Va C&p Exam For Ptsd

What Happens At A C& p Exam For A Ptsd Claim

A Compensation & Pension exam is ordered as a routine part of a claim for disability benefits. The purpose of this medical exam is to assess a Veterans symptoms and gather evidence to affirm or deny a service connection. If youre applying for disability benefits based on post-traumatic stress disorder , knowing what to expect can help you be prepared to provide information that will best support your claim.

What Should I Do If I Disagree With The Results Of My C& p Exam

After the C& P exam, the veteran receives a rating decision from the VA stating whether they approve or deny the disability claim and what the veterans disability rating is. If you disagree with the rating decision, you can appeal the decision for up to one year after it is issued by filing a Notice of Disagreement.

However, if you feel satisfied with the rating decision, ensure that your account information is accurate. You should receive your benefits within 15 days of the rating decision.

There are multiple ways a C& P examiner can administer an exam improperly. A satisfactory C& P exam involves:

• Allowing the veteran to adequately describe the symptomology
• Identifying and describing the stressor and
• Acknowledging prior medical reports demonstrating a PTSD diagnosis.

At Gerling Law, we understand that the VA sometimes denies PTSD disability claims, even with solid evidence of the disability. Whether you want to prepare a PTSD disability claim or your claim was denied, we are prepared to help. We have represented thousands of injured and disabled clients and recovered over $500 million since 1963. If you believe your C& P exam was administered improperly, contact our team today.

Dont Dress In Your Sunday Best

If you arent normally dressed up, showered, and shaved daily, then dont show up to your examination this way. Show up the way you look on any given day. An examiners impression of you can have an outcome on his report .

If you tell the VA doctor that you have trouble getting motivated to take a shower or shave, but you look like youre headed to a job interview, this may give the doctor the impression that you are exaggerating your symptoms. If you cannot work because of PTSD, do not make it look otherwise.

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Working With A Va Disability Lawyer

The process of preparing for, attending, and if necessary, appealing a C& P exam can be lengthy and difficult on your own. Working with an experienced attorney who has practice handling VA disability claims can greatly reduce the headache associated with filing for compensation. The lawyers at Tuley Law Office have the knowledge and understanding to answer any questions you may have related to your claim or service-connected disability.

Whether youre on the verge of making a claim, or have already reached the appeal process, reach out to our attorneys to set up a consultation today.

Ptsd Exam For Civilians

More than 5 million people in the United States suffer from PTSD, including a large percentage of civilians. If you experience any of the symptoms of a mental health illness, your diagnosis can only be made after the following steps:

• A physical examination by a medical doctor or other licensed professional.
• A mental health evaluation performed by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other licensed mental health professional.

Finally, your test results either by a medical doctor or mental health professional will be compared to criteria established by the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition .

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Focal Point #: The Ptsd Diagnostic Exam

A good Diagnostic exam is like a bowling ball that hits squarely between the #1 and #2 pins: everything falls right into place.

It can establish your rating, and when done properly, can help to corroborate certain stressor events. It also will largely ignore the GAF Score if your VA or private psychologist or psychiatrist assigned one.

Done properly, it can also be a very strong piece of evidence that a VA C& P Examiner cannot attack or rebut when making the ultimate nexus determination.

Tip #1 Dont Skip Your C& p Exam

Translation: You must report to your scheduled C& P exam unless you have Good Cause for missing it.

Weve heard rumors that some folks are telling veterans not to show-up to their C& P exams.

They are wrong!

Dont fall into this trap.

If you dont attend your C& P exam, the VA Rater can either make a rating decision based on your submitted evidence alone or in some circumstances deny the claim.

Pro Tip:§ 3.655 Failure to report for a VA C& P Exam. When entitlement or continued entitlement for VA disability benefits cannot be established or confirmed without a current VA examination and the claimant fails to report without good cause, the VA Rater shall act in accordance with the table below.

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Tip #4 Dont Downplay Your Symptoms

This is critical to remember so you get the VA disability rating you deserve!

In our experience, veterans tend to downplay their symptoms.

Avoid this mistake at all costs.

Dont say youre fine if youre not

Its okay not to be okay!

Maybe youre struggling so much that you start crying during your C& P exam .

If you arent uncomfortably vulnerable and dont tell the C& P examiner how you are on your worst days, theres a high likelihood that your VA claim will either get denied or youll end up underrated.

Being uncomfortably vulnerable means telling the examiner things you dont want to .

If its uncomfortable or awkward for you to say, YOU NEED TO SAY IT!

