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My husband has soon a visit with a VA doctor to claim his PTSD. He deployed 4 times so I believe there are many stressor factors that could come into play.
1 he got shot in war
2 his fellow soldier died in war
3 he found a soldier hung in his dorm room
4 he got involved into a car accident while returning home. A car hit his car from behind and both the cars were destroyed
5 the fear to die because of bombs on the road
How can he prove number 2 or 3 hence that some of his soldiers died?
I know thisi is a very delicate topic and I am sorry if I am hurting somebody, I am sure many of you have such bad experiences. I do not want to sound like I am trying to speculate on his ptsd and on the death of heros of our country, but I also believe that soldiers, in this case my hubby, need to get what they deserve. This is no bs unfortunately, but I understand it needs to be proven
1 he got shot in war
2 his fellow soldier died in war
3 he found a soldier hung in his dorm room
4 he got involved into a car accident while returning home. A car hit his car from behind and both the cars were destroyed
5 the fear to die because of bombs on the road
How can he prove number 2 or 3 hence that some of his soldiers died?
I know thisi is a very delicate topic and I am sorry if I am hurting somebody, I am sure many of you have such bad experiences. I do not want to sound like I am trying to speculate on his ptsd and on the death of heros of our country, but I also believe that soldiers, in this case my hubby, need to get what they deserve. This is no bs unfortunately, but I understand it needs to be proven
PTSD
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Disability
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 19
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I will try to keep this brief, but it is a complicated issue.
First, proving service connection is not at issue, as you say he "got shot". Earning a Purple Heart would make service-connection presumptive. If however he did not get a PH, that gets more complicated. His combat-related service awards and any combat decorations or badges then come into play.
Therefore, what happened that was stressful is less important to discuss than how he is affected presently. He will need to be detailed about the symptoms he has and how they affect his life, work, and relationships. These symptoms are then scored and a determination made as to the severity of his case and thus what rating he receives.
If his ducks are in a row, this claim would get processed pretty quickly. A PH makes it a priority case, and with presumptive, all it takes in the C&P exam to get after how severe his symptoms are. He should not emphasize the events that led to his issues until the exam itself, except insofar as his claim will need a VA 21-0781 describing the events in the initial application. How it affects him today is what the rating will be based upon.
This case is not terribly different from my own case, and it was resolved in about 120 days.
Feel free to contact me directly if you have more questions.
First, proving service connection is not at issue, as you say he "got shot". Earning a Purple Heart would make service-connection presumptive. If however he did not get a PH, that gets more complicated. His combat-related service awards and any combat decorations or badges then come into play.
Therefore, what happened that was stressful is less important to discuss than how he is affected presently. He will need to be detailed about the symptoms he has and how they affect his life, work, and relationships. These symptoms are then scored and a determination made as to the severity of his case and thus what rating he receives.
If his ducks are in a row, this claim would get processed pretty quickly. A PH makes it a priority case, and with presumptive, all it takes in the C&P exam to get after how severe his symptoms are. He should not emphasize the events that led to his issues until the exam itself, except insofar as his claim will need a VA 21-0781 describing the events in the initial application. How it affects him today is what the rating will be based upon.
This case is not terribly different from my own case, and it was resolved in about 120 days.
Feel free to contact me directly if you have more questions.
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Alice San
Thank you. Does he has to provide his medical records, awards etc or they can access it?
He is in a MED Board right now
He is in a MED Board right now
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1SG (Join to see)
Alice San - I answered your DM, but for the benefit of others reading this:
He will need to provide any service treatment records, as these will be instructive for the examiner. But don't over-clutter the claim. He should include a copy of his Purple Heart and any combat awards or badges he earned (establishes SC). He should include any treatment records for behavioral health, ASAP, or others that pertain to PTSD symptoms. Do not include stuff like sick-call slips for injuries or illnesses that he is not claiming, as it will only muddy the waters.
VA can and will obtain any treatment records from HRC St Louis, but that takes far longer than simply providing them himself, a good 60 days at least.
If he is claiming other things that are being adjudicated at the MEB/PEB Board, enclose the findings of the board.
The VA form 21-526EZ (base claim for Compensation) instructions give pretty good detail on what forms and records to send in to VA as part of the claim. And of course, you can continue to use me and others on this site as a resource as well.
Good luck.
