Bill C-59, Division 17, Amendments to the Act -

You can tell I was a little curious or bored tonight. I was wondering what changes if any, where made to the new VA policys in bill C-59. If you scroll down too
Division 17 in the link below you will see them. Was I wrong, which I could very well be, or was the CIB orginally only for physical wounds, and not mental; ie;PTSD. In this wording would
ptsd due to a sudden and single incident fit into this? It certainely would fit into para (c).
Just some thoughts and questions on this bill. VVV...

Critical Injury Benefit
Eligibility
44.1 (1) The Minister may, on application, pay a critical injury benefit to a member or veteran who establishes that they sustained one or more severe and traumatic injuries, or developed an acute disease, and that the injury or disease
(a) was a service-related injury or disease;
(b) was the result of a sudden and single incident that occurred after March 31, 2006; and
(c) immediately caused a severe impairment and severe interference in their quality of life.

This is the link;


http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Mode=1&DocId=7970157&Language=E&File=320#26

It could qualify, but only if the Veteran required extensive hospitalization for psychiatric care, immediately after the incident. But PTSD does not traditionally present itself at the time of the event, often taking months, or years, to start showing symptoms, and sometimes even longer to have it recognized and treated. VAC will probably deny this, but they will likely deny anyone who will apply for CIB for PTSD, because it cannot be proven. They intend the CIB for those who lose limbs, get shot, suffer spinal injuries that involve paralysis. You know, things that they cannot deny have happened. That is why, IMO, the CIB falls way short of addressing the inadequacy of the lump sum award.

I would rather have broken all my limbs or been shot than suffer this PTSD. It is excruciating and extremely debilitating.

I can handle physical pain more than psychological. My back has been screwed from a bad landing on a night jump, which I also broke my leg in two place. I would jump again and do the same damage over PTSD anyday.

Those who have not suffered a psychological injury have NO concept of how bad it is. Just like men can't know what pain child birth is to women.

redfisher - I'm with you there buds. We who suffer with this, look mostly normal on the outside, but the head spacing is always off. bigrex I do see your point. It will take a few trail runs of guys with ptsd to see. Lets just get these bills past first,VVV...

There is a university that is in the process of making a portable, for the field, brain scanner. The idea is before deployment you get a brain scan in your physical. You are then caught in an IED or mortar attack, anyway you receive a concussive injury that knocks you out or rings your bell really bad. The portable brain scan will see if there is any injuries to your brain that need immediate or specific drugs to repair or improve the area of the brain that is injured.
That said I wouldn't totally dismiss the CIB for PTSD because part of the study/test of this new brain scan is PTSD clients that were in or near a concussive experience.

There are quite a number of veterans/RCMP with PTSD. if individuals with PTSD were excluded from any Bill, Act, Amendment etc. over any other injury especially when proved service related, would be just another mistake the Cons or any government would make.

That would certainly prompt a law suit real quick.

Riddick

I completely agree, but the way the CIB is worded, the only way a person will get the CIB, is if the injury or disease has an immediate and severe affect on their life, before they even apply for a disability award. Since the symptoms of PTSD most often start to manifest well after the traumatic event, it really depends on the interpretation of the word "immediately". Some bureaucrats could take it as needing an almost instantaneous affect, while others may be more lenient and accept days, weeks, or even months, as immediate.

I understand what you are saying Teen, about the brain scans, but even if it can be detected right away, unless the clinical symptoms also present themselves straight away, I do not see it qualifying for the CIB, as it is written. There are also physical disabilities that Veterans suffer from, that are caused by less than traumatic accidents. Like my severe disability in my back. Sure, getting hit by a several hundred pound steel door didn't feel good, I was still able to walk away under my own power, and other than seeing the ships Doc, all I received for medical treatment was an Anti-inflammatory and light duties. But now sixteen years later, there are days that I cannot stand up straight. But irregardless of how much I suffer now, if that accident had happened after 2006, it would not qualify for the CIB.

Like all the new benefits it's what the regulations are going to be. On Tuesday this week our Ombudsman said "the devil is in the details" So how big or small are is the devil going to be when we finally get our eyes on the regulations???

Peter Mckay jumping ship! Oh those tories are hurting. Well all be having orange crush soon and the benefits will be too numerous to count. CIB is fake it doesn't exist and nobody but a few token veterans will get it

Ahhh yes, the rats are still leaving the ship. And btw fyi Navrat, Harper really is...
an alien. Sorry for the sidetrack, couldn't help it.
Back to divisions! pinger.

The devils in the details? Very well said by the OVO.
Let me expand on that pearl. Be it the details of ANYTHING, CIB, an Act, Policy Doc., Bill, Charter, Revision, Amendment etc. etc. Be the devil small or big it still makes for an uphill battle and it's a cold day in hell when it's a cakewalk. That's been my experience. E.G. even now as I apply for pia I have to jump through a ATIP hoop to get my supporting reports that are the "property" of VAC (before they lose them).
Truth be told, I must admit my vip process is pretty painless so far but that belongs in another thread.
I may sound a bit cynical but I always question things (AUTHORITY anyone?. I'm wired that way and it's always helped me. pinger.