tinnitus New To Forum - Need Advice And Assistance With My Claim.

[uscg vet]

Hello all,

I am new to the site and I can realy use your help.

I have been looking through the posts and I havent found exactly what I am looking for.

Just to keep it short, I was discharged from the Coast Guard in 2001 with what they called a "Personality Disorder." Actually it was pretty bad deperession. I saw several mential health doctors and I was presciebed anti-deperession meds while I was in and I am still taking them 6 years later.

Immediately after I was discharged I went to a VA advisor who put in several claims for me, after he reviewed my medical record. He chose them for me because I didnt know anything at the time.

In 2001 -

I was awarded a disibility of 10% left and 10% right for bilateral knee pain.

and 10% for contact dermititus.

I was denied Hearing loss. I was a AMT-2, C-130 mechanic, and part of a SAR flight crew. I also worked in the engine room of a ship as an E-2 and E-3.

Much to my present doctors suprise, and mine now because I didnt know. I was never put in for a claim for depression. I recently did so 04/2006 and it was denied 10/2006. I have already filed a disagreement and hopefully will have a connection, but who knows. My medical record while I was in and the current one that I have now, do fully support my claim.

My question is- because the "Personality Order" is "not depression" on paper, what should I do? Is there any thing else that I can do? I dont have a personality disorder but that is the rating they gave me to expidite my quick discharge and it seems to be nothing but a thorn in my side.

My second question - Because my hearing loss claim was denied in 2001 and I did not file a disagreement at that time, is it closed forever?

I ruptured my right ear drum while on active duty and worked around loud noises my entire enlistment. I have a noticeable hearing loss in my right ear and light to moderate ringing in both ears. What should I do? Would Tinnitus be a seperate claim?

Third and last Question - To go along with my depression re evaluation should I try to include Anxiety with the new claim or should I put in a seperate claim for Anxiety. I am prescribed anxiety meds at this time and have been since my discharge.

Thanks

[Vike17]

uacg vet,

To try and answer your questions;

"My question is- because the "Personality Order" is "not depression" on paper, what should I do? Is there any thing else that I can do? I dont have a personality disorder but that is the rating they gave me to expidite my quick discharge and it seems to be nothing but a thorn in my side"

The only thing you can do is try to have another shrink or shrinks evaluate you and see if they diagnose you with something different like MDD. If you do get a shrink or shrinks to diagnose you other than a Personality disorder, make sure they explain their rational and finding for why they came to sucha conclusion. This is very important. If this does happen and you are within the one year appeal period, just submit the new evaluations to your RO for consideration. If you receive a another diagnosis after the appeals period is over and the decision became final, you should submit the new evaluation as "new and material" evidence and the VA will then 're-open' your claim. When the VA 're-opens' a claim, it doesnt necassarily mean it will be granted, this just means that the evidence warrants another look see by VA for a possibility that service-connection may be granted based on that "new and material' evidence.

"My second question - Because my hearing loss claim was denied in 2001 and I did not file a disagreement at that time, is it closed forever?"

No, like I said before, in order to have VA take another look see or 're-open' that claim, you must submit "new and material" evidence. "new and material' evidence is evidence that VA did not have in its possession at the time of the previous decision and evidence that bear directly on the fact of why the previous claim was denied. What were the reasons why they denied your hearing loss. Is the ruptured ear drum noted inyour SMR's? Do you have any residuals of that rupture now? Tinnitus, or ringingin the ears can be rated seperately from hearing loss without pyrmiading and warrants a 10% evaluation.

"Third and last Question - To go along with my depression re evaluation should I try to include Anxiety with the new claim or should I put in a seperate claim for Anxiety. I am prescribed anxiety meds at this time and have been since my discharge"

The VA can only award disability compensation for one mental disorder, so claiming anxiety along with say depression is moot. With many mental disorders anxiety is a symptom which is actually covered in the rating criteria. Remember, VA compensates for residuals of injuries and diseases to a body system, not the number of diagnosis to that body part.

I hope this helps.

Vike 17

[attack_boat_vet]

Hello all,

I am new to the site and I can realy use your help.

I have been looking through the posts and I havent found exactly what I am looking for.

Just to keep it short, I was discharged from the Coast Guard in 2001 with what they called a "Personality Disorder." Actually it was pretty bad deperession. I saw several mential health doctors and I was presciebed anti-deperession meds while I was in and I am still taking them 6 years later.

