Case Setup - for joints, put each joint on its own line in Claims Tab - to make it easier to update when processing decisions (ie. left knee + right knee)
Issue: If you file Supp Claim on appeal and add Aux Checklist > you add the Development Complete Case Date to get the points; but the checklist items that pull from Development Complete come up
Issue*: DECISION checklist item is confusing - when should it pull from EP Code marked DONE vs when it should pull from when we submitted form 0995 DONE, etc.*
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Fun Fact of the Week
If a veteran’s mental health condition was triggered by general military stress (bullying, marital breakdown during service, chronic overwork, etc.), the doctor’s opinion alone can establish nexus — no requirement for official verification of any one event. This difference often shapes how attorneys frame a claim: PTSD cases need event corroboration; depression or anxiety claims can proceed based on credible self-report and a strong medical opinion.
Takeaway
Smart advocates like you often adjust how you frame the mental health claim based on the strength of the evidence. If the veteran’s file has strong evidence of a specific trauma that can be verified (combat records, clear MST markers, etc.), then pursuing PTSD makes sense. If not, pursuing service connection for a different diagnosis (like depression or anxiety disorder) can avoid the stressor verification hurdle entirely by showing any credible record or report showing something occurred that could have led to or worsened the mental health condition. It’s not about “downgrading” the condition — it’s about matching the medical evidence to the legal pathway that’s most achievable.
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