I CAN NOT WRITE YOUR STRESSOR LETTER FOR YOU

I CAN LOOK AT YOUR LETTER AND TELL YOU HOW TO IMPROVE IT

I NOW HAVE ACCESS TO :

KILLED IN ACTION LISTS BY UNIT AND DATE

FIXED WING AIR LOSSES BY DATE

HELICOPTER CRASHES BY DATE AND TYPE OF CHOPPER

THIS INFORMATION CAN BE VERY VALUABLE IN BUILDING A GOOD CLAIM !

THE STRESSOR LETTER

YOUR STRESSOR LETTER IS YOUR STORY OF WHAT YOU WITNESSED IN VIETNAM THAT YOU FEEL CAUSED YOUR PTSD.

A good stressor letter tells what happened and how it affected you. It should be no more that 4 or 5 pages typed. below is an outline of what your stressor should look like.

NAME

Claim Number

Address

dates of military service

awards and decorations

dates in vietnam

units served with and dates with each unit

locations where you were based. (Area of Operations) and dates at each location

Stressors

....describe stressor

....describe how you felt at that time

....describe how it makes you feel when you think about it now

Do this for each stressor I would not list more that 4 or five stressors

your PTSD Symptoms

list every symptom for PTSD that you have.

Describe how your life changed as a result of your service in the military.

This is best done by showing how you used to like something that you no longer like

describe your relationships with the opposite sex

describe your work history

If you have been in trouble with the law list incidents here

If you have abused drugs or alcohol mention it here

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THE C&P EXAM

The C&P Exam is the next step in the process. It is an extensive psychiatric exam that looks at your psychological background from childhood through today. Many times it lasts 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

There are certain things you should not do at a C&P Exam:

Never threaten the examiner.

Do not say that your life is fine or you ar doing "OK" It isn't and you aren't or you wouldn't be there !

Things you should do....

Be Honest save the exaggerations and the fairy tales for some one else!!!

don't be afraid to show emotion.

Make sure you mention the things you put in your stressor letter

REMEMBER THE EXAMINERS DO THIS FOR A LIVING THEY HAVE HEARD IT ALL

ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE

LETTERS FROM PEOPLE WHO KNEW YOU BEFORE YOUR TIME IN SERVICE. (FAMILY OR FRIENDS)

LETTERS FROM FORMER EMPLOYERS OR COWORKERS

LETTERS FROM YOU SPOUSE

What rating can you expect?

Your rating will depend on how severely your PTSD affects your life Below are the perameters of each rating percentage.

0%
Neurotic symptoms which may somewhat adversely affect relationships with others but which do not cause impairment of working ability.

10%
The psychoneurotic disorder produces mild social and industrial impairment.

30%
The symptoms result in such reduction in initiative, flexibility, efficiency, and reliability levels as to produce definite industrial impairment There will be definite impairment in the ability to establish or maintain effective and wholesome relationships with people.

50%
The veteran’s ability to establish or maintain effective or favorable relationships with people is considerably impaired. By reason of psychoneurotic symptoms the reliability, flexibility, and efficiency levels are so reduced as to result in considerable industrial impairment.

70%
The disability severely impairs the veteran’s ability to establish and maintain effective or favorable relationships with people. The psychoneurotic symptoms are of such severity and persistence that there is severe impairment in the ability to obtain and retain employment.

100%
The attitudes of all contacts except the most intimate are so adversely affected as to result in virtual isolation in the community. Total incapacitating psychoneurotic symptoms bordering on gross repudiation of reality with disturbed thought or behavioral processes associated with almost all daily activities such as fantasy, confusion, panic, and explosions of aggressive energy resulting in profound retreat from mature behavior will be present. He or she will be demonstrably unable to obtain or retain employment

PTSD CLAIM HELP
Are you ready to File a PTSD Claim?
Now that you have read about Stressors and Gaff scores and finding a service officer lets think about one other area you need to be prepared for. Your chances of getting a higher rating are diminished greatly if you have not been under the care of a shrink, have not had meds given to you for PTSD symptoms and also if you have not been going to the either the shrink, social worker or a PTSD group or all of these for at least 6 months on a regular basis. You must show that you have tried to have your illness treated. This carries allot of weight with your claim. I feel you need to do the following to strengthen you claim.

First get a complete copy of your VA records, you will have to sign for them and usually wait a few weeks, once you have these copies ALWAYS carry them with you when you go to the VA, especially your records concerning your PTSD claim. Remember the VA has the bad habit of losing your records. Have them updated at least quarterly.

Go to your Shrink, the Dr. that ordered your meds, any group leader you have had for PTSD group, any social worker and any civilian Dr. you have worked with and ask them all to write you a Personal Letter rating you with the severity of your PTSD and also have them include your Gaff score in the letter. They will not offer these letters and don't ask for a letter in front of others do it privately. You should never be refused. The letter may not say what you want but the chances of you getting a solid letter from them is highly likely. Once you have these letters have them included in your file by your Service Officer. Do not trust that the VA will include them. Always have them with you at all times also.

I would recommend that when possible that you do not subject yourself to a extended lock down for PTSD, Try using group or one on one counseling in lieu of this or PTSD group.

Remember if you don't show emotion and tears in your interviews or groups that you are probably going to go no where with your claim. 1 know it's hard and you have in many cases had your feelings hidden for years now, but you have to release them. This is not the time for you to be sucking up your pain as you have been doing for years. Don't try and be a hard ass and don't ever curse or threaten your Dr. or go there under the in­fluence of any drugs or alcohol other than what has been prescribed by the VA to you. You will find that not only will this benefit your claim but it will also benefit your personal well being by helping you expunge many of the horrors you experienced in combat.

When you go for your C & P. Take your records and these letters with you and offer them BEFORE the C & P begins. Chances are they won't have this information. This same applies if you apply for Social Security.

Remember if you end up with a total disability rating of 70% or more for PTSD or a combination of Service Connected disabilities you are considered unemployable (that's assuming you are not working ) and you can get 100% from the VA and if you have worked enough quarters from Social Security also.

I encourage you to call me if I can assist you, If you like call me prior to a C & P maybe I can help you get a idea on what's going to occur in this very important meeting. Don't forget we did things by the numbers in the Military if you do them by the numbers for your claim your chances of being turned down the first time have been greatly decreased. The least that will happen is that out of the gate whatever rating you get will be higher than it would have been without this supportive information. You can always appeal a lower rating which is a lot easier to appeal than a flat denial.

Welcome Home and Good Luck

Please contact me for more information and any questions you have