Social And Industrial Survey

[timetowinarace]

HI there. Because of my SC brain injury, my language skills test in the 60 to 70 percentile(high average), yet my verbal skills are in the 3 percentile (better than 2 out of 100 people). Needless to say I do very poorly in the one on one c&p exams, especially after factoring in memory problems(at least, for my benifit. The VA does quite well when I cannot express my difficulties fully). A social survey would (seem?) to be a huge must for me to properly express my situation. I do not suppose it can be requested, or better yet, forced? No need to explain the 10 min c&p results with someone like me. Thanks.

[Guest Berta]

HI there. Because of my SC brain injury, my language skills test in the 60 to 70 percentile(high average), yet my verbal skills are in the 3 percentile (better than 2 out of 100 people). Needless to say I do very poorly in the one on one c&p exams, especially after factoring in memory problems(at least, for my benifit. The VA does quite well when I cannot express my difficulties fully). A social survey would (seem?) to be a huge must for me to properly express my situation. I do not suppose it can be requested, or better yet, forced? No need to explain the 10 min c&p results with someone like me. Thanks.

It is always done with the PTSD C & P or within a few days-unless they changed that-- but I copied the entire C & P for this here because it mght help a vet shape their claim well and support it with evidence.

Many of the thingds covered could apply to physical as well as mental disabilities.

I have never heard of a vet asking specifically for this C & P though-did you ask for PTSD rating?

SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SURVEY

Name: SSN:

Date of Exam: C-number:

Place of Exam:

A. Demographic & Information and Sources

Note the location of the interview/exam.

List demographic data, including age, gender, marital status, and other relevant data.

List service connected disabilities.

Discuss capacity to manage financial affairs (if an issue).

Verify accuracy of veteran's name, address, phone number.

List informants or sources of information, such as claims folder, medical record, veteran, family members, employers, neighbors, friends, physician, or other persons.

If S&I Survey is done in the community, list the collaterals residing in the home, their ages and relationship to the veteran, a brief description at the household appearance and overall home environment.

B. Appearance & Response to Interview

Appearance - Describe the veteran's size, build, general physical appearance and dress, noting any distinguishing features or characteristics.

Indicate if s/he was alone or interviewed with others.

Make personal observations as to attitude, openness to interview, reality testing, physical or mental difficulties in communicating. Does s/he find the interview stressful or threatening? Is s/he cooperative and friendly or guarded and withdrawn? Observe eye contact, facial expressions, and attention span during interview.

C. Disabilities

Include disabilities listed on Form 2507 for which the exam is requested and any other complaints or conditions expressed by the veteran.

List of current medications.

D. Brief Pre-Military Social History

Include where the veteran was born, his/her family configuration, education, etc.

E. Military History

Date the veteran entered military service and branch of service.

Where s/he completed basic training.

Military occupation(s).

Primary assignments and where stationed.

Any special training received in military.

Combat experiences.

Sexual trauma while in military.

Injuries or illness incurred while in military.

If claim is for PTSD, include a detailed account of the traumatic experience(s).

Relationships with peers, superiors, subordinates, etc.

F. Prisoner of War (POW) Data (if applicable)

1. Capture Data

a. Injuries/wounds incurred when captured and any treatment received.

b. Captors - Date and place captured.

c. Internment - List names of camps where interred and dates of internment, psychological conditions, physical conditions, methods used to control prisoners.

d. Work - Physical & psychological conditions of work.

e. Diet - Daily meals, including types of food, quantities, regularity of meals.

f. Illnesses or Injuries incurred when captured or while imprisoned and any treatment received.

2. Information from Veteran's Significant Other(s)

a. The significant other's relationship to the veteran.

b. Whether s/he knew veteran before or after capture.

c. Any changes observed.

d. General comments on impact of POW experience.

G. Chronological History of Adjustment Prior to Service or Stressor (if applicable)

Evidence of disorder in infancy, childhood, or adolescence, especially antisocial behavior (reference DSM-IV).

Activity patterns: friendships and social relationships.

Family: describe relationships.

Significant issues in school, community, or work area.

Pre-military traumatic events. Provide details, if possible.

H. Chronological History of Adjustment After Service or Stressor

Changes in personality or interpersonal relationships.

Work performance.

Emotional difficulties: Describe onset and details, including time, nature, and severity.

Onset of any other type of symptoms, such as physical.

Legal issues, such as involvement with authorities or courts.

Substance abuse history Describe use of drugs, alcohol, prescription medications, and tobacco.

Psychiatric treatment history.

I. Post-Military Social Adjustment

Describe all marriages and divorces, loss of spouse or significant other through death, and birth (and death if applicable) of all children.

Describe nature of friendships and social relationships, including group memberships.

Describe the veteran's living situation.

Note any significant post-military adjustment problems, including illness or injury.

J. Industrial Adjustment

Veteran's occupation(s).

All education and training.

List all employers and positions, including:

Earnings

Dates of change(s) in employment

Length of time with specific employers

Periods of unemployment

Relationship with co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates

Highest paid position.

Attitude toward employment.

Is the veteran working at an occupation or position that is below his/her education and training level?

Is there evidence that the veteran's pre-traumatic level of performance was above his/her post-traumatic level of performance? What is the documentation of this?

Is there evidence service connected disability(ies) impacted the veteran's decision to retire? Discuss. (For example, did the veteran choose to take an early retirement with financial loss in order to reduce the stress experienced in the work environment because the stress was aggravating the service connected disability(ies)?)

