First time PTSD claim

[Army&AirForceGuy]

Good evening! I am preparing to submit my first claim through the VA for PTSD and had a few questions I couldn't find answers to.

1. I've read that vets with Combat Action Badges do not need to submit evidence in support of their claim. Question is, does submitting evidence of specific incidents bolster a claim or increase the chance of it being approved?

2. I know that my Army medical records are basically empty. Do I need to submit these (not currently in my possession) despite there being nothing in there to support my claim?

 

Thanks to everyone on these forums for posting their questions and answers, they have been extremely helpful in figuring out this convoluted process and im sure I will make much use of them over the coming months!

[brokensoldier244th]

Your records will be pulled electronically, unless they are already of record (depending on when you discharged)

CAB/Combat awards do not mean you don't have to submit evidence, it only means that if your award/theater of service, etc (that falls under the M21 for conceded stressor) is listed in the M21 you don't have to document a specific stressor- its conceded. Anything you have to support that, however, is obviously going to help the doctor during the exam. This is more for the VSRs that first get the case to justify an exam or not- do you have all three elements (in service event, current injury/issue/connection between the two)? If not, a concession can allow the VSR to schedule the exam based anyway despite missing one of the three required things without having to send you a letter for, say, an -0781 evidence of stressor form and having to wait for you to document the stressor before an exam can be set up. 

 

see: https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/content/554400000014906/M21-1-Part-IV-Subpart-ii-Chapter-1-Section-D-Claims-for-Service-Connection-SC-for-Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-PTSD

 

There is a section specifically on concession of stressor, but the whole thing is relatively short and will give you an idea of what happens to your PTSD claim.  This is public info, FYI, the entire claims manual that VSRs use is searchable and on the public VA website  

 

https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/topic/554400000004049/M21-1-Adjudication-Procedures-Manual

Edited May 21, 2020 by brokensoldier244th

[ShrekTheTank]

Read the above!   Are you taking about presumptive conditions?  If so you will need a diagnosis and if you are going for ptsd the VA has to say you have it!  

[brokensoldier244th]

Correct, although, for PTSD the exam request for undiagnosed PTSD is usually put in as a MH exam with a note to the examiner to develop potentially for PTSD as well.