ptsd Combat Marine Needs Help Bad

[WILLY3521]

hey anyone that can answer these questions or provide me help, please do....

I am a former marine(presently30%) who while serving in the Sunni province in Iraq, took part in numerous IED attacks, small arms attacks, mortar attacks, as well as participating in the battle of Fallujah. I have a Combat Action Ribbon as well as a Navy Commendation Medal for my actions in combat as well as the documentation for all of the above in my service records. I have been diagnosed as having PTSD by one private psychiatrist, (two months after leaving the service), as well as one VA psychiatrist. But I have had two VA psychologists rule out PTSD (one being the C&P examiner), as well as a VA psychology intern. I am and have been in treatment since the C&P exam and have been on numerous medications for PTSD symptoms since then. This treatment is with both the VA psychiatrist who has diagnosed me with PTSD as well as one of the psychologists who have ruled it out (so far she is saying I do not have all of the symptoms), when my C&P exam was done they did not take into consideration any of my awards as well as the private psychiatrist's diagnosis of PTSD and I was not yet in treatment for mental problems with the VA yet and my claim was denied. These are my questions....

1) Does the psychologists' and the intern's diagnosis cancel out the psychiatrists' diagnosis or is it the other way around?

2) Is staying with this psychologist(she has ruled it out so far) hurting my claim?

3) Do I need more evidence, such as two more diagnosis', to outweigh the three rule outs?

I really could use all the help I get because I am lost right now and struggling financially,and I have a baby on the way and my current living conditions are not suitable for a child(no running water or gas)......Willy3521

[WILLY3521]

Hey, forgot to mention my 30% is just for physical problems, my PTSD claim was outright denied for service connection for lack of stressors and lack of diagnosis......thanks, Willy

[Berta]

Do you have a vet rep? Also the private psychiatrist- you are maintaining current treatment and medication- VA needs to know that---

Has the VA acknowledged both of the psychiatrist's records and diagnosis?

A psychiatrist outweighs a phychologist and an intern's opinion unless they can provide a complete and experienced medical rationale.

I assume they denied as they cannot corroborate your stressors-

(I think I answered this before ---did you already ask about all this????)

My husband (Marine Vietnam)had combat awards but no PH- they had to verify his stressors.

a stressor has to raise to a certain level----I answered what I mean by that- there are already replies here somewhere to your questions---

[Pete53]

Willy:

Welcome to Hadit. On the surface it seems that you should have no problem establishing PTSD but you are dealing with a bad C&P and the VA. Your combat service makes it easier to get an award for PTSD but you need to prepare a stressor letter that specifies how you got PTSD. Since you mentioned IED's and other events you need to be able to write it up and also prove it. The VARO is about as lazy as a government bureaucrat can get so you have to provide a road map. An action report or any military document showing the incident and putting you there should do it.

Don't give up it is not as bad as it looks.

Good Luck

[Berta]

I replied when you first asked all this here- the topic was moved---

a stressor for VA purposes was defined in my reply-

you have the diagnosis -it appears that they are questioning your stressors

Maybe you remember what forum the question was in when you first asked?

Stressors-

I was almost shot- not a stressor

I was almost shot as the incoming blew my buddies arm off---stressor

I saw bodies- not usually a stressor in a combat zone.

I saw the body of a civilian who had helped our unit find some IEDs. possible stressor

I had to put my buddy (name hometown unit date MOS etc)into a body bag.Major stressor.

Unfortunately many vets do not really want to reveal the major stressor incidents-they are too painful-

I hope you find my reply to you initial post here-

I was former PTSD vet center volunteer in our Combat PTSD group-

I know how VA defines stressor-

and the regs have never changed-

I also saw how difficult is was for many combat vets to even talk about what they experienced.

It might take revealing more on your part- and certainly any stressors you tell VA about should be the ones that the VA can verify via Unit Research records or that a buddy statement can support.

[john999]

Willy

You have what it takes to have your PTSD accepted. You probably just need to work on writing it up to demonstrate that you had a horrendous experience in combat that involved feelings of death,helplessness and terror. As a combat vet the VA has to accept your version of events unless there would be some reason to doubt it. I am getting this from the VBM's definition of stressors and those who participated in combat. Maybe a good independent medical opinion stating you have PTSD and your degree of disability. This is something you just have to work on but you will very likely win in the end. I do think the VA is probably trying to weed out as many vets as possible with claims for PTSD. There is just a coming flood of claims and they don't want to pay for this expense of war. You need to keep trying until you get the PTSD service connected no matter what the VA says. This could be very important to your future.

[Pete53]

Willy:

I am sorry I tried to move your question to your post and I dropped the ball and lost it in cyber space.

You asked if they (VA) had changed the rules (on PTSD Stressor)?

I think that the rules are the same. You arer dealing with a Rogue VA or you have everything you need except a stressor they will accept.

Please read Berta's explanation as she explains how a streesor letter needs to be to be acceptable by VA.

Good Luck on your claim.

Pete