might even find a new career in veterans advocacy and helping vets get their rightful claim processed

I’m definitely going to look into this. After graduating I realized I should have gone to law school instead of getting a degree in social work. Our hands are often tied by laws and policies developed by bureaucracy that have never worked on the front lines of economic crisis faced by millions of lower income individuals and families. My former position involved connecting service members and veterans with community resources but I never worked with the VA. A good 90% of the clients who came to my office were in financial crisis. Some because of poor decision making and planning but others because of physical and mental health issues. Ultimately I referred them to the same resources I tried to use with no result. I hate that I was part of that frustrating cycle for so many of my clients.  I guess I had to experience it myself to understand. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use