ptsd Am I On The Right Track?

[USACID]

Hello all. I am a 12 year army veteran investgator who started having problem in 11th year of army. Left army in May 1992 with an OTH. the army and the VA held hearings on my discharge and VA concluded my time was all HOnorable. THe DRB after a full hearing in front of a board of Officers upgraded to full Honorable and RE Code of 1 and discharge authority "Secretarial Authority". Have been seeing private doctor for depression since leaving army. I am being treated by VA Hospital for PTSD and they confirm the diagnosis. Dr. there told me I should file a claim. I did and am waiting. I included photos of the murder crime scenes I attended as precip stressors, as well as autopsies which I was required by my job to attend. I included some of the photos of crime scenes where parents had killed thier children which were the toughest for me, letter showing last salary and release from employement due to excessive time off due to meds, etc; provided names of deceased, letter from my wife, and provided all medical reocrds from private physicians including psychiatrist which has diagnosed me with major depression. When he saw me in 1992, he made a comment of the symtpoms appearing as PTSD but diagnosed with Major Depression. The Dr. at VA says clearly PTSD, both in psychiatry and primary care. I am on several meds per day, included all pharmacy records. I was recently told in a letter I should know something within 60 days. I do not work and essentially do not leave the house. I dont like to be around people and dont answer door. At one point for almost a year, I slept with a 9mm under pillow out of fear. I can tell you that the VA hospital here in Virginia has been very helpful to me and has taken great care of me. I was concerned that I would not be taken seriously but they took me as soon as I applied for help and have done quite a bit of counseling including the new EMDR. Can anyone tell me from thier experience if I am on the right track here? Am I sending the right stuff? Am I doing the right thing? Also do I need to tell the VA if I receive some type of inheritance? I am not destitute but have not worked in two years afer losing a 100k a year job due to the depression. Thank you for your help.

[Ricky]

I agree with the other that you are on the right track. Hopefully you have filed your claim during a time of change within the VA and it will be handled IAW the law and not as many others on this site who have been waiting years for the rating they deserve. Welcome aboard. Hang around on this site and you can not go wrong. There are many experts here just waiting to assist you such as Berta, Tbird, Vike etc.........

Edited March 14, 2007 by Ricky

[USACID]

I have a couple other questions. What can I expect from here? Will I have to go to an exam even though the VA doctors diagnosed me with PTSD? Is there anything I should avoid doing? Also I saw on here someone mentioned about college being paid for by the VA for family members, i.e. wife and child. I have one daughter in college now and I was wondering if this would apply. Thank you very much and I hope I am not getting ahead of myself. I have a VA Dr. appt on Monday with the PTSD Team. This is just the routine monthly meeting.

[sixthscents]

USACID,

First, let me say how sorry I am for your personal experiences here... I acnnot imagine what you went thru, but its seems clear that the Army pulled its regular bull in the end when you became "broken"... anyway a couple points...

You said: Berta, I dont understnad what you mean by "the VA rates all mental disabilities the same way" do you mean that regardless of the diagnosis if you were 20 percent for depression you would get the same for PTSD?

What Berta meant was that you do not get rated fro PTSD, depression, adjustment disorder, anxiety seperatly... the VA lumps all mental health under one roof and gives you one rating for all of it.. o.k.? Probably pTSD in your case.

In your case I would certainly file for TDIU... now I dont know if you know what that means but its essentially saying that though you are rated at say 70%, there is not enough function left to allow for you to be gainfully emplyed so you get PAID at the 100% rate. If they determine that the TDIU is total and permanent then a whole bunch of other benefits kick in....

You can look them up, but I will address a few...

Chapter 35, is a beenfit which pays for your spouse or child to go to college. It mayy not pay for all of it, but it is a nice amount. The VA website has all the amounts and details. My wife did her Masters on it... and there was more than enough... though she went to a state college and not Duke etc.

ChampVA... medical insurance for spouse and child, VERY similar to Champus, or TriCare standard, also cover persciptions but no dental or eye except in isolated circumstances.

Comissary, Exchange, and MWR privlidges... and a new ID Card to get on Post. Honestly I have not used this much except for the rec center at Destin.

Also each state has different benefits, like no registration of vehicles, some dont have to pay property taxes, grants for childrens college etc. They vary from state to state.

This is just the bare minimum, and NOTE most of these only apply if you are deemed to be totally and permanently disbled (T&P) and some state benefits apply only if you are 100% rated schedular and NOT TDIU...

[Ricky]

You have to be rated 100 percent disabled (schedular or IU), P&T in order to qualify for Chapter 35 Educational Benefits. As far as paying for the daughter you already have in school it depends on her age, the date you are awarded 100 precent P/T. Berta probably knows more about this area than anyone on the site.

[sixthscents]

Ricky,

I'm pretty good with Chap 35 as well, since I had to set the wife up etc.... Its actually quite a bit like the GI Bill.

[Ricky]

Sorry Six - did not mean to take anything away from anyone. I just know that Berta has done a lot with Chp 35 stuff.