Poor PTSD C&P by QTC - request another or wait for decision

[Grilla79]

I filed for PTSD 4 weeks ago.  I had a poorly done (by examiner) virtual PTSD C&P yesterday by QTC.  Video chat wouldn't work so Doc opted for voice only.   He asked less than 20 questions, almost half were demographics.  Place of birth, parents, siblings, service dates.  Every time I answered there were long pauses of silence, up to two minutes (I started timing them).    Most questions were yes no or short answers.  Do you have nightmares? How often.  Do you get angry easily?  Break things?  Write-ups or reprimands at work?  I was diagnosed at the DC VA  in 2018, went there for therapy for over a year, then started seeing the psych at a CBOC and counselling at a vet center much closer to home.  I probably pissed him off since after about 40 minutes I said "all this information is in my VA files - don't you get those records?"   He did not answer.  The exam was scheduled for an hour. 57 minutes into it the doc said abruptly and rapidly "okay, that' all I need, thank you for your service" and disconnected.  Clearly he had another chat in 3 minutes.

Question is do I notify QYC or VA now, or wait until decision. then file NOD/appeal, etc.  For what its worth, I've been through the process several times with other issues.  I've done NODs, appeals, re-evaluations for multiple conditions, (one appeal still pending) and been about 75% successful.  As for this claim - I'm sure a lot of vets think the Doctors are incompetent, etc., but I was a psychiatric nurse for 7 years in my civilian career ( 7   years active duty , 13 years ANG) so i an confident that this guy was just running a checklist.  There's no way he could hit all the items, not even most the items, so undoubtedly some of the information in his report will be falsified. 

 

thank you 

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Grilla79
forgot pertinent info

[broncovet]

My advice is to get a copy of this c and p exam and see if its favorable.  Dont do anything until you do that.  You dont want to blow up a winning hand.  You can not tell what cards the examiner is holding until he lays them down and you read them.  He may be bluffing.

My advice:  continue your claim and worry about bad c and p exams "after" (and only after) you read their report.  About 91.4 percent of the stuff we worry about never happens.  Dont fix what isnt broken, and "open up the hood" before you try to diagnose what is wrong, by getting a copy of the c and p exam. 

[Buck52]

3 hours ago, Grilla79 said:

I filed for PTSD 4 weeks ago.  I had a poorly done (by examiner) virtual PTSD C&P yesterday by QTC.  Video chat wouldn't work so Doc opted for voice only.   He asked less than 20 questions, almost half were demographics.  Place of birth, parents, siblings, service dates.  Every time I answered there were long pauses of silence, up to two minutes (I started timing them).    Most questions were yes no or short answers.  Do you have nightmares? How often.  Do you get angry easily?  Break things?  Write-ups or reprimands at work?  I was diagnosed at the DC VA  in 2018, went there for therapy for over a year, then started seeing the psych at a CBOC and counselling at a vet center much closer to home.  I probably pissed him off since after about 40 minutes I said "all this information is in my VA files - don't you get those records?"   He did not answer.  The exam was scheduled for an hour. 57 minutes into it the doc said abruptly and rapidly "okay, that' all I need, thank you for your service" and disconnected.  Clearly he had another chat in 3 minutes.

Question is do I notify QYC or VA now, or wait until decision. then file NOD/appeal, etc.  For what its worth, I've been through the process several times with other issues.  I've done NODs, appeals, re-evaluations for multiple conditions, (one appeal still pending) and been about 75% successful.  As for this claim - I'm sure a lot of vets think the Doctors are incompetent, etc., but I was a psychiatric nurse for 7 years in my civilian career ( 7   years active duty , 13 years ANG) so i an confident that this guy was just running a checklist.  There's no way he could hit all the items, not even most the items, so undoubtedly some of the information in his report will be falsified. 

 

thank you 

 

 

 

It mostly depends on the answers you gave , if you answered YES to most of these questions  I'd say you had a favorable exam and maybe rated  between 70% to 100%   especially if you answered YES to all the examiner questions.

as for as asking if he had your medical records  the answer he should have gave you is I'' have your medical records that the VA SENT ME IS ALL'' 

The VA is suppose to send the examiner your medical records a week before your exam  so that the examiner can read up on them    and know what to expect from your Answers....>  or close along these lines,

This is why we preach to be honest with your answers,  if they find something that turns out not to be true then the examiner will most likely think you were Malingering.   Meaning Bad Exam and normally a Denial. 

So if you answered yes to all his questions and your medical records prove you answered correctly  then most likely a favorable exam and a rating given...depending on your symptoms and the severity of your symptoms  is how they rate.