He will need to provide any service treatment records, as these will be instructive for the examiner. But don't over-clutter the claim. He should include a copy of his Purple Heart and any combat awards or badges he earned (establishes SC). He should include any treatment records for behavioral health, ASAP, or others that pertain to PTSD symptoms. Do not include stuff like sick-call slips for injuries or illnesses that he is not claiming, as it will only muddy the waters.
VA can and will obtain any treatment records from HRC St Louis, but that takes far longer than simply providing them himself, a good 60 days at least.
If he is claiming other things that are being adjudicated at the MEB/PEB Board, enclose the findings of the board.
The VA form 21-526EZ (base claim for Compensation) instructions give pretty good detail on what forms and records to send in to VA as part of the claim. And of course, you can continue to use me and others on this site as a resource as well.
Good luck.
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MSG Robert Conrad
If he is has been referred to the med board, he will be assigned an advisor, called a "pueblo" to walk him through the process. The IDES program was created for Soldiers like your husband. He will recieve a "Proposed rating, once it is determined he cannot be retained, which is decided after the examinations. Then once the Army establishes whether he will be medically retired, or paid severence pay. After that is determined and an seperation date established, the VA will release the actual rating about 30 days after his separation date.
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MAJ Jack Horn, LPC, NCC, CCMHC, CCTP, CCTP-II, CCFP, CDBT
I have to echo what 1SG Jerry Healy said above. There are several criteria necessary for a diagnosis of PTSD. Only Criterion A relates to the precipitating event(s). I get the concern about service connection, but the other criteria have to be met simply to receive the diagnosis itself. They all relate to the subjective symptoms currently being experienced. I’m a board-certified PTSD therapist in private practice and the VA follows the DSM 5 criteria just as I do for a clinical diagnosis. Service connection is a moot point if he doesn’t meet clinical diagnostic thresholds. First, does he actually have PTSD or something else (e.g. Adjustment Disorder, Acute Trauma, and a variety of others). Second, is the Criterion A event(s) service-connected? Gotta have the clinical diagnosis first.
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Alice San prepare for battle. It is a rough and painful road for him and you and your families
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Capt Daniel Goodman
I completely follow, honest...to us, the $500 we spent for the consult seemed quite reasonable at the time, plus, as I'd sajd, the NOVA attorney only took what the VA allowed...I never deployed at all, I was on the volunteer list for Desert Shield/Storm, though I was never hsed, I was sent a letter for having volunteered for the list...I completely grasp your explanation, certainly, it was just that the NOVA staff were able to help us, I'd just figured they could also help her and her husband, honest, we'd found them well hooked into not just VA disability,.but also MEB/PEB cases, as well, and also frequently help out with law school vet law clinics, honest, I and others have sent their stuff in many times in here, many thanks for taking the time to have answered, in any event, certainly....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
And also, it wasn't that we found it nonsense, in my case...truly, it was just that we found it tediously labrious...perhaps that's the most apt description, at least the best one I can think of, for what we had to deal with, you know? Honestly, I try to stay quite well aware of a good deal of all such materjal, so far as possiible, certainly....
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Don't know if you can prepare, I went in because one of my NCOs that I served with for a long time pulled me aside and told me I was acting odd and out of character. I told him he was nuts but went in anyway and after loads of questions, tests and more questions it turned out he was rite I had both PTSD and TBI. At that time the services were less accepting of the PTSD diagnosis so you found quickly who your real friends, mentors and battle buddies were and weren't.
For the VA claim, it was more tests, questions, and evaluations, I turned in my awards, decorations, NCOERs and letters from friends, family, Soldiers, peers and Leaders outlining past compared to present. Makes for hard reading at least for me, I thought I was fine, but everyone else didn't.
In my experience the VA here at Columbia does a good job but it takes work. You guys have a long road ahead , don't focus on what you could do but work hard to be and do the best you can be now. All will be well.
God bless you and thank you for your service.
For the VA claim, it was more tests, questions, and evaluations, I turned in my awards, decorations, NCOERs and letters from friends, family, Soldiers, peers and Leaders outlining past compared to present. Makes for hard reading at least for me, I thought I was fine, but everyone else didn't.
In my experience the VA here at Columbia does a good job but it takes work. You guys have a long road ahead , don't focus on what you could do but work hard to be and do the best you can be now. All will be well.
God bless you and thank you for your service.
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1SG (Join to see)
It kills me every time I hear of a Soldier being ostracized because of PTSD symptoms. I'm sorry that was the reaction you got. Unfortunately, I see it far too often.
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Alice San
I just don t understand why osme people say we have a long road ahead. He is in the MeD process, they don t have foreover to decide over the ratings of the disability.