• If your mental health medications cause Erectile Dysfunction or Female Sexual Arousal Disorder , tell the examiner.

• If youre self-medicating with alcohol and/or drugs to avoid physical and mental pain, tell the examiner.

• If your disabilities negatively affect your work, life, or relationships, tell the examiner why and how.

Pro Tip: Read through your submitted evidence to include any medical records, personal statements, buddy letters, etc. This will help refresh your memory of your disabilities prior to your C& P exam. You should also review the condition-specific DBQ form for the condition youve filed for.

What Is A Va Ptsd C& p Exam

Once a veteran files a VA claim for PTSD, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs will make the veteran undergo a Compensation and Pension Examination VA will verify the diagnosis for posttraumatic stress disorder even if the veteran already has a diagnosis of PTSD from a qualified medical professional. This is part of the qualification process for VA benefits. The C& P exam also determines if the PTSD is related to service and assesses the severity of the condition. Veterans generally need to go attend a C& P exam even if a treating VA doctor has diagnosed the veteran with PTSD.

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How To Prepare For A Va C& p Exam

You must prepare well for this exam, as this meeting has significant weight on your claim for VA benefits. Here are a few tips for handling the exam:

• Update your contact information: VA will contact you about your appointment and schedule it based on your location.
• Make sure to attend: This may go without saying, but missing a C& P exam can significantly delay your claim and prolong your time without benefits.
• Reschedule if needed: Give at least 48 hours notice if the exam date you receive doesnt work for you, though VA recommends you reach out as early as possible.
• Submit all of your documents before the exam: This will ensure your paperwork is fully prepared for the appointment.
• Be as truthful as possible: The examiner will ask a series of questions about your condition and the documents in your case file. Any exaggeration regarding your condition could jeopardize your claim.

VA provides additional tips to help you prepare for your C& P exam. Note that you may even require more than one exam if you are seeking benefits for more than one condition. Alternatively, some claimants dont require a C& P exam at all.

When You Receive A Claim Denial

Despite all your efforts, it is not uncommon for claims to fall apart. In such a situation, you may proceed as follows:

• Get expert medical help by seeking an independent medical examination
• Seek legal counsel by hiring an accredited VA disability lawyer to guide you through the intricacies of the decision review process

For a free legal consultation, call

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Focal Point #: The Va Ptsd Rating

In any mental health claim, there are only a handful of impairment ratings available: 0% 30% 50% 70% 100%.

Knowing what limitations and diagnostic criteria apply to the various levels can effectively streamline even the most challenging of claims. Take a look at each of the different claims levels in the excerpt of 38 CFR §4.130 showing the VA PTSD rating criteria. Notice how there are 3 components to each level of rating:

Component 1: Every stage of the VA PTSD rating table lists certain symptoms or areas of functioning. You do not need to have ALL of those listed to get a particular rating level. You do not need to have all the 10% symptoms to get a 30% rating. And, you can have symptoms that are LIKE those listed for each level but do not actually appear in the VA PTSD rating table. The point is, as one CAVC Judge famously wrote, to conduct a holistic analysis by looking at the precise ways the PTSD, or any mental health condition, has on a veterans ability to function in social and occupational settings.

Component 3: for those remaining VA PTSD rating criteria 10, 30, 50, 70 percent levels you are going to look at the degree of impact that your PTSD has on your social and occupational impairment in the context of symptoms LIKE those listed in the VA PTSD rating table.

Understanding how the VA PTSD ratings are established can give you a critical advantage and move your PTSD claim or appeal along more quickly.

The Ptsd Compensation And Pension Examination

This chapter provides an overview of the Veterans Administration posttraumatic stress disorder compensation process and the conducting of PTSD compensation and pension examinations. These examinations generate the information used by raters to evaluate compensation claims and, where appropriate, to determine the level of disabilitya process that is described in Chapter 5. The chapter also offers the committees response to several elements of the charge that related to these evaluations.

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Tip #5 Dont Understate Your Level Of Occupational And Social Impairment

This is like dont downplay your symptoms, except it relates to your work, life, and social functioning.

If your disability causes issues with your work you need to tell the C& P examiner.

Maybe youve taken increased sick leave because of your Migraines or perhaps you have a reasonable accommodation to work from home because of your PTSD.

In addition, if your disability causes problems with your social life and/or relationships, be sure to explain it to the examiner.

Maybe your Anxiety is so severe that you rarely leave your home and dont have many friends or meaningful relationships.

Or maybe youre separated or divorced because of your anger and mood instability.