EXAMPLE   

1,QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE NIGHT MARES? (Answer) YES I DO AT LEAST 3 OR 4 NIGHTS A WEEK AND WAKE UP ALL SWEATING AND SHEETS TURN ALL WHICH WAY I AM LITERALLY TANGLED UP IN MY SHEETS AND BED COVER ect,,ect,,,

2,QUESTION Do you get Angry?  yes I have no tolerance or patience with anyone and it is hindering my marriage/relationship,

3.QUESTION  Do you break things? Yes Sir I do at times I get angry and may throw a glass or plate against the wall and it breaks all to pieces.

Instead of answering  these type questions with yes or no answers  its better to elaborate on them.  but  be very careful with what you say   because anything you say must be of record in your medical records   and they can come from the VA Therapist social workers and VA physiatrist that have interviewed you and counsel you.

  This type of things  is in your progress notes  from my healthevet  And also if you were seeing private Dr's And share your medical records with the VA Those records also.

Veterans need to read these progress notes before his C&P Exam  to help him know what has been said   ect,,ect,,,

[El Train]

4 hours ago, broncovet said:

My advice is to get a copy of this c and p exam and see if its favorable.  Dont do anything until you do that.  You dont want to blow up a winning hand.  You can not tell what cards the examiner is holding until he lays them down and you read them.  He may be bluffing.

My advice:  continue your claim and worry about bad c and p exams "after" (and only after) you read their report.  About 91.4 percent of the stuff we worry about never happens.  Dont fix what isnt broken, and "open up the hood" before you try to diagnose what is wrong, by getting a copy of the c and p exam. 

This right here.  I had a bad C&P for PTSD.  I got a copy before the decision.  In fact I had  PTSD and a TBI by two different Dr's. in one week time.  I got my hands on both.  The PTSD C&P (all 20 mins) was terrible.  The TBI a week later was 2.5 hours and covered PTSD as well.  It destroyed the bad C&P.  I wrote a written complaint to the VARO.  Mailed a copy and uploaded on Ebenny.  6 months later, I had two more C&P's for the same things.  These were both positive in my favor.  100% P&T with SMC-S.

I recently got my C-file.  In that, I had two Psychologists whom I never seen debating which C&P they believed and which ones they didn't.  I had one Dr. side with the bad C&P and state I was bad reporter.  The other Dr. sided with my 3 positive C&P's and totally discredited all the negative garbage as not making any sense.

[broncovet]

Hill and Ponton (law firm) suggests this with a bad c and p:

https://www.hillandponton.com/bad-medicine-va-cp-exams/

Jim Strickland says wait for the denial:

https://statesidelegal.org/really-bad-c-p-exams

    My opinion is, 

Quote

IF you are sure the exam is bad, that is, you have a copy.

THEN, take action.  As explained, get the name of the examiner.  See if the examiner is a doc, nurse practioner, and is experienced in your field.  

You can challenge the competency of the examiner.  

      Its probably going to boil down to MONEY.  You will likely need an IMO/IME.  

[Buck52]

Just my opinion  if a Veteran has all the evidence he submitted with his /her claim  and all indications points as concrete evidence  then not worry so much about the C&P  WE CAN'T CONTROL THE EXAMINERS WE GET OR PICK THE EXAMINER but can ask for another C&P IF NEED TO BECAUSE OF SOME LOUSY ASS EXAMINER OR LAZY EXAMINER DON'T READ & GET THINGS RIGHT  BUT IF A VETERAN HAS ALL THE EVIDENCE NEEDETO WIN A PTSD CLAIM HE WILL WIN AND GET HIS RETRO  BACK TO THE DATE HE FILED

LIKE BRONCOVET MENTION CHECK YOUR EXAMNERS EXPERTICE/EXPERINCE IN YOUR FIELD AN DMAKE SURE THEY ARE QUAILFIED TO DO THE EXAM.

[Grilla79]

thanks everyone,  i did answer yes to almost all the questions and did elaborate some.  Sounds like I should have elaborated more but I'll get the C &P.

All the elaboration is in my VA records (3 maybe 4 psychiatrists, psychologist, counselors) and in my VA claim including "buddy letters" from my wife, a co-worker, a therapist and in my filing form  i attached at least 2 pages of information that wouldnt fit in the blocks of the 21-526EZ or the other forms. 

isolation, withdrawal, depression, anxiety attacks, psych medication. anger, violence, alcohol abuse followed by 12 week rehab, nightmares several times a week, wake up several times every night and average less than 5 hours sleep a night.  flash anger , breaking things, problems at work, reassignment of duties at work due to PTS,  derailment of career progression, My last two bosses went have been promoted twice each in 5 years.  My progression is over now due to PTS issues - if my immediate supervisor was NOT a vet with combat tours, I 'd probably have been terminated.