First exam yesterday, still upset over their questions

[Deagle]

So yesterday I had my first exam with VES for a PTSD claim. Within 2 minutes of the call she wants the most intimate details of things I've seen/done. I told her flat out she was giving me anxiety and panic attack because Id rather not relive everything with someone i have no rapport with. I wasnt rude and tried to remain polite but I explained some situations of CIVCAS where 3 kids got smoked and I didnt want to give all the details. She wanted to know every trauma I've seen, I tried to explain I'm in drones and have been doing it since 2010 I cant possibly go into every detail, for perspective I showed her my performace report last year confirming over 200 EKIA. I simply dont want to relive every mistake, every bad experiance because theyre too lazy to read my files and statements before hand. 

The line of questioning and forcefulness to ask questions with no rapport goes against all modern psychological standards. 

How do I file a complaint or can I even do that? Im still reeling today about it today and barely slept last night because that was so unprofessional and intrusive. 

[Mr cue]

Ok this is were I be having a problem.

If the veteran said he doesn't like the way the exam was handled.

An veterans can get a copy of the exam to see what the examiner did.

Ppl advice is to not complaint or upload a statement why you feel the exam was handled wrong.

So a veteran Is to sit let the VA process a exam a veteran feel is bogus.

An then fight year to get it remand for a new exam. Yea right.

If you feel the examiner didn't do there job. My advice is upload a statement.

If they process the appeal or claim with the exam.

U have a statement in your record about the exam which they are to address if they don't your case will be remand.

That how you cover your self against these exam were a veteran can't even get the results for almost a year.

This is my opinion on this

 

[brokensoldier244th]

Did you look at the DBQ before you went? There are specific questions they are required to ask. They also aren't 'treating' in a DBQ session, or trying to build a rapport- they are trying to get specific information about stressors and relative effects. That doesn't excuse their questioning style or attitude, but the somewhat direct nature of the exam is because its not a treatment type of session.

You can talk to the patient advocate at the place that you went for the exam, you can also send a 21-4138/21-10210 (either is a valid form at this point until they phase out the 4138) detailing your session, as much as  you are comfortable with to be added to your file- it may not result in a new exam, but if the clinician didnt ask the right questions or get the correct information then that, plus their exam report, can often result in a deferral from a rater back to one of us to re-schedule a new exam or IMO based on the previous DBQ, with a different provider. If its an IMO rework request you don't have to go through another exam, either.

VSRs, if they are doing their job, look over the exam opinion reports prior to sending to rating. If the necessary information isn't on the exam opinion report we often reschedule an exam request/rework noting the deficiencies before it goes to a rater and send it to an examiner. Takes less time since it doesn't go to a rater, get deferred, then re-set up exam request, exam, back to rater again. After a few years of doing mostly PTSD I am pretty good at sussing out if the exam report has all the right information or not on it. KIM I don't rate so I'm making judgements on what YOU say, i'm looking at what the EXAMINER says, along with looking through your STRs, personnel, 0781s, etc. 

 

 

 

[Deagle]

Thank you. I did not look over a DBQ or anything else. I understand this isnt treatment, however its still a medical appointment and care should be given to be least intrusive and painful as medically necessary. If I go for an exam for limited motion of my back I cant imagine they'll bend my back past a point of pain to see how much more pain I can experiance. Maybe Im wrong though. 

 

Im just super frustrated with the whole experiance. The thing is i sent all my personnel reports which show all this, they have my clinical history, and my military records annotating all this.

They knew Ive been in treatment for this stuff long before I decided to seperate (I'm still active duty), asking for dates on something that was in the news and a huge story, is annotated in all my files, and knowing it was a terrible experiance should be enough to say hmm, maybe we'll take this one for its face value.

Im sorry, I'm not trying to lash out at you, I'm very frustrated and ready to tell them to cancel my claim and just move on. I seperate on december and just want out and to move on. 

 

Thabk you for taking the time to answer, I do appreciate you. 

[brokensoldier244th]

I understand, I'm not taking it personally at all. The VSR has access to your entire file and would have seen all that, but the examiner would not be the one looking over individual news articles about events or operations that you took part in. They are asking specific questions from the form that, for good or ill, is legally required to be used. VA and Congress decided on that, and the requirements for a PTSD exam (or any exam) are laid out as much in CFRs by Congress people as they are by VA regulations (the M21-1 that we use).

Ive attached the PTSD DBQ that is in current use so you can see what information they are looking for, and why they may have asked you some of the things that they did. You can also use this to show that maybe the examiner wento of into the sticks- "hey, this stuff here that they asked me went off into the weeds and wasn't required information, I want a new exam...". T

This is 1 version older than current, it didnt change very much, though- I don't have access to ANYTHING VA right now- my accounts were all disabled yesterday to today overnight. I'm transferring to another RO, so the switchover has me wondering If ill even be able to log in in Monday LOL. Consequently I don't have access to anything that isn't locally stored on my other machine.

 

PTSD-Initial-DBQ.pdf

[Deagle]

I got to the first question and she didnt even ask that. She skipped direct to section 2. She asked about the first stressor which i can't pin point, i said my first deployment as a whole but she wanted dates of specific events I honestly dont even remember the year, is was either 05-06 or 06-07.  It was pre-surge and its not anything I care to revist. She then asked for what the biggest was, I mentioned the kids dying, offloading helos with casualties when they stood up Balad Field hospital, loading caskets into c-17's, watching friends die, killing IDK how many people, et al. She wanted specifics on those.  I can deal with the basic overview of events but i dont want to go into details, why would anyone want to relive that crap? 

 

Id rather not do another exam to be honest, it is what it is. I can pay for my own treatment if need be. Thats all Ive ever wanted was after care and I feel like I was being grilled like Im trying to scam something. I have job offers that dwarf my military pay and i simply dont need the headaches and trauma of this process. 

My appointment was telemed, my wife was home during it, as soon as I hung up she rushed the room to check on me because she knew I was upset.  I cancelled all my plans this next week because Id rather not deal with it. If this is the norm I'll pass on a check every month and grind my own way. 

 

Thank you for the time and for all your information. I really appreciate your time and thoughts. 

[brokensoldier244th]

It sound like whomever put in the exam forget to check the box on "needs to verify stressor y/n" so if it's unchecked the assumption is yes. That stressor verification isn't part of every exam

 

I'm sorry you had to go through that. You shouldn't have. It sounds like you are BDD/IDES and have your records at the ready. You'll likely come out just fine.

I've done some drone troops' exams research and prep, and one former SEAL (not 6). You guys have some interesting commonalities between your jobs. I work more MST, though, than combat PTSD. Lots in common been those too. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by brokensoldier244th