PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claims

[keepmovingforward]

I do not have an account, hard to trust anyone. Since '99 stupid pride, distrust, and severe frustration keep me from filing.  Never ever posted anything in my entire life, this is my first. Reluctantly started seeing mental health. Was told I have PTSD after 3 sessions. Thats a work in progress. I need help refiling my claim. Please help me. Very hard to ask for help. Was told by VSO to start looking for secondary conditions to increase my claim. Honestly, I'm lost. Confused. Angry. But refuse to quit. Just need to understand the very complicated way infomation is structured and connect secondary to primary service connection. I get lost in the fray alot just searching, but would rather die than quit.  How do I find the vast infomation that links the two to increase my service connection? Was told I have till June. Sent off for C-file X2 still no receipt. No joy here. Have some medical records and first rating decision.

[pacmanx1]

I separated your post hoping to get you more responses. As to direct or primary service-connection, keep in mind the Caluza Elements which are 1. An Inservice accident, incident or event. 2. A current diagnosis and 3. A nexus connecting 1. and 2. You are going to have to prove your stressor with some type of medical or personal document(s). As to secondary service connection you will need a current diagnosis and a nexus stating (a medical opinion) that your current PTSD symptoms are at least likely as not (50/50) caused by or the result of your already service-connected disability.

What are your current service-connected disabilities?

Edited September 21, 2023 by pacmanx1

[keepmovingforward]

My bad let me begin again. Filed in '99 something called a 'pards' claim. awarded combined SC 50%

30% Keratoconus, both eyes

20% DDD lumbosacral spine, with disc herniation at L4-5 and L5-S1

10% Hypertension

Tendinitis R shoulder and bilateral knees denied.

I'm starting over and dont know how to decipher 38 CFR. Have, what i believe, medical evidence to support increase just dont know how or what to write correctly. Beyond frustrated. 

Stupid questions, dont know what i used to know when i did my own claim.

Thanks 

[Dustoff1970]

Not enough information.  Need to know the origin of your PTSD/mental trauma.

Was your PTSD due to sexual assualt or harrassment or combat or witnessing some type of horrible accident where you were involved or saw seriously injured persons, etc.  These examples are known as PTSD stressors and you will need a proper diagnosis from a qualified Va clinical psychologist for initial first time diagnosis of combat PTSD.

You will also need some sort of proof the stressor/s took place while you were in active service, etc. such as a law enforcement report, combat badges such as Purple Heart, combat medical or infantry badge, valor award, etc. othe reports from your superiors and/or medical treatment notes or diagnosis plus prescription drugs for PTSD symptoms. 

You need to find an experienced and hopefully motivated VSO from the DAV, VFW, AMVETS, Amer Legion or country veterans service officer and they are located at VA regional offices to help you with the claim.  No charge to vets for their services.

Pacman provided you a good outline of the requirements.

My comment is not legal advice as I am not a lawyer, paralegal or VSO

Edited September 22, 2023 by Dustoff1970

[keepmovingforward]

Stressors were in service. Started seeing VA clinical psychologist and VA clinical psychiarist, One gives me drugs the other  conversations, 3 sessions so far, more to come. Was told PTSD, depression, anxiety, no sleep (and the batch of 'others', furious rage, etc.) still working on more sessions. No joy. Prescribed a bunch of medications to assist in anger management, sleep, depression, anxiety, (more). I'm a walking zombie, dont like it. Told VA doc is working on gathering more info to streamline proper diagnosis. I can view my records in myhealthyvet. How to find proof of stressors took place? Stupid answer: DD214 shows my deployment, no disrespect, just dont know how else to prove. Would this be correct? Went to a VSO. Told to work on gathering all pertent info and learn how to do write up, Hard to find possible secondary causes. Just dont know how to do it -Just dont want to screw it up. Doing all the research makes me feel super stupid. I admit, I'm misorientated . Thank you paceman/dustoff

[broncovet]

Welcome to hadit.  VSO's and VA employees are often "obsessed" with trying to prove they are smarter

than we are.  They have learned the VA's "alphabet soup", so they think they are smarter.  

Its not your job to worry about whether its primary, secondary, presumptive, 1151, or other stuff.  But your VSO

wants to show you he's smarter than you by using terms you are unfamiliar with like ones I listed.  Dont buy it. 

    Secondary means, for example, lets say your hypertension (aka high blood pressure) causes a kidney problem.  

In that case, you can file for a kidney issue "secondary to hypertension".  

    Again, unless you plan a career as a VA rating specialist, dont worry if its primary or secondary, or presumptive.  

 You can, however, help us by giving us a bit more to guide you.  For example, are you working?  This is a big deal.  

VA benefits are designed to replace "income" lost due to service connected conditions.  Very often PTSD Vets cant get a job.  So if you are not working, your VSO should file for TDIU (Total disability due to Individual Unemployability).  If awarded TDIU, you would be paid at the 100 percent rate.  Thus, if you are not working, and maybe your doctor said you could not work due to your PTSD, then you should file for TDIU (which is an increase).  

     To get an increase, you need to show your conditions worsened, or it could well be you were lowballed in the first place

and you were "tested" to see if you would just quit and "settle in" to live your life in poverty at around $1041.82 per month

plus dependents if you have them with a 50 percent combined rating.  

    You can check to see if its right by plugging in your dependents here:

https://cck-law.com/va-disability-calculator/

    

 

[Dustoff1970]

It is extremely important you get and make extra copies of all VA, private and Military medical records you can get and then send extra copies with all your claims and/or appeals to include valuable prescription medication drug copies.

This includes all treatment notes, diagnosis, prescriptions, lab test results, etc., etc.

By all means copy and past the above medical information from your Myhealthyvet personal page to your evidence folder on your computer then print out the important stuff.  Information on Myhealthvet could disappear overnight due to their "computer glitch".   Stay up to date on your personal page.

My comment is not legal advice as I am not a lawyer, paralegal or VSO.