Immediately after I was discharged I went to a VA advisor who put in several claims for me, after he reviewed my medical record. He chose them for me because I didnt know anything at the time.

In 2001 -

I was awarded a disibility of 10% left and 10% right for bilateral knee pain.

and 10% for contact dermititus.

I was denied Hearing loss. I was a AMT-2, C-130 mechanic, and part of a SAR flight crew. I also worked in the engine room of a ship as an E-2 and E-3.

Much to my present doctors suprise, and mine now because I didnt know. I was never put in for a claim for depression. I recently did so 04/2006 and it was denied 10/2006. I have already filed a disagreement and hopefully will have a connection, but who knows. My medical record while I was in and the current one that I have now, do fully support my claim.

My question is- because the "Personality Order" is "not depression" on paper, what should I do? Is there any thing else that I can do? I dont have a personality disorder but that is the rating they gave me to expidite my quick discharge and it seems to be nothing but a thorn in my side.

My second question - Because my hearing loss claim was denied in 2001 and I did not file a disagreement at that time, is it closed forever?

I ruptured my right ear drum while on active duty and worked around loud noises my entire enlistment. I have a noticeable hearing loss in my right ear and light to moderate ringing in both ears. What should I do? Would Tinnitus be a seperate claim?

Third and last Question - To go along with my depression re evaluation should I try to include Anxiety with the new claim or should I put in a seperate claim for Anxiety. I am prescribed anxiety meds at this time and have been since my discharge.

Thanks

I have a simular situation and this is what I am doing. In 1987 I was honorably discharged but with the "personality disorder" label. The VA doesn't recognise personality disorders as a disease or disability so I have suffered almost twenty years with this stigma. I finally found a Psychiatrist who knows his stuff. He reviewed my military records, and my history. He diagnosed me with Bipolar II and believes based on my Navy hospital records that it originated back in the military. I knew I had to have something to dispute the personality disorder seperation code and diagnoses, so I asked him if he'd do a letter for me and he agreed.

My letter states that I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II that had its origin in the military, based on 5 years of spotless service (good conduct medal & command letter of commendation) prior to the sudden onset of depression at age 25 followed by 20 years of depression & hypo-manic cycles. He states that I could not have possibly developed a personality disorder at age 25 because personality disorders begin in childhood or early adolesence and service on a submarine would not have been possible with a personality disorder. He says that the personality disorder diagnoses in 1987 was "incorrect" and that Bipolar disorder often goes many years before it is diagnosed. He states that in reference to 38 CFR, Ch. 1 I am significantly impacted due to specifics I won't get into here. There is more but you get the point.

I also have a peer reviewed Psychiatric medicine article that I will include in my claim authored by 15 promenent Psychiatrists that states that Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed and/or mislabeled and frequently goes undiagnosed for many years. I am still gathering other evidence and materials to include in my claim so I can have as solid a case as possible.

You have to have something in my opinion to counter the "personality disorder" diagnoses or you are dead in the water with the VA. It has to come from a psychiatrist. My doctor is a forensic psychiatrist so he deals with investigating mental health histories and the impact they have on a persons life. I have not submitted my claim yet and I myself have a lot of questions about the process.

have you done some research on the VBA decisions regarding personlity disorder & depression?

Go here

http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.html

and type in "personality disorder, depression, and bipolar" in the search box. This has really helped me to see how the VA & VBA treat evidence and mental disorders.

I hope this helps...good luck

[Objee]

Hello fellow Coastie!

What Vike has told you is real. BUT, since the CG is a very multi-mission service, we have some unique

considerations, too. F'rinstance, you flew 130s on SAR etc. missions. Were you also aircrew in an HH -

"close up" SAR? My social worker says my depression might actually be minor PTSD. Close up SAR can

have some very upsetting incidents.

You need to review your service medical records (SMRs) for symptoms that fit in with depression. The meds

should also fit. A current diagnosis of depression matched with in-service symptoms could be the basis for

a medical opinion that you were mis-diagnosed with PD and were actually suffering from depression. Any

"stressor" SAR incidents can be used to source your depression.

Before you went to E. City & "A" school, what class of cutter were you on? Some are noisier than all hell between the

mains. How did you rupture your eardrum? When was your last audiometry test? Result?

Remember that you've got 3 things to establish for a successful claim:

1. Something happened to you on active duty that caused a residual problem.

2. You have symptoms of the disease or injury right now.

3. You can tie the two directly together (the nexus)

#1 can be a new problem secondary to one that's already SC.