Has an employer made official or unofficial accommodations to handle veterans disabilities? Document any evidence of internal transfers, re-assignments, etc.

K. Present Social Functioning

Identify Stressors in any of the following categories:

Primary support system or group

Social environment

Educational problems

Occupational problems

Housing problems

Economic problems

Problems accessing health care

Legal system or criminal problems

Other

Appearance: Describe dress, speech, mannerisms, scars, facial expressions, and body movements (assessment based on observation listed above).

Relationships: Describe all relationships, including with whom and duration of relationship. Describe physical intimacy, including frequency, level of satisfaction, problems with intimacy, and any impact of medical or psychiatric conditions on performance.

Lifestyle: Describe how the veteran spends his/her time, including interests, hobbies, employment, typical day and week, and eating and sleeping patterns.

Mental Status: Describe, including evidence of confusion, memory problems, thought processes or disorders, and mood/affect. Describe the veteran's functioning in the areas of cognitive, emotional (mood) and judgment.

GAF Score (if available)

L. Capacity to manage financial affairs (if an issue)

NOTE: Mental competency, for VA benefits purposes, refers only to the ability of the veteran to manage VA benefit payments in his or her own best interest, and not to any other subject. Mental incompetency, for VA benefits purposes, means that the veteran, because of injury or disease, is not capable of managing benefit payments in his or her best interest. In order to assist raters in making a legal determination as to competency, please address the following:

What is the impact of injury or disease on the veteran's ability to manage his or her financial affairs, including consideration of such things as knowing the amount of his or her VA benefit payment, knowing the amounts and types of bills owed monthly, and handling the payment prudently?

Does the veteran handle the money and pay the bills himself or herself?

Based on your examination, do you believe that the veteran is capable of managing his or her financial affairs? Please provide examples to support your conclusion.

M. Summary & Conclusions

Summarize the specific effect of disabilities and the impact on employment.

Summarize the specific effect of disabilities and the impact on social functioning.

NOTE: Refer to medical, psychiatric and/or neuro-psychiatric report(s), as appropriate.

Signature: Date:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[timetowinarace]

Thanks for the reply. I allready printed the C&P and any relavant to my claim. I have not filed a claim for PTSD but am diagnosed by my local Vet clinic councilor with writen opinion that I am unemployable. I am unable to multi-task and have been working hard trying to get brain injury recognized and rated as I believe it is core to my current lack of functioning. Then I have to CUE cliam back to '03 to first denial. Then Maybe I can work on PTSD. How would I go about trying to request this?

[Guest Berta]

Thanks for the reply. I allready printed the C&P and any relavant to my claim. I have not filed a claim for PTSD but am diagnosed by my local Vet clinic councilor with writen opinion that I am unemployable. I am unable to multi-task and have been working hard trying to get brain injury recognized and rated as I believe it is core to my current lack of functioning. Then I have to CUE cliam back to '03 to first denial. Then Maybe I can work on PTSD. How would I go about trying to request this?

I might have misunderstood this-

Didn't you post you have a SC brain injury?"Because of my SC brain injury, my language skills test "etc

I would think you could build on that rating-for the SC brain injury-and claim PTSD as secondary to it.

is this what your claim is for?

A vet clinic counselor cannot diagnose PTSD for VA claims purposes ,unless they are a bonafide shrink-

I assume that your brain injury was 'traumatic' enough to cause PTSD and that you have established the nexus already due to having SC brain injury?

[timetowinarace]

Okay, I have a current 20% rating for 'undiagnosed fatigue'

(happens to be #1 complain of head trauma)

I have re-opened a claim for head injury.

I now have hospital records to prove SC- First denial

I have private testing showing brain damage

I have denial of secondary depression claim because C&P examiner determined head injury as cause.

sorry for missunderstanding here

I have not filed a claim for PTSD.

Vet Center councilor feels I have PTSD

Private psychologists writes "possible PTSD" but was evaluating me for brain injury.

'I' do not know anything except that I was wacked on the head with a sledge hammer in Saudi and am messed up since.

I ask about the socail survey because I have poor communication skills and C&P will work against me. It is hard for people with thier wits about them to express themselves in the short visit. I have been and will be diddled by C&P.

Edited October 12, 2005 by timetowinarace

[timetowinarace]

Well then, thanks for all the help. I suppose when my brain heals on it's own I'll be able to figure things out and won't have to ask dumb questions. No problem.

[Guest Berta]

Well then, thanks for all the help. I suppose when my brain heals on it's own I'll be able to figure things out and won't have to ask dumb questions. No problem.

I would add the PTSD to your claim and make sure that the depression is stated in your claim as secondary to the brain trauma-

" have re-opened a claim for head injury.

I now have hospital records to prove SC- First denial

I have private testing showing brain damage

I have denial of secondary depression claim because C&P examiner determined head injury as cause"

These two denials- were they together in the same letter? Did you file a Notice of Disagreement of them and state what you said above?

The C & P doc actually already sced the depression-if the head injury can be sced-

Does this vet center have someone there who can help you with this?

If you have not filed the NOD yet- I would sure mention the stuff in the quote above and send them copies of proof of these facts.

You obviously had a CT scan or MRI- that revealed brain damage-

do you have a copy of the actual medical findings for these tests?