I am currently awaiting my DOD rating. My question is that the condition I am being med boarded for is PTSD/MDD. My MH VA examiner put on my DBQ that I have adjustment disorder instead, despite 4 years of MH treatment and 2 providers saying I have PTSD/MDD and the inpatient facility I went to as well. What will the DOD base my rating off of since the VA didn't give me a rating for my unfit conditions? Will i get 0% or will they give me the 50% the VA gave me for adjustment disorder? At this point I don't care if my DOD is 0%, I just want to be done and can fight VA ratings in the future.
DOD Rating Question
- Thread starter jbiddle388
- Start date
I know we've already talked buuuttt you got me questioning things too lol my unfit condition is MDD only. I do have PTSD but they picked my MDD for my unfit condition( even though my PTSD is waaaaayyyy worse). The VA never did an examination for my MDD only for my PTSD... Now Im confused lol Maybe (this is a total guess) you have so much evidence they didn't need to do an exam for the MDD/PTSD?? That is the only thing I can think of. Its probably wrong but its the only thing that makes sense to me. Idk this whole system is fucked up IMO. We both have been royally fucked so I can't imagine how often this happens.
Did you get your proposed ratings from the VA yet? Maybe that could give you a hint if they actually looked into your history or not. I only put in for my PTSD, MDD, and ankles and my letter says im at 90% Im thinking that I probably got 70% for my PTSD, 70% for MDD, and 10% for my ankles. Which sounds about right because they fucked up my PTSD exam. I honestly think I should be 100% for my PTSD alone.
Did you get your proposed ratings from the VA yet? Maybe that could give you a hint if they actually looked into your history or not. I only put in for my PTSD, MDD, and ankles and my letter says im at 90% Im thinking that I probably got 70% for my PTSD, 70% for MDD, and 10% for my ankles. Which sounds about right because they fucked up my PTSD exam. I honestly think I should be 100% for my PTSD alone.
My MSC told me all my estimated stuff from the VA, but no letter or anything I can visually see. He said they gave me 50% for adjustment disorder (which i didnt even claim) and nothing for PTSD/MDD/Insomnia (i know all MH is clumped into one rating). I am just waiting to file some appeals when I actually get the BEL. As far as rating for MH though, they put every MH condition into one rating, no idea about how it looks though on the ratings explanation.
That is so weird. Was your exam for a specific condition? Like mine was specifically a PTSD Exam. Or was it just a general MH exam? Maybe since they are doing the PEB on the PTSD/MDD the va doesnt need to do an exam. But that doesnt make sense for the ratings for the VA either.... ugh Im so srry this so fucked up for you. I have yet to find something on here that would help your situation or mine. If I find anything out that might help you, I will let you know.
also... What the heck your MSC is awesome. I had to beg the VA to send me my BEL which does not tell me a break down at all. Also did not know they bundle MH ratings lol Now I am even more confused how the fuck I got 90% lol With both my PTSD and MDD rated together that should FOR SURE be 100.
For MH they just give you whatever condition MH wise is the highest basically. So say you get 70 percent for PTSD, 50 for MDD, 30 for insomnia, you are just gonna get 70 percent. I dont think from what I have read they combine them all, its pretty much whatever your highest MH is gets is what your MH rating is, then add in other stuff you claimed. They also only gave me 10 percent for my back with degenerative disc disease and that I am in constant pain in. That examineer filled out my dbq wrong as well. I think my MH was strictly for PTSD, also filled out wrong and misdiagnosed.
Lol the fact that youve given me more answers than all my PEBLOs and MSC is crrraaaazzzzyyyyy. Thanks for that! Sorry I have no answers for you. Just know you arent alone in getting fucked by dumb doctors
You referred to the VA examiner filling out the DBQ. If they low-balled you on a rating, you have the option of going to your OWN doctor out in town and with nothing to do with the VA and having your OWN doctor fill out a DBQ specific to that type of injury, meaning there are different DBQ's for different things, you have to look on the VA site(s) to find the one that applies.
In my case, while I was going through the VA C&P process, the VA examiner lied (IMHO) and wrote it up as if I was good to work with no pain, no disability. This after 3 major back surgeries and pain to the point I could no longer work, leading to the MEB/PEB in the first place. My OWN civilian surgeon filled out the DBQ I downloaded from the VA and the appeals board for the VA (by law) MUST take whichever exam gives me the higher rating.
Also, on my spinal injury my legs are both affected by pain and numbness and is a separate rating for EACH leg, in my case under Radiculopathy.
Hope this helps.
That does help. My MH exam he didnt check boxes on multiple things like SIs, sleep issues despite me telling him i get 2-3 hours a night at best and wake up constantly and have nightmares despite being on meds for both issues. The one for my back didnt do a passive range of motion test because I am in pain no matter what, then didnt check the box for is there pain in passive motion.....glad to know i can get 2nd DBQs that can be filled out correctly.
During the MEB/PEB process I waited till the initial VA ratings came back, and put the DBQ's for my back in the appeal process.
I intentionally gave my civilian doctor a hard copy of the DBQ's to fill out so that I could review them and get anything that needed attention done before they were submitted, and exactly when I wanted to submit them.