If youre going for Total Disability Individual Unemployability , explain why and how you can no longer hold substantially gainful employment because of your disabilities.

Va Disability Compensation For Post

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric condition commonly experienced by veterans as a result of their military service. Nonetheless, veterans must show a link between their PTSD and military service in order to receive disability compensation. To establish service connection, the following elements must be present: a current diagnosis of PTSD an in-service stressor and a medical nexus between your PTSD and in-service stressor. When it comes to a medical nexus opinion, VA will likely order a Compensation and Pension examination in order to have a doctor opine on whether your PTSD is related to your service.

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Cuddigan Law And Your Ptsd Claim

The experienced legal team at Cuddigan Law recognizes and respects the sacrifices veterans made to protect this country. They understand that PTSD is a debilitating mental condition that can severely and negatively impact a veterans life.

If you need help with your upcoming C& P exam or service-connecting your PTSD and want to file for disability benefits, contact Cuddigan Law for a free evaluation of your situation. Call us at 402-933-5405 or email us at . Our attorneys have supported veterans for years, and well carefully examine your case and advise you on the best approach for receiving the maximum in disability benefits.

Whats A Cp Exam For Ptsd Benefits

CP stands for Compensation and Pension. Once you file a claim for PTSD, the VA will schedule a CP exam for VA benefits for you to undergo. This exam is to verify the diagnosis of PTSD, even if you already have another diagnosis from a medical professional.

This exam is mandatory in order to have your claim approved. It will determine if your PTSD is service-related and will assess the severity of your condition. We recommend making it to this scheduled exam no matter what!

The information gathered by the VA examiner will be passed on to the official VA raters who decide the fate of your claim. In reality, there isnt a pass/fail system in place. You are assigned a rating based on the individual factors of your claim and how effectively you are able to communicate the impact on your life.

For the best possible outcome, you need to be prepared and thats what this article will help you do.

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Service Connection By Aggravation

Sometimes a pre-existing condition is worsened by military service.

For example, a veteran may have had flat feet prior to entering service but wearing military boots and prolonged standing worsened his or her flat feet leading to a painful disability called plantar fasciitis, which is eligible for compensation under the law.

Additionally, if a veteran has a service-connected knee condition that aggravates a non-service-connected back condition, they could get service connection for their back based on aggravationprovided they can prove that their condition was worsened beyond its natural progression by military service.

Compensation And Pension Examinations

C& P exams are medical exams ordered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the conditions that a veteran is claiming for disability compensation. These exams are meant to assess the etiology and/or severity of a veterans condition and are part of VAs duty to assist veterans in obtaining evidence to support their disability claims. Either a VA medical professional or a third-party medical professional contracted by VA will conduct the exam. Before a C& P exam for PTSD, the examiner will review the veterans entire claims file and look for any evidence that may be related to the condition.

Generally speaking, VA will not schedule a C& P exam for PTSD until there is some indication of two or three of the criteria for service connection. For example, there should be at least some indication that there was an event or an injury in service and some medical evidence suggesting a possible diagnosis. The purpose of a C& P exam is typically to establish that final, missing element of service connection: the medical nexus.

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What Tests Does Va Use To Determine Whether I Have Ptsd

The VA uses the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition to evaluate whether there is a valid diagnosis of PTSD. The PTSD diagnosis must satisfy all of the DSM-5 criterion to validly diagnose PTSD. If the veterans PTSD does not meet the diagnosis, the VA will deny the claim.

It is important for veterans to document all their PTSD symptoms. They need to be open and honest with their providers so that VA can have a true understanding of how PTSD has impacted their life.

The Timeline For C& p Exams

If your case requires a C& P exam, the VA will notify you through a letter containing the date and time of your exam. The local VA office or examiner contracted to perform the exam might also call you to schedule your appointment. Also, note that scheduling your C& P exam could take anywhere from 3 to 4 separate phone calls.

Since the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic, the VA has ramped up their telehealth services. If you have your C& P exam via telehealth, the VA will work with you to make sure the technology works for you and not against you. Youll have a phone call to take down general medical information, and then another call to confirm the appointment time. You may have an additional video call to make sure your cell phone and internet connection can handle the call. Be patient through this process. Only after all of that will you get in touch with an examiner to conduct your exam.

That said, if your address or phone number changes, be sure to notify your local VA office immediately to avoid delaying or missing your appointment.

C& P exams occur about halfway through the application process, during the information gathering stage. After your exam, the VA will review the exam findings and notify you of the results at a later date.

Here are some tips on your C& P exam from one of our VA disability lawyers.

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