Question about my provider filling out a DBQ

[Coffeeaddixt]

I got kind of lowballed by my mental health C&P examiner during my exam so I was going to have my own psychiatrist fill out a DBQ for me.

I noticed it says on the DBQ form that if my primary diagnosis is PTSD (which is what my psychiatrist believes is the case) then a VHA staff or contract examiner needs to fill out an Initial PTSD questionnaire…does this mean the VA would not accept my psychiatrist’s DBQ as evidence, since he isn’t connected with the military or with the VA?

 

[Provis]

I got kind of lowballed by my mental health C&P examiner during my exam so I was going to have my own psychiatrist fill out a DBQ for me.

I noticed it says on the DBQ form that if my primary diagnosis is PTSD (which is what my psychiatrist believes is the case) then a VHA staff or contract examiner needs to fill out an Initial PTSD questionnaire…does this mean the VA would not accept my psychiatrist’s DBQ as evidence, since he isn’t connected with the military or with the VA?

That would be for the examiner on your C&P. I don't believe it matters for you having your private doctor filling one out. Anyway the DBQ from examiner is the official one. You are providing one from your private doctor as a rebuttal to inaccurate information on your official DBQ.

 

[Coffeeaddixt]

That would be for the examiner on your C&P. I don't believe it matters for you having your private doctor filling one out. Anyway the DBQ from examiner is the official one. You are providing one from your private doctor as a rebuttal to inaccurate information on your official DBQ.

I’d say it’s out of date. My C&P exam was last May and since then I’ve had 5 mental health hospitalizations. So if I get something from my private psychiatrist that is more recent than my C&P exam, would the VA consider that to be new evidence once I get out of the military and adjust my mental health rating accordingly?

I wasn’t med boarded for mental health so I won’t be able to do a rebuttal, I believe I can only get a different rating on it once I get out?

 

[Provis]

I’d say it’s out of date. My C&P exam was last May and since then I’ve had 5 mental health hospitalizations. So if I get something from my private psychiatrist that is more recent than my C&P exam, would the VA consider that to be new evidence once I get out of the military and adjust my mental health rating accordingly?

I wasn’t med boarded for mental health so I won’t be able to do a rebuttal, I believe I can only get a different rating on it once I get out?

Yep! However, if everything hasn't closed on the VA side you would upload it now as a statement in support of a claim or as DBQ depending if its a DBQ filled out or a letter from your doctor. That would be considered for your proposed rating. However, if its too late just wait until your VA ratings a final after getting them a DD214. Then submit a request for increase and then submit further documentation. Most likely they will require another C&P exam. Either way you are good to go...

 

[Coffeeaddixt]

Yep! However, if everything hasn't closed on the VA side you would upload it now as a statement in support of a claim or as DBQ depending if its a DBQ filled out or a letter from your doctor. That would be considered for your proposed rating. However, if its too late just wait until your VA ratings a final after getting them a DD214. Then submit a request for increase and then submit further documentation. Most likely they will require another C&P exam. Either way you are good to go...

No, it hasn’t closed, but my diagnosis has changed from adjustment disorder to MDD and PTSD and I’ve been hospitalized a bunch of times, would they consider all that without a DBQ from my doctor?

 

[Provis]

No, it hasn’t closed, but my diagnosis has changed from adjustment disorder to MDD and PTSD and I’ve been hospitalized a bunch of times, would they consider all that without a DBQ from my doctor?

Yep! Have your doctor write a letter detailing everything since and upload it. All mental health is lumped together for rating

 

[Coffeeaddixt]

Yep! Have your doctor write a letter detailing everything since and upload it. All mental health is lumped together for rating

Thanks for all your suggestions. Just a thought but could I write my own statement saying basically, “hey D-RAS raters, I know last May my C&P examiner said I was basically fine but please read in all my medical records all the times I’ve been hospitalized since, which doesn’t reflect what the C&P examiner said many moons ago” because my records speak for themselves, my most recent diagnosis is “major depressive disorder severe with psychotic symptoms” which is worlds away from the C&P examiner’s diagnosis of adjustment disorder

(The reason I ask is because my psychiatrist takes a really long time writing letters for me, which he’s done in the past, and by “a really long time” I mean months, by which point I might have my med board results back before then)

 

[Provis]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Just a thought but could I write my own statement saying basically, “hey D-RAS raters, I know last May my C&P examiner said I was basically fine but please read in all my medical records all the times I’ve been hospitalized since, which doesn’t reflect what the C&P examiner said many moons ago” because my records speak for themselves, my most recent diagnosis is “major depressive disorder severe with psychotic symptoms” which is worlds away from the C&P examiner’s diagnosis of adjustment disorder

(The reason I ask is because my psychiatrist takes a really long time writing letters for me, which he’s done in the past, and by “a really long time” I mean months, by which point I might have my med board results back before then)

Include an updated DBQ or letter from doctor detailing current symptoms and then upload documentation from all sources between the time of the C&P exam and now.

My wife ran into this problem where the DBQ was good but the x-ray for sinusitis said negative which is crazy. So she uploaded Dr appointment records for the months since the exam showing a sinus infection every single month and a current CT scan done only 3 weeks after the C&P exam that shows severe chronic sinusitis. Her sinuses are terrible probably due to burn pit exposure when she deployed to Iraq years back. Its one of her unfitting conditions so getting it right for rating purposes is very important since her VA rating will also be counted for DOD rating.

 

[tony292]

Having your private doc fill one out definitely helps your case when you submit it as evidence during a VARR!!! It helped me.

 

[Coffeeaddixt]

Having your private doc fill one out definitely helps your case when you submit it as evidence during a VARR!!! It helped me.

Yeah, I am going to get that done. These people are making my blood boil, are they being serious that they think there’s nothing wrong with me (which, in their lingo, is an “adjustment disorder”) and I’ve been hospitalized 6 times?! I already told them multiple times I was hearing voices and they put it in some side note in my medical file as if it was an afterthought. Jesus fucking Christ. I don’t know how you and all the other experts on this site play the VA’s dumb games all day. I would get tired so fast. (I mean that sincerely, I know you and many people spend a lot of time on this site and I thank you all for the free help)