The normal process is the doctor just fills out the DBQ online and submits it without you ever getting a chance to review and/or correct issues. I highly recommend doing it with hard copies.
Best of luck, don't ever give up on the good fight.
I intentionally gave my civilian doctor a hard copy of the DBQ's to fill out so that I could review them and get anything that needed attention done before they were submitted, and exactly when I wanted to submit them.
The normal process is the doctor just fills out the DBQ online and submits it without you ever getting a chance to review and/or correct issues. I highly recommend doing it with hard copies.
Best of luck, don't ever give up on the good fight.
Stupid question lol but how did you go about seeing a civilian doctor? I've been seen by military doctors since I was born so I dont know how that works lol did you have to get a referral? or pay out of pocket? I just got my ratings back and I want to do another exam for my ptsd.
Depending on which Tricare you have, you either pick out a general doctor (they usually say something like Family or Health Center, etc...) and get a referral to the specialist(s) you need to fill out the DBQ's you want, or if your Tricare plan allows it, you can just call up the specialist(s) themselves and make an appointment. There's absolutely no rule that says you MUST be seen only by a military physician. You'll likely to have a copay (mine at the time was $20).
Since they won't know much about you, I suggest you gather whatever medical records you can from your service medical file and take them with. Explain to the civilian doctor that you want a 2nd opinion and want a fair evaluation with the DBQ, military and VA doctors tend to be reluctant to writing something that will force the VA to pay out. That's in my experience, yours might be different.
Also, if you haven't done it already, make a Ghost Copy of your service medical records. Weather that's on a USB drive or hard copies is your call, I prefer hard copies you I can pick out exactly what info is important to take to the doctor I'm seeing, as the whole jacket tends to overwhelm people who are busy. The military in my experience has a bad habit of "losing" your medical records when you need them the most. My Ghost Copy saved me on more than one occasion.
Also, depending on the relationship you build with the primary civilian doctor, they might be prone to fill out another DBQ on your behalf. Then you can select which one best makes you case to submit to the VA.
Since they won't know much about you, I suggest you gather whatever medical records you can from your service medical file and take them with. Explain to the civilian doctor that you want a 2nd opinion and want a fair evaluation with the DBQ, military and VA doctors tend to be reluctant to writing something that will force the VA to pay out. That's in my experience, yours might be different.
Also, if you haven't done it already, make a Ghost Copy of your service medical records. Weather that's on a USB drive or hard copies is your call, I prefer hard copies you I can pick out exactly what info is important to take to the doctor I'm seeing, as the whole jacket tends to overwhelm people who are busy. The military in my experience has a bad habit of "losing" your medical records when you need them the most. My Ghost Copy saved me on more than one occasion.
Also, depending on the relationship you build with the primary civilian doctor, they might be prone to fill out another DBQ on your behalf. Then you can select which one best makes you case to submit to the VA.
For the back pain, I had a similar situation with my lumbar back issues. Had Disc Degenerative Disease (or whatever they called it) in a prior, earlier VA Rating Decision (like back in 2009). Got basic 10%.
Sent to MEB mainly due to Lumbar Spine issues and bilateral SI Joint Pain. After I had L3-L5 two-level Spinal Fusion. VA examiner said the Flexion of my Lumbar Spine (forward bending) was 65 degrees (way wrong - I had way less). Done with bubble goniometer.
So Proposed VA Rating was to continue my previous rating of 10% for Lumbar Back & Bilateral SI Joint Pain (VA combines lumbar spine and SI joint issues as they rate them all as one anatomical part).
Now my MEB actually had me go to the Military PT for Range of Motion (ROM) testing on my whole body right when I entered the MEB, before my VA exams. Odd step that they didn't have to do. Flexion of my Lumbar Spine (forward bending) on that military PT ROM exam was only 10 degrees (very correct - back is messed up). Also done with bubble goniometer.
When the VA did the Proposed Ratings, they either didn't look at that MEB-required Military PT ROM Exam or didn't care.
So I had my PCM sent me to a civilian PT for ROM exam (along with PT assessment). Free for me. She measured and recorded my Flexion of the Lumbar Spine as only 20 degrees.
Then I went to two different, local civilian PTs to have two more ROM exams done (4 weeks apart from each other). Had to pay, but it wasn't much. Well worth it. Had them both use and document that the measurement was done with a bubble goniometer (VA really wants to see that when they eval outside evidence). Both had my Flexion of the Lumbar Spine as only 20 degrees.
For reference, the most common way that lumbar spine ratings increase is based on restricted Flexion of the Lumbar Spine (forward bending):
0 to 30 degrees or less = 40%
More than 30 to 60 degrees or less = 20%
More than 60 degrees to normal range = just 10%
(you will have to check me on the "or less" and "more than" parts).
MEB Counsel packaged it up as a VA Request for Reconsideration (VARR; a step you can do during PEB). VA reconsidered the rating changed 10% to 40%.
Short story - you can fight back if you think the VA examiner made a mistake or didn't do a good job. If you cannot bend forward due to your back pain, get other ROM measurements done!
Also - It was already mentioned here, but back issues that cause nerve damage/pain can also get you additional ratings for nerve issues (may be as small as 10%, but it can all help). For me, I had pain down both legs due to Sciatic and Femoral nerve issues related to back issues.