Make Sure You Get All The Benefits You Deserve
Most veterans are underrated for their disabilities and therefore not getting the compensation they deserve. At VA Claims Insider, we help veterans understand and take control of the claims process so they can get the rating and compensation theyre owed by law.
Our process takes the guesswork out of filing a VA disability claim and supports you every step of the way in building a fully-developed claim so you can increase your rating in less time!
If youve filed your VA disability claim and have been denied or have received a low rating or youre not sure how to get started, reach out to us for a FREE VA Claim Discovery Callso you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation you deserve. Weve supported more than 15,000 veterans to win their claims. NOW ITS YOUR TURN.
How Can I Help A Veteran With Ptsd
One way to help is by encouraging veterans to seek counseling or treatment.
One of the first and most difficult tasks in treating a veteran with PTSD is getting the veteran to acknowledge theres a mental health condition in the first place.
Veterans are often reluctant to seek care for mental health concerns for many reasons, including the perception that its a sign of weakness, fear of potential career repercussions, mistrust of medicine and skepticism about treatment.
Also, many former service members and their loved ones dont know how to identify PTSD or seek treatment. Because PTSD can be hidden, it can be difficult for health practitioners and other individuals to gauge its severity.
Additionally, PTSD in veterans is often misunderstood to be a condition that only affects combat veterans or those who have firsthand experience of violence. For VA rating purposes, the veteran must personally have experience or witnessed the stressor event firsthand.
There are many resources to turn to in order to encourage veterans to seek help or for family and friends to get educated. Here is a partial list:
The Mission Continues
An organization that provides veterans leadership and advocacy opportunities in their local communities, helping give former service members a sense of purpose and aiding them in the transition to civilian life.
Outward Bounds Veterans Program
What You Should Know About Ptsd As A Va
The VA needs veterans who apply for PTSD compensation to establish a service connection to the trauma. Any medical documentation you have including information from private caregivers, counselors, civilian mental health professionals, and other supporting evidence will be crucial to establishing your claim,
If you have the ability to have a military doctor or counselor evaluate you prior to retirement or separation do so as soon as possible and continue to follow up with your appointments and treatments until you are discharged.
Those who do not have a military medical record that includes evaluation of or treatment for mental health disorders will have a more difficult time proving a service connection in some cases but it is not impossibleyou may need to enlist the help of a Veterans Service Organization or legal firm experienced with veteran compensation issues in this area.
But much depends on circumstances, the amount of documentation you have, and other variables. Always assume that you should accomplish as much in your military medical records as possible prior to discharge for best results.
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How Can I Obtain A Service Dog For Ptsd
The Americans with Disabilities Act defines service animals as dogs that are individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. This can be a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
To qualify for a service animal, all you need to do is get written documentation from your healthcare provider that you have and are being treated for an emotional or psychiatric disorder or disability, and require the assistance of an animal because of it.
The work a dog has been trained to do must specifically relate to your condition.
A psychiatric service dog is a specific type of service animal trained to assist those with mental illnesses. These include post-traumatic stress disorder . For example, a dog may assist someone with PTSD in doing room searches or turning on lights. Or it might help someone in a dissociative episode from wandering into danger. Although providing companionship and a sense of safety or calming anxiety are also important to many veterans, theyre not legally considered tasks.
If the dog is going to assist you in tasks you wouldnt otherwise be able to do, youll probably need a service animal, which is a more highly trained dog that can be harder to obtain. If the goal is companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, and affection, an emotional support animal or therapy animal may be a better fit and is generally easier to obtain.
Let Us Know If We Can Help
The VA disability rating table for PTSD is difficult. Many VA ratings focus on certain measurements like range of motion or testing results. The PTSD rating table is more general. You may find that VA rates you at a lower level even though your symptoms justify a higher rating.
Post-traumatic stress disorder presents enough struggles to the diagnosed veteran and the veterans loved ones. It can often be frustrating or difficult to deal with the VA disability claims process.
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What The Law Requires For The Higher Of Two Possible Disability Ratings
Contrary to what the VA may have said in your Ratings Decision, you do not have to exhibit ALL of the PTSD symptoms of a particular rating level to receive that rating. For certain disabilities