Chapter Twelve

Other Documents
In Support of a PTSD Claim

It can be very helpful if you are able to have your wife, a brother or sister, your mother or father, a co-worker, a past boss or supervisor, a member of the Clergy, a Public Official, a friend or anyone who has known you for some time to write a letter on your behalf to help support your claim for PTSD. It isn’t always easy to get someone to write a letter about you, explaining they think you have an emotional problem. However, a few letters from family members or friends can be very helpful in the claim process.

The best way to approach someone about writing this type of letter for you is to spend some time with them explaining what you are trying to accomplish. Explain how helpful a truthful letter from them could be for you. You can help them by giving them some type of idea about what you are looking for in their letter. You need to confirm that what they might say in a letter about you is not going to make you angry at them.

We have included a few example letters for you to review. You will find these letters in Chapter 23 “Example Letters”. These letters were submitted by a Veteran. They were used to help support his PTSD Claim. When the Veteran asked these people to write the letters he explained he knew it might be difficult for them, but their being able to “tell it like they see it” could only help him. Plus, because he had been involved in treatment at the PCT Unit, he had become aware that others didn’t really see him as he had seem himself. He had become aware of the impression of himself which he had left upon his friends and family and acquaintances.

What has been described in the above paragraph concerning the impression we leave on those we meet is important. Part of the PTSD disability hinges on how we impact the lives of others. In other words the type of impression about us which we leave with those whom we associate with. You will learn more about this in Chapter 14.

You may wish to use some of the example letters from Chapter 23 to help explain and demonstrate what types of information you need from whomever you may ask to write a letter for you in support of your claim.