Veterans who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after serving as firefighters on Navy ships and submarines have found it challenging to get VA approval for disability benefits. In some cases, submarine firefighters with PTSD have distinct obstacles to overcome to prove an in-service stressor/event caused or aggravated the PTSD.
This is often the case when the stressors are not clear-cut incidents related to combat situations. If you’ve experienced a PTSD claim denial, we urge you to call Marc Whitehead & Associates. Our accredited VA attorneys are dedicated to helping U.S. veterans in this battle.
Firefighters stationed specifically on submarines are part of the U.S. Navy Damage Controlman (DC) occupational rating. They are first responders trained in firefighting, ship stability, and chemical, radiological, and biological warfare defense.
In this post, we focus on submarine firefighters with PTSD and what it takes to (1) file a successful disability claim or (2) appeal a denial from the VA so you get the full benefits you deserve.
Submarine Fire Fighters and the Risk of Exposure to Trauma
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
Damage controlmen are routinely exposed to unique stressors. Deployed submariners spend day and night in a cramped, isolated, heavily armed vessel. This exposes firefighters and crew to 24/7 stress and tensions in ways other military occupations might never encounter.
A submarine’s tight environment alone can impact a crew’s mental outlook due to
- Severely confined living and working space;
- Lack of privacy;
- Absence of sunlight. The unusual hourly schedules and the lack of natural light make tracking time difficult;
- Staying sedentary;
- Confined, hindering conditions of submarines make it more challenging to navigate the submarine’s unique horizontal and vertical passageways through smoke, fire, or other emergency distress.
The U.S. Submarine Force operates complex vessels in difficult waters, staying submerged for extremely long periods before resurfacing. Submariners put themselves in harm’s way every time they go to sea.
Fires are a submariner’s worst enemy, and firefighting is so essential that the entire crew on board the submarine has firefighting duties. Electrical fires are the most common submarine fires. Even a surface leak can bring on electrical fires and emit toxic fumes. Critical fire safety elements in a submarine’s design include lithium-ion batteries, air-independent propulsion, and massive electrical wiring and electronic systems.
Click to contact our disability lawyers today
With all of its combustibles, the crew’s submarine is a potential powder keg. When fire (or other emergency) does break out, the firefighters lead the crew to hold steadfast, act with determined precision, make correct decisions, and stay the course even when they cannot see one foot in front. Meanwhile, high temperatures will quickly lead to exhaustion and injury.
Recognizing PTSD Symptoms in Submarine Firefighters
Firefighters on submarine jobs do not have to engage directly in enemy fire to develop PTSD. Submarine accident stressors can weigh as heavily on a submarine crew as combat stressors. Some submariners may fear for their lives the entire time they’re underwater.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
After near catastrophes or fires, submariners may begin to show symptoms of PTSD (or other mental disorders) or meet PTSD diagnosis criteria. For others, symptoms can remain repressed for months or years. PTSD may not manifest until the veteran is exposed to another stressor incident or even hears of another tragic submarine incident.
PTSD changes the brain. Serious, life-altering symptoms may include:
- Intrusive, upsetting memories and thoughts
- Nightmares
- Flashbacks to the PTSD stressor event
- Suicidal ideation
- Avoidance
- Constant negativity
- Feeling isolated
- Irritability or aggression
- Risky or destructive behavior
- Hypervigilance, constantly feeling on alert
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Hyperarousal
PTSD must never be considered a one-size-fits-all disorder. As every individual is unique in their makeup and experiences, so are the symptoms and effects of PTSD.
Navy submarine firefighters with PTSD, and submariners in general, may not get sufficient decompression time between stressors. Submarine crews are tight-knit units, and veterans who served on a submarine may struggle with the loneliness of life apart from the Navy. These and other anxieties may only contribute to the negative PTSD symptoms.
The key for any firefighter to getting the VA to approve the disability benefits they deserve is to send in a claim that corroborates the stressor, establishes a nexus (link), and states the extent of your PTSD disability to the VA.
Helping Submarine Firefighters with PTSD Prove their Claims
Our veterans’ claim attorneys understand the intricacies of VA law and can be invaluable in advocating for your benefiets if your claim is denied. We have the knowledge and experience to represent you throughout the appeals process to get your claim approved and your PTSD disability rating increased if the VA underrated your disability.
How We Help Navy Damage Controlmen Get Fair PTSD Ratings and Disability Benefits
- Track down missing VA medical records that support a PTSD diagnosis and the severity of your condition.
- Gather outstanding private treatment records for the VA to review.
- If your PTSD manifested during service yet wasn’t diagnosed at the time, we may be able to help you successfully argue “continuity of symptomatology” to prove service connection.
- Our legal team tracks down supporting evidence of the stressor in the form of news articles and archives, correspondence, relevant photographs, and public records that may connect details of your service, time, and location to the stressor.
- We work with past service members and crew mates to recount details of your PTSD symptoms and corroborate stressor incidents. These witness accounts are known as lay statements or buddy statements and must agree with the time, place, and circumstances of the buddy’s service and you. When appropriately prepared, buddy statements help document the physical, mental, emotional, personal, and social changes the “buddy” observed in how you behaved before your disability to how you currently are with post-traumatic stress syndrome.
- We may also be able to add lay statements from associates, family members, and professional colleagues to your record. These statements often show how you acted and behaved before and after your service.
- If time has lapsed since you’ve returned home and PTSD symptoms have appeared, we may be able to help you obtain benefits based on a diagnosis of chronic or delayed PTSD.
Let us help you gather the evidence you need to prevail.
Contact us today: To reach us from any location in the U.S., call 800-562-9830 toll-free. We serve veterans across the U.S., and we never charge for initial consultations.
We represent veterans at all levels within the VA disability system, including claims before the VA Regional Office, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).
Read about other military jobs with high rates of PTSD.
Call or text 800-562-9830 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
