Chapter Eighteen

The C & P

The C & P can have two part to it. One part my be an actual physical examination with a physician. The other part will be a question and answer session with a Psychiatrist about you and PTSD.

The physical examination is just that. The VA doctor will have a standard set of questions to ask. Most often you will not have a physical examination if you have not filed a Claim for a physical illness. In other words, you may have filed a Claim for PTSD along with a Claim for another physical disability. If you have only filed a Claim for PTSD you most likely will not be requested to take a physical examination.

The examination with a Psychiatrist is for the VA to get another Psychiatrist’ opinion about your PTSD condition. The C & P Psychiatrist will have a standard set of questions to ask you. You will find a sample list of the type of predetermined questions in Chapter 27 “Example C & P Questions”. The Psychiatrist will also ask his or her own set of questions.

We highly recommend you answer questions such as the ones below with the answer that follows the question. Do not volunteer any information about childhood, your brother(s) , sister(s) or your parents.

Question:	How was your childhood?
Answer:	        Normal.

Question:	Did your parents drink a lot?
Answer:	        No.

Question:    	Did your parents fight a lot?
Answer:	        No.

Question:  	Did your parents abuse you?
Answer:	        No.

Question:	Did you use drugs as a teenager?
Answer:	        No.

Question:       Did your dad get fired from different jobs?
Answer:         No.

Questions:      Were you ever sexually abused as a child?
Answer:         No

Question:       Were you in a serious accident as a child?
Answer:         No.

You need to always keep the appearance of your lifestyle before Vietnam as average and normal. This will help keep the VA from trying to say your problems are due to your lifestyle before you entered the Armed Forces.

After you have meet with the Psychiatrist for your C & P he or she will send their findings to the Regional Office handling your Claim. Once the Psychiatrist’s findings are submitted to Regional they will be combined with all of your records, documents, files and evidence. Everything is then submitted to the Rating Board for a determination. It should take no longer than twelve weeks before you receive a letter from the VA informing you of the Rating Boards decision. An example of a Rating Board decision, including an example of an Award Letter can be found in Chanter 19 “The Rating Board Decision”.