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CSM Richard StCyr
Alice San - Because PTSD isn't cured with a magic pill, it takes time and patience and I don't know if people ever really get over it. So that is why folks say you have a long road ahead, getting the VA rating is just recognition that the problem exists and is either combat or service connected and opens additional assets to you for treatment.
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http://www.vetadvocates.org
When we did my whole noncombat total perm disability thing, a vet group started it, they tried, honest, however, it was simply too involved for them to devote adequate time to, they were just too busy...we switched it to one of the guys from this group, NOVA, I and others have sent in their stuff on here many times...use their search engine, see who's near you, or call their office...our consult was $500, the best money we ever soent, our guy had 3 yrs prior active, and 35-40 yrs VA disability law, he's one of the reasons we realized there's a very real reason God invented attorneys, honest, if you wanna chat more about it at all, just lemme know, no rush, they take only the percentage VA allows them, trust me, that was well worth the cost, I assure you, promise, at least to us,, OK? My whole thing was quite involved, I wouldn't even begin to compare my whole thing with that of your husband, certainly, by any means, however, I assure you, NOVA, aside from vet groups and law school vet law clinics, is pretty much the top of the food chain for VA disability law from all we've seen, our guy even got pro bono help for us from a local major law firm he knew partners at he'd been involved with before, as well, when we went to the BVA hearing for me with a judge, one of the two pro bono partners assigned to us went with us, and our NOVA guy, to see the judge....
When we did my whole noncombat total perm disability thing, a vet group started it, they tried, honest, however, it was simply too involved for them to devote adequate time to, they were just too busy...we switched it to one of the guys from this group, NOVA, I and others have sent in their stuff on here many times...use their search engine, see who's near you, or call their office...our consult was $500, the best money we ever soent, our guy had 3 yrs prior active, and 35-40 yrs VA disability law, he's one of the reasons we realized there's a very real reason God invented attorneys, honest, if you wanna chat more about it at all, just lemme know, no rush, they take only the percentage VA allows them, trust me, that was well worth the cost, I assure you, promise, at least to us,, OK? My whole thing was quite involved, I wouldn't even begin to compare my whole thing with that of your husband, certainly, by any means, however, I assure you, NOVA, aside from vet groups and law school vet law clinics, is pretty much the top of the food chain for VA disability law from all we've seen, our guy even got pro bono help for us from a local major law firm he knew partners at he'd been involved with before, as well, when we went to the BVA hearing for me with a judge, one of the two pro bono partners assigned to us went with us, and our NOVA guy, to see the judge....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
I'm sorry, honest...my reason for sending in the suggestion, though I realize it fell flat in this instance, was that our NOVA guy had helped us do just that, please believe that, I assure you, we're that not the case, I wouldn't have sent it, honest...the reason I always send their site in, is that they're abolute experts in the case law underlying such claims, it's not that the vet groups or law school vet law clinics aren't good, however, the NOVA guys, I'd observed, seemed, at least to us, singularly good at it...I assure you, the NOVA guys can, I promise, most definitely help with just such a clajm, honest...I didn't mean for the idea to have seemed to have been unfocused, promise, honest....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
I hope the other material is sent in was adequate to compensate....is just also thought to mention, sevl others in the site have also sent in the NOVA site, honest...when doing really complex claims, we'd been told many times, by Many we spoke with, the NOVA guys are extremely expert at providing exactly the kind of advice she's sought here, promise, honest....
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MAJ Ken Landgren
The VA will give him a medical screening. Your husband should write down pertinent ailments and conditions leading to them. He needs to be vocal and not act meek if you get my drift. After his VA medical screening, he will get a % offer from the military and VA. If you don't think the % is fair, immediately appeal it. If his rating is high enough, he should get SSDI from the date of not being able to perform his job, which I believe is the date of his permanent profile. If the planets align, he should get around $5000/month from the VA and for SSDI.
Good luck and I hope all your conditions of success are met.
Good luck and I hope all your conditions of success are met.
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Alice San
MAJ Ken Landgren I am sorry I don t do good with acronyms.
What WTB and SSDI mean?
From my understanding he cannot get bot VA disability and medical retirement. He is retiring with 15 years not 20. But if he has a combated related condition, which in his case would be ptsd, he might be able to get combated related pay. I just don t know what s gonna happen. Actually he was referred to the MED for a back problem, than we found out he could claim also other problems, I just don t know if from the army side the ptsd will count since he was not on a permanent profile for that
What WTB and SSDI mean?
