Unqualified C&P Exam Psychologist

[DSIG]

LHI just sent me the details for my C&P exam appointment. This is for a PTSD increase claim. I looked up the doctor and even though there wasn’t much on him I found that he is a child psychologist, doesn’t have many and good reviews, wrote a book about social justice for children with disabilities that he sells on Amazon for $12 and was deposed for his professional credentials. One review says ‘I can’t believe this guy still has his license’.  I’m including a link to his creepy deposition. Where does LHI find these doctors and how can I get this changed?  Do I go to VA and ask for another contractor or take it up with LHI?

www.dpdlaw.com/weistuc.htm

[GBArmy]

DSIG You would not be wrong if you did. If you chose to do so, I would suggest you call the number you have for LHI and ask to speak to the manager/director. Tell him/her what you have found out and emphasize how concerned you are that the guy in question not only is of questionable credentials but not qualified to give you a fair and objective eval based on all the supportive info you have in your file. You shouldn't be threatening, but you  want assurances that his replacement examiner will be qualified and have all your evidence in your file available prior to your new rescheduled exam. You are establishing a dialog with the director that behind the scenes he is going to makes sure you get a fair and therefore favorable exam. If LHI didn't throughly vet that examiner, they don't want to call attention to that fact with the VA. So, I'm thinking you willget a fair exam IMHO.

[DSIG]

GBA,  thank you for your response.  It took 40 minutes of holding to speak to a manager but I was able to get the exam re-scheduled.  I'm waiting for appointment confirmation based on the manager's verbal approval.  I expressed my concerns that the examiner would not give me a fair evaluation and also read the entire cease and desist order to her over the phone. I sent the link to the manager by e-mail and kept her on the phone to confirm she received it.  She said there are two other examiners in my area.  I asked where they are locate because everything is far from where I live.  Each location is an hour away but I was able to pick my location and as a female appreciate that I will be evaluated by a female examiner.  

 

Thank you and to everyone on the board.  I appreciate the tips and advise.  I will be bringing a complete copy of my private doctor's report which is something I would not have thought of if it wasn't for the advise on this forum.

[GBArmy]

DSIG Sounds like you made the right choice on doing what you did. Just one more piece of advice if I may. I don't know how much data you are planning on bringing, but your records are SUPPOSED to be in your file and they are SUPPOSED to read them in preparation of your C&P. If there is some that are particularly important as evidence, ID them somehow so you can point them out if they don't have the record themselves. You could do something like "Doc I had such and such happen recently and we discussed it with my counselsor/doc. Did you happen to see that?" If the answer is no, you can leave a copy with the examiner. Copy, mind you, never leave any original anything with the VA. They aren't going to read 200 pages of evidence, but may take some if you point it out. It is not usual for the examiners not to review a lot of evidence you leave; they may say they will, but human nature is they don't have the time. At the end of the exam, if you think it went well, you could say you have very high anxiety or whatever. Does the xaminer think your exam showed a change in my symptoms for the worse or stayed the same. You may get a confirmation. Their exam dbq/comments are 90% of the basis of the final decision 

[john999]

You should learn all there is about the symptoms of PTSD.  When you get your exam the doctor will probably be seeking to see by your testimony if you match up to PTSD symptomology.  Make sure the doctor knows about your symptoms that match PTSD.  If you are hyperalert make sure he knows.  If you have insomnia and often relive the traumatic events that caused PTSD make sure he knows.  The VA C&P doctor is going to make the PTSD diagnosis so you have to convince him/her  you have PTSD.  Every question the doctor asks you will be evaluated for him to make a decision about your ptsk.

[Buck52]

HERE IS THE RATING FORMULA FOR PTSD. 

IT HAS THE SYMPTOMS FOLLOWED BY THE RATING %

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

   Rating

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.100 %

Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.70 %

Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.50 % 

Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).30 %

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.10%

 

 

[Buck52]

After your C&P Exam  wait a few weeks and request this C&P EXAM Report either by the contractor that performed the exam or go to your VA Release of medical records  and ask them to look and see if your exam you had on Date**/**/****/ in here?

   if they have it ask them to make you a copy  you will need to sign a release form, if it was the VA that did this C&P Exam  you can wait just 3 to 4 days and they should have the copy by then,its kinda hard to get the report from the VA Outside contractors....you need to see what the examiner mention in your exam.

I wish you the best outcome.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Buck52