My now third PTSD C & P Exam in 5 Mo.

[Rattler]

 I think the VA is shopping for a Doctor that will write the C & P Exam in there favor.  They sent me for a C & P Exam for PTSD to determine if I was insane at the time of my discharge on June 24, 2021 by a PHD M.  His C & P Exam was the one who opened the door for full benefits. (See Link Below) They wanted to send me for another & P Exam for PTSD to update his opinion and determine if I was Unemployable. I requested the same  PHD M. He said I had PTSD and was Unemployable. So I get a phone call Monday waiting to do another C & P Exam to determine if I have PTSD. So has anyone heard of them doing this????? I am kind of putting off this one to see if they will send me back to the same PHD.

[pwrslm]

This is one of the problems with the nature of the VBA claims system. If things were transparent, the Veteran could see why these exams are requested and it would cut back on a lot of the frustration we get no knowing. It also helps the VBA to get away with things that they could not if everything they did was transparent.

The way it is now, the best a veteran can do is to have a 3rd party VSO. VSO's can see what is going on, and tell you why they are doing a 3rd C&P exam. If the RO is screwing up, it is the VSO's job to say, NO, and get it right. Many veterans never get this deep into claims and have little understanding about how the system actually works. The system as we see it today is splintered across VHA and VBA, with multiple web log in protocols and can be confusing. We have Health-EVet, EBenefits, Vets.gov, and now a special site that is totally disconnected from either for travel benefits. On top of that, they want us to use IRIS to communicate, and they never answer 1/3 of the time. It is a lot for some people to handle, too much for many, and discouraging to say the least. Congress gave them an allowance of billions to simplify this, yet all they have done so far is to make it worse, and more complex, with less transparency for everyone.

 

[Rattler]

On 10/20/2021 at 3:27 PM, john999 said:

Maybe they are shopping you around to find an opinion that you don't have PTSD.  The VA has done worse things.  Those UTH discharges are often a way just to get out of paying disability.  Did you spend time in a psychiatric ward while in service.  I spent two months and army said I was fine just a personality disorder.  I beat them and so will you if you persist.

That seems to be the one of current diagnosis's in current times that they like to tag vets with.

[Rattler]

On 10/20/2021 at 5:28 PM, john999 said:

I tell you something about VA diagnosis.  When I first filed a claim with the VA they said I had schizophrenia.  A few years later they changed it to bipolar disorder.  Then they diagnosed PTSD and social phobia.  Then they changed it back to depression and anxiety.  The last time they changed it back to schizophrenia.  I got 70% TDIU so I don't care.  Now I have 100% and I still don't  think VA has a clue. What really matters to VA is "Can you work?"

They have been kind of doing the same thing with me. The first diagnosis I got was PTSD do to MST with depression. The second one I got was persistent depressive disorder with troma. then it went back to PTSD due to MST.  I think to many cooks in the kitchen.

[john999]

If the military or VA really wants to screw you they will diagnose you as a personality disorder.  They have been doing this for 50 years at least.  Their favorite DX is "Borderline Personality disorder".  That means you can't get compensation for that DX.  If you have ever been in any kind of trouble in your life you might get the other favorite " Anti-Social Personality Disorder" which is the kiss of death.  During and after Vietnam they DX'ed thousands of vets with these favorites/

[pwrslm]

The VA had  me going in for multiple C&P exams on my left leg radiculopathy/foot drop. I went to two and then they sent a notice for a 3rd C&P in 7 months. I got on the 800 line and the CS rep said nothing she could do. I said, no problem, get me a supervisor. She was pissed, but I insisted that it was not about her performance, and she relented.

The next day a supervisor called me. Said nothing she could do, and I said not good enough. This is the contact and only route to solve issues with the VBA and I insisted that they had access to the RO and the RO's supervisor chain. Two days later I was notified by the supervisor that the exam was cancelled. All of the info the RO needed was already in my C-File. The repetitive C&P exams resulted from the rating official not looking into my file.

 

Policy says they should only do another C&P in 3-5 years. The VA is a bureaucracy, and much like the military, every one has a supervisor. If the rep you are speaking to does not have the answer and power to solve the problem, go up one rung in the ladder. Unless you are barking up the wrong tree, you will find someone with the power to solve the problem.

Edited November 6, 2021 by pwrslm

[Mr cue]

I hate to say it but I have been going through the same thing.

They will cancel the exam it will go back and they will send it out again.

This is what is been done in my case.

My case has been send out 6 times in the last 5 months.

I ask them to just  denied it. They will not.

And now it sit in the que again wait to be send out again.

This time I am going to just let them set up whatever exams they want and I will not show up.

I just want them to denied it now.

I hope you have better results than me. Cause I have never seen anything like this before.