From my understanding he cannot get bot VA disability and medical retirement. He is retiring with 15 years not 20. But if he has a combated related condition, which in his case would be ptsd, he might be able to get combated related pay. I just don t know what s gonna happen. Actually he was referred to the MED for a back problem, than we found out he could claim also other problems, I just don t know if from the army side the ptsd will count since he was not on a permanent profile for that
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MAJ Ken Landgren
Alice San - WTB/WTU are units that soldiers can go to focus on their healing. SSDI is social security disability and one receives it when the Social Security Administration deems that the veteran can't work. When he receives his percentages from the military and VA and think they are low balling him, immediately appeal the percentages.
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Don't know much about PTSD but honesty is always best. His thoughts and actions should serve well in assessing the effects of PTSD aka shell shock.
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If I can possibly suggest anything more on the user end, from all we saw, pls, by all means, just let me know, I'll try to explain all I can do far as I'm able, as it happened with us, honest, OK?
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He may not have to necessarily "prove" it. His deployment record and DD214 can do a lot of speaking for itself. Also, obtain every single record that you can. These websites may be of some help
https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel/ompf-archival-requests
https://www.military.com/benefits/records-and-forms/requesting-military-personnel-records.html
https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel/ompf-archival-requests
https://www.military.com/benefits/records-and-forms/requesting-military-personnel-records.html
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SFC Michael D.
Alice San - If he was in charge of them, then he should know their names and where they fell. There will be a record of their death. I didn't ask for my diagnosis. I went to the VA for an appointment and the Nurse read off a questionair and by the way I answered the questions, she said, "you have PTSD". I didn't even realize I had it. I was a Flight Medic and saw some horrific things. Looking back, it actually explains why I did some of the things I did and treated some people the way I did. I had all the symptoms but refused to acknowlege it. My wife made me go. Start at the VA. They have the same questionair on line if you don't want to go to the VA.
Most units have a website or a face book page. Most of them list who they lost and where.
Most units have a website or a face book page. Most of them list who they lost and where.
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Alice San
SFC Michael D. of course he does. My queation is does he have to find their death certificates?! Or it just enough that he explaines what happens
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SFC Michael D.
Alice San - I just gave one name and was good to go. You don't need a death cert. Have him explain in great detail.
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1SG (Join to see)
Alice San - What he needs to show is what the event was and how it affected him personally. Confirming that the Soldier is deceased and roughly how it happened is pretty easy for VA to figure out.
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I actually medically honorably discharged from the Army. I was only rated at 20%, but that was a start. Now as an advocate for VETS, I can honestly tell you that documentation and determination will help you succeed. If your husband has a Psychiatrist who is willing to diagnose PTSD, then you have the starting point for a disability claim. Also, any noticeable changes in his behavior after 2 and 3 will help with your case. Statements from his fellow soldiers regarding his behavior after 2 and 3 could also help. It is a long process, but do NOT give up! He deserves a rating for PTSD and various other conditions. Documentation is the key. Also, contact your Congressman, he has the ability to help. Here is a phone number which I have found useful: White House VA hotline: [login to see]
Good luck and please do NOT give up! Your local DAV is supposed to assist with paperwork. I chose to find the forms and fight for myself. I finally achieved 100% service-connected in 2012. So, please don’t give up and ask for help. I hope this information helps you in your struggle.
Good luck and please do NOT give up! Your local DAV is supposed to assist with paperwork. I chose to find the forms and fight for myself. I finally achieved 100% service-connected in 2012. So, please don’t give up and ask for help. I hope this information helps you in your struggle.
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I'm positive that PTSD is disabling and hard to live with, for the soldiers that actually suffer from it.
However, having listened to soldiers in the defac lines in Afganistan, teach each other how to claim it
infuriates me. Watching and listening to people who never left the fob, never even went through a rocket or mortar attack proudly displaying their emotional companion dog, except when it's inconvenient for them to have it along..... I'll leave that alone, very touchy subject. Who is anyone to get in the way of people that are or have convinced them self that they are entitled?
However, having listened to soldiers in the defac lines in Afganistan, teach each other how to claim it
infuriates me. Watching and listening to people who never left the fob, never even went through a rocket or mortar attack proudly displaying their emotional companion dog, except when it's inconvenient for them to have it along..... I'll leave that alone, very touchy subject. Who is anyone to get in the way of people that are or have convinced them self that they are entitled?
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