Letter From Md On Service Illness

[john6012]

A doctor I knew while in the military sent me a letter that states, "I had a degree of inappropriateness and lack of professional decorum, experiencing paranoid ideation and emotional upheavel ranging from joyfullness and elation to dispair accompanied by uncontrollable weeping at work and at home. It is my professional opinion that the individual has a long-standing history of somewhat debilitating clinical depression, manifested by a degree of paranoid ideation and bipolar features with significant mood fluctuations which interferred with his job performance. Unfortunately, due to the intense work atmosphere, the individual was neither identified as being impaired, nor was he properly treated for symptoms of his disorder. As a result, his judgement was degraded at times he was required to perform effectively in a highly important and taxing position. There is no doubt in my mind that the work environment contributed adversely to the individual's psychological condition.

In retrospect, I render the following minimal diagnosis: Clinical depression with paranoid and bipolar features.

I sent the letter to the regiuonal VA office with a short cover letter indicating I would like to reopen my rating file. My question is, is the letter adequate for them to take action and what would be the potential outcome? Do I need to take a letter to the C&P exam and hand it to the examiner? Thanks in advance, John

[tssnave]

internet glitch - this tried to post twice and I don't know how to delete the second post so I just edited it to a quick note.

ts

Edited March 14, 2007 by tssnave

[Hoppy]

john6012,

I was able to get all the psych workups I needed for free at a local VA hospital. The C&P examiner that the DRO sent me to see would have had to rebut significant workups made by treating physicians at a VA hospital to shoot down my claim. My SO told me that psych workups by VA doctors are very strong evidence. It worked for me.

ts's post sounds good. It sound real similar to yours.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Hoppy

[john6012]

It is so discouraging. I do have a problem and it wasn't treated in t he military and it's MY fault. Like a vet once told me, "I'd give it all back if I could have my health." I would too.

[Berta]

TS said:

"tell you this so you won't be surprised if the VA makes all of your doctors and buddies prove that they were actually in the same unit as you were or in a unit in the same theater of operations to have witnessed whatever they are attesting to."

They not only usually check that stuff but I have known the VA to personally contact "buddies"-this is why I recommend getting the buddy to have their signature notarized and give the VA details in their statement as to how their MOS and duty put them there and them.

Vague buddy letters can easily be rejected by the VA.

They are ,as evidence, eye witness accounts that corroborate a stressor from the veteran and should be deatiled.

[Hoppy]

john6012,

Hang in there. Life is strange. It could work out. Have you read your SMR recently? A sick call doctor sent to see an ENT doctor in my second year of enlistment. Six months later and just three weeks before my discharge I went to him again to get my nose fixed. He wrote in the report that he could not fix my nose because my chronic allergic condition would continue to block my breathing. He prescribed medication as a long term treatment plan. I almost did not go to the second appointment because I was told I was being discharged early for unsuitability. I did not believe they would discharge me and that I was going to be sent to the brig instead. Thus, I went to the appointment. Without that treatment note I would have never been service conneted.

I was really pissed because I thought the doctor was just making excuses not to fix my nose. I totally forgot that this doctor wrote this report and twenety six years later I read my SMR. The allergic condition had really impacted my life because the symptoms had become life threatening. I wound up in an ER about 20 times from exposure to the same types of chemicals I worked with in the military. When I saw the report in my SMR I about had a heart attack. My SO told me to make ten copies and put them in ten different places. He knew the value of this report for establishing service connection. I am now rated at 100%.

[john6012]

Thanks to all of you who have replied. Originally I was wanting compensation but now, all I want is to get well. I never knew that depression could make one so miserable. I am in the process of seeing a christian psychologist even though I could have chosen a psychiatrist. According to my insurance if I don't feel right about a counseller, I can walk and seek out another counseler. Thanks again, John