The doc writing a medical opinion not only has to say that it's at least "as likely as not"

that your current problem is connected to the SMR disease/injury, but he also has to

provide his reasoning as to how and why it's connected.

Lurk, read, post and ask. We're all here for each other!

Ralph

Hello all,

I am new to the site and I can realy use your help.

I have been looking through the posts and I havent found exactly what I am looking for.

Just to keep it short, I was discharged from the Coast Guard in 2001 with what they called a "Personality Disorder." Actually it was pretty bad deperession. I saw several mential health doctors and I was presciebed anti-deperession meds while I was in and I am still taking them 6 years later.

Immediately after I was discharged I went to a VA advisor who put in several claims for me, after he reviewed my medical record. He chose them for me because I didnt know anything at the time.

In 2001 -

I was awarded a disibility of 10% left and 10% right for bilateral knee pain.

and 10% for contact dermititus.

I was denied Hearing loss. I was a AMT-2, C-130 mechanic, and part of a SAR flight crew. I also worked in the engine room of a ship as an E-2 and E-3.

Much to my present doctors suprise, and mine now because I didnt know. I was never put in for a claim for depression. I recently did so 04/2006 and it was denied 10/2006. I have already filed a disagreement and hopefully will have a connection, but who knows. My medical record while I was in and the current one that I have now, do fully support my claim.

My question is- because the "Personality Order" is "not depression" on paper, what should I do? Is there any thing else that I can do? I dont have a personality disorder but that is the rating they gave me to expidite my quick discharge and it seems to be nothing but a thorn in my side.

My second question - Because my hearing loss claim was denied in 2001 and I did not file a disagreement at that time, is it closed forever?

I ruptured my right ear drum while on active duty and worked around loud noises my entire enlistment. I have a noticeable hearing loss in my right ear and light to moderate ringing in both ears. What should I do? Would Tinnitus be a seperate claim?

Third and last Question - To go along with my depression re evaluation should I try to include Anxiety with the new claim or should I put in a seperate claim for Anxiety. I am prescribed anxiety meds at this time and have been since my discharge.

Thanks

[uscg vet]

Thank you for all of your replies. I would have answeres sooner but I couldnt find where I posted this question. Rookie mistake - sorry.

Hey Ralph. I was on the Midget. 378 based out of Seattle Wa. High endurance cutter with 2 - 12 cyl diesel mains and 2 turbine engines. After e-city A school I was C-130 only and did not have any Helo time. Flight crew duties included SAR, Many, Many, Many hours of flight time. The use of all the grounds equiptment, diesel generators, huffer, ect.....

I ruptured my ear drum while on active duty, but not while I was working. This happened shortly after my enlistment while I was an E-2 and is doccumented through out my medical record. I was on leave and fell water skiing. (I know the rupture is my fault and not that of the service.) Just being honest.

I have a noticeable hearing loss in my right ear, and had intermediate ringing in both ears for quite some time, and more recently it is constant. Both in the Cutter and in Avaition We were strongly suggested to wear double hearing protection but most of the time on the Flight crew it was impossible to hear what was being said through the D/C's. (Head phones)

The last hearing exam showed a loss but not enough to qualify for a service connection. ??? Thats where I was puzzled, i thought for sure I would get a SC with at least a zero. But now because of the ringing it is getting worse. Thats why I wanted to see if I can re open it.

As for the SAR's in the 130's we didnt "see" but from 50 to 100 feet above the seene so I cant necessarily think of trama from a SAR. Though I know it would help. I am almost certain the Anxiety portion of it is from the Sar alarms waking me almost nightly while on duty, I am still jumpy and dont sleep well 6 years later.

I am also now afraid to fly. This may sound silly but after working on the Air Craft for so long, and seeing what actually goes wrong with the plains and the quality of some of the Mechanics makes me very uncomfortable. We aided in Pilot training. All of the bad touch and goes that the new pilot's messed up on dosent help either.

Thanks for all the suggestions Attack. I will read up on that link that you posted. I know I have to get the Personality Disorder changed, and hopefully that will help greatly. My Mental health and regular health VA doctors cant understand why it was denied, especially because of the documentation that is in my record.

Vike That information is very helpfull.

I printed it out and will hold it tightly with my claims so I can use it as a reference. I am doccumenting everything as much as I can for my claim. I didnt know that about the Depression and anxiety being one in the same, rating wise. I will talk with my shrink and get his advice on what to do about both symptioms.