| |
| |
| Preface | |
| |
| |
| Acknowledgments | |
| |
| |
| List of Abbreviations | |
| |
| |
| Introduction | |
| |
| |
| |
| Post-traumatic Stress Disorder | |
| |
| |
| What Is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder? | |
| |
| |
| VA Marketing of PTSD Information | |
| |
| |
| Understanding PTSD | |
| |
| |
| How Does PTSD Develop? | |
| |
| |
| How Is PTSD Assessed? | |
| |
| |
| How Common Is PTSD? | |
| |
| |
| Who Is Most Likely to Develop PTSD? | |
| |
| |
| What Are the Consequences Associated with PTSD? | |
| |
| |
| How is PTSD Treated? | |
| |
| |
| Let's See What's on the Other Side of the Coin | |
| |
| |
| Complexities in Diagnosing PTSD | |
| |
| |
| Sex-Related Trauma | |
| |
| |
| Coexisting Psychiatric Disorders | |
| |
| |
| Some Fundamental Facts about PTSD | |
| |
| |
| Secondary Service-connected Disorders | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Two Little Words | |
| |
| |
| Congressman Lane Evens Musters Support for Vets | |
| |
| |
| The VA Flow Chart | |
| |
| |
| Title 38 U.S. Code | |
| |
| |
| Federal Register Final Notice 06-18-99 | |
| |
| |
| VA Manual M21-1 | |
| |
| |
| Changing the Meaning to 32 CFR [section]578.11&12 | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Sgt. David Raz's Five-Year Struggle | |
| |
| |
| |
| 2001 | |
| |
| |
| |
| 2002 | |
| |
| |
| |
| 2003 | |
| |
| |
| |
| 2004 | |
| |
| |
| |
| 2005 | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Rules They Must Follow-Know Them! | |
| |
| |
| Disability Claims Processing | |
| |
| |
| How a PTSD Claim Is Decided | |
| |
| |
| Title 38 U.S. Code: Veterans Benefits | |
| |
| |
| What to Do If the VA Sends You a Rejection Letter | |
| |
| |
| 38 Code of Federal Regulations | |
| |
| |
| VA Manual M21-1 | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Down to Basics | |
| |
| |
| History of the Veteran's Administration | |
| |
| |
| Nine Types of Claim Actions | |
| |
| |
| A Documented Claim Is a Must | |
| |
| |
| No Record Equals No Claim | |
| |
| |
| How the VA Rates an Injury or Disease | |
| |
| |
| Testimonial Evidence Is a Must | |
| |
| |
| The First Weak Link: Adjudication | |
| |
| |
| Willful Misconduct: Benefits Denied | |
| |
| |
| Presumption of Soundness: A Key Issue | |
| |
| |
| Chronic Diseases | |
| |
| |
| Tropical Diseases | |
| |
| |
| Combat-Related Injuries and Diseases | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Elements of a PTSD Claim | |
| |
| |
| Components of Your PTSD Claim | |
| |
| |
| Developing a Winning Claim | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Compensation and Pension Examinations | |
| |
| |
| VA Health Administration | |
| |
| |
| Contradicting VA Hoopla | |
| |
| |
| Using Part-time and Fee-Based Physicians | |
| |
| |
| Veterans Healthcare Reform Act of 1996 | |
| |
| |
| Compensation and Pension Examination | |
| |
| |
| The Protocol for C&P Examinations | |
| |
| |
| AMIE C&P Examination Program | |
| |
| |
| AMIE's PTSD Protocol Examination | |
| |
| |
| Completeness of Reports | |
| |
| |
| Scope of the Examination | |
| |
| |
| Severity of Disability | |
| |
| |
| Review of the Claim Folder | |
| |
| |
| Taking the Examination | |
| |
| |
| Don't Make Assumptions-The VA Is Not Always Right | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability | |
| |
| |
| TDIU Issues and the Court | |
| |
| |
| The Most Common Reasons TDIU Claims Are Denied | |
| |
| |
| Basic Eligibility for TDIU Benefits | |
| |
| |
| Proving a Claim for TDIU Benefits | |
| |
| |
| Applying for TDIU Benefits | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| |
| PTSD Court Cases | |
| |
| |
| Prove Your Case and File Your Claim or You Will Be Forced to Defend It on Appeal | |
| |
| |
| The Court at Work Protecting PTSD Claims | |
| |
| |
| The Appeal Process | |
| |
| |
| "They Did It Before and They Will Do It Again" | |
| |
| |
| Allen v. Principi: Alcohol Abuse Secondary to PTSD | |
| |
| |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims | |
| |
| |
| Flayter v. Principi: Substance Abuse | |
| |
| |
| Yancey v. Principi: Noncombat PTSD in a Combat Zone | |
| |
| |
| Doran v. Brown: Noncombat Disability-A Lightning Bolt from Zeus | |
| |
| |
| Patton v. West: Sexual Assault | |
| |
| |
| Zarycki v. Brown: In Combat-Wrong MOS | |
| |
| |
| |
| What Have We Learned? | |
| |
| |
| Glossary | |
| |
| |
| Index | |
| |
| |
| About the Author | |