Filing a MH claim

[Ranmic]

Hi everyone!  As usual I appreciate everyone's input and opinions on all the subjects I read about here.

Now on to my question.  I have been seeing a VA Doctor for about 6 months now for a couple of MH issues I've had.  Some are related to my hearing loss (service connected) and depression and some are related to an event when I was on active duty.  The VA doc gave me a diagnosis of "unspecified traumatic stress disorder", insomnia and anxiety.  My PCP based off of the phycologist opinion prescribed me a med to control the anxiety, stress and depression.  My question is if I decide to file a claim for VA compensation should I wait awhile longer seeing as I have only been seeing a doctor for about 6 months or does that really matter?  Second I felt comfortable filing a claim on my own for my hearing issue and knees on my own but I'm a little hesitate on this one.  Should I use a VSO/DAV group or just move forward with all my current evidence like I have in the past.  I'm comfortable filing the claim I just want to make sure I don't miss anything important.

Thank you again for your help.

[brokensoldier244th]

With 6 mo in you should be fine. Especially if your refills extend out another 6 months to a year. I waited about that long when I filed for depression/anxiety/OCD tendencies and I was granted with no problems. Just keep going to your therapies if you have them. 

[GBArmy]

Ranmic If you're confident about doing it yourself, go for it. Broken soldier has experience at work as well as his own personal experience, so I'm confident he is right. But personally, I can understand that you might want to gather a bit more evidence. If you are thinking the same, you can have your cake and eat it too. Submit an Intent to File (ITF) and continue to gather more evidence. Go to sessions/appointments and be sure they are entered into your medical files. After a bit more, you can submit your claim and still protect your earlier effective date EED, which was nailed with the ITF. Just be sure you submit before the ITF expires in 12 months.

[Buck52]

4 hours ago, Ranmic said:

Hi everyone!  As usual I appreciate everyone's input and opinions on all the subjects I read about here.

Now on to my question.  I have been seeing a VA Doctor for about 6 months now for a couple of MH issues I've had.  Some are related to my hearing loss (service connected) and depression and some are related to an event when I was on active duty.  The VA doc gave me a diagnosis of "unspecified traumatic stress disorder", insomnia and anxiety.  My PCP based off of the phycologist opinion prescribed me a med to control the anxiety, stress and depression.  My question is if I decide to file a claim for VA compensation should I wait awhile longer seeing as I have only been seeing a doctor for about 6 months or does that really matter?  Second I felt comfortable filing a claim on my own for my hearing issue and knees on my own but I'm a little hesitate on this one.  Should I use a VSO/DAV group or just move forward with all my current evidence like I have in the past.  I'm comfortable filing the claim I just want to make sure I don't miss anything important.

Thank you again for your help.

I agree with broken &GB Army

Now remember we can't have  two MH conditions   its either one or the other 

''"unspecified traumatic stress disorder", insomnia and anxiety. ''  hearing loss can be separate claim but you can't have  two mh conditions at the same time

YOU CAN FILE SECONDAY TO YOUR HEARING LOSS for  DEPRESSION!!!  or PTSD which ever has the higher rating. but remember we can't have two MH conditions  its possible to be diagnose with two but not rated for both.

  Ask your Doc if he /she can write you out a medical opinion that the meds you take for depression /anxiety  is related to your Hearing loss  or something close to this.  or ask the Dr this while you in therapy session with him/her  and then go look at your medical progress notes off myhealthvet  make copies.

 copies from my healthvet ,, that's good evidence to use  especially the ones that is in your favor..  ,basically  this will be like your other claims you filed on.

 The C&P Exam is different and depending on the examiner  how the exam will go  has for as your stressors they can read about that part and not mention them to you  JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR EVIDENCE  INCASE THE VA DON'T SEND ALL THE EXAMINER NEEDS ,  SO TAKE  COPIES OF YOUR EVIDENCE WITH YOU AT THE EXAM... AT LEAST WHAT THE VA HAS.  (INCASE THE EXAMINER DON'T HAVE ALL HE NEEDS)   

so you will  have a VA Dx  AND MEDICAL RECORDS TO BACK YOU UP.   So after you file , they will more than likely send you to the C&P Exam  within 6 months or sooner

Edited January 16, 2021 by Buck52

[Ranmic]

Thank you all.  As usual great advice and I appreciate it.

[Ranmic]

Brokensoldier, GBArmy or Buck, looking trough my VA med records I see the MH Dr notes in the records are:

DIAGNOSTIC IMPRESSION
-Tinnitus
-Unspecified Hearing Loss, unspecified Ear
-Insomnia
-Unspecified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder

Is this considered a diagnosis?  I have been prescribed meds now for anxiety and depression.  I guess the reason I'm asking is because the above statement doesn't clearly say "diagnosed", only "diagnostic impression".  

Thanks again.

 

[brokensoldier244th]

Diagnostic impression usually means a preliminary diagnosis on the way to an actual diagnosis. It's still a lot stronger than "subjective complaint" which is the part coming from you that has nothing behind it other than what you are saying. The examiner, your private physician, whatever, takes that subjective statement from you, applies diagnostics, and then forms an objective statement or diagnosis. The term diagnostic impression isn't really defined and many practitioners use it interchangeably with 'diagnosis'. MH stuff is weird, too in that you can have a diagnostic impression for a long time before having a firm 'diagnosis' because MH conditions can all resemble each other pretty well.