hypertension Two C&p Exams

[Guest jangrin]

Hello,

We took the advise of those of you at Hadit and made some telephone calls regarding the C&P letters and what we thought were three C&P exams. We jumped the gun a bit about getting all upset and emotional in this. It turns out the following.

One of the appointments is to have his blood pressure and vitals taken-

1.this is at 2:00 pm (it could be that they need this info again for his Hypertension claim

2.at 2:30 he has a C&P exam for IBS he didn't file for IBS he filed for gastrointestinal distrubance idiology unknown-

because they didn't specify on the paperwork what the C&P was for - he called- they said IBS-

he actually added the gastrointestinal disturbance at the same time he filed for TDIU. This was a couple of months after he filed for the initial claim

I understand why they need a C&P-he was only treated once at the VA for this (MD said nerves) then we had to move-and he is still waiting to get in to see a doctor at our new home area (5 months for appt)

3. The next C&P is in the PTSD clinic 4 weeks later. I guess in the big scheme of things 3 appointments for three different things 4 weeks apart is not too bad.

We over reacted to the notices because we were told the claim was ready to be rated. Then to find out it wasn't was a big disapointment. Back to the waiting game, but we were releaved that they wern't repeating C&Ps just adding more.

Any help for the Gastro/IBS - would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[Guest jangrin]

I understand how the VA deals with the combat veteran and the stressors. Is any one able to coment on how the VA handles those Wartime verterans that had an MOS which could result is PTSD inherent in the job , such as EMS, Medic ,MPs etc.

Now days all these occupations have provsions for PTSD incorporated in the workplace. Has the VA made any steps to do likewise for the military mirror of these professions. My feeling is just because it's military shouldn't they also have the same philisophy regarding exposure to traumatic incident.

[Guest jangrin]

I guess this was a STUPID TOPIC OR QUESTION.

[Berta]

Not at all- no such thing as a stupid question or topic here Jangrin:

"If VA cannot verify the stressors and deny the PTSD and depression. Once he is SCd for the presumptive DMII and secondarys,and then if he is denied for PTSD and or depression, could we then appeal the denial on the depression (only) as it is secondary to ALL service connected disabilities?"

The answer is Yes-

Once he is service connected for the presumptive DMII it would be easier at that point to service connect any secondary condition-based on a good medical statement-

And stressors can certainly come from non combat occupations-

I assume he has the PTSD diagnosis already?

Has he bee able to contact his unit for anyone who could provide a buddy statement as to the stressors?

Could the stressors be found anywhere at all in his SMRs or personnel records?

It isnt the occupation that causes the stressor-

it is more a case of how the occupation put the vet into a stressful incident-

Say an MP stateside on a base witnesses a horrific traffic accident and has to deal with the injured before the medics get there-something like that could be so alarming it could cause PTSD or depression-or say a traffic controller on a base is unable to help a plane land safely , knowing it will crash-lets say the rudders got stuck-its descent is out of control-and she cannot radio any advise at all to the pilot- and can only alert the base fire department and ambulance corp-she could develop PTSD and depression and even survival guilt-due to the crash-

there are many ways a serviceperson can get PTSD.

And of course any dehabilitating illness can certainly cause a veteran secondary depression and anxiety-this is not PTSD but still a fully ratable secondary disability-caused by a direct SC one-

"My feeling is just because it's military shouldn't they also have the same philisophy regarding exposure to traumatic incident."

They do- but it all is determined by the criteria for stressors in 38 CFR.

I think I posted a topic some time ago called stressors -will try to find it.

[Berta]

Stressor per the VBM (NVLSP) 2006 edition is defined for VA claims by the diagnostic criteria within the DSM IV-

"The criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have been changed. The new Criterion A requires that an individual "has experienced, witnessed or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others and that the person's response to the stressor must involve intense fear, helplessness, or horror." A new criterion requiring that the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment has been added. The previous criterion A that described the stressor as "outside the range of normal human experience" has been deleted because experience with clinical application proved to be unreliable and inaccurate"