HOW TO DEVELOP A CLAIM FOR PTSD (Post …

1 HOWTODEVELOPA CLAIMFORPTSD(PostTraumaticStressDisorder )(CombatRelated)Obtainingrecognitionfort raumaticeventsshouldbea loteasierthanit ,whenyoudogetrecognized, a goodreasonastowhyit doestakesolongandwhyit combatsituation,thenyoudon' currentdiagnosisofPTSD anda believethathecurrentlydoeshavePTSD andthatit is attributedto thestressorshefacedasa resultof youdonothavea PurpleHeartorCombatActionRibbon, youhavea mentalconditionthathasbeenwithyouforthel astseveralyears,it is likelythatyourmemoryis ,if youfilea claimforPTSD withoutyourDD-214showingcombataction,you willhavetouseyourbadmemoryasbestyoucan,t orecalltheexactmonthandyeartheincidentth atcausedyoutosufferfromPTSD, yourememberfilinga claimforPTSD andnotmeetingtheabovecombatverifiedcrite riaofhavinga medalorawardthatsignifiescombat, understandhowdifficultthisrequestis.

2 Butit is yousaythatyoucan' monthis notreallygoodenoughandthatweneedmoreofa changedthecriteriatoallowfor2 months!Sonowyouhavea 2-monthwindowthatyoucanuseto wasinvolvedin 2-monthwindowandsimplysaid,"In1971I "youwillbedeniedbecauseyoudidnotprovidea dequateinformationtoafforda youdonotprovidetheexactmonthandyear,ofth estressfulevent,uptoa a calleda VAForm21-0781 STATEMENTINSUPPORTOFCLAIMFORSERVICECONNE CTIONFORPOST-TRAUMATICSTRESSDISORDER(PTS D) detailandbeassvecifiedasYOUcansothatrese archormilitaryrecordscanbethoroughlycond uctedIf "unknown."If ~If youdonotknowthespecific60dayperiodandput "unknown"inthatbox, youdonotputtheplaceyouwere,ortheunitassi gnmentandlengthyouwereassignedtotheunit, deniallettersayingthattherewasinsufficie ntevidencetosendyourrecordsoff,fora ,meaningsomethingthatwouldberecordedinyo urunit' (UCMJ)

3 Hada veteransaythathewasa fueltruckdriverin Vietnam, 'tsaythatthosethingsdidn'thappen,butweca nsaythattheywouldn' askedhimif ,hisunitrecordswerereviewedandit searchofyourunit' , ,partlybecauseoftheamountoftimesincethei ncidentoccurred, ,whichwasa lastname,orthattheyonlywentbya , willjustdenyyouandsaythattheydidn' is duetoyourservicedoesnothelpyou, ,theVAwilldenyyoustating,"Eventhoughthed octordiagnosedyouwithPTSD andstatedthatit waslilrelyduetoyourserviceinthemilitary, hewasusingyourunsubstantiatedaccountsand wasnotprivytoanyevidenceofrecord".Themed icaldiagnosisis onlygoodif understandhowdifficultthisis formostveterans,butit is somethingthathastobeaccomplishedif (60daywindow)thatthestressfuleventtookpl ace,thelocationoftheevent,theunityouwere assignedtoatthetimeoftheevent, youdonotfollowtheseinstructions, doctorhasdiagnosedyouwithPTSD,andthatheh aslinkedit toyourmilitaryservice, yourdecisionis unfavorable,wewillbeabletocontinueourapp ealandyouwillreceivea is noteasytoremembertraumaticincidentsandbe asaccurateasyouneedtobe,butit ,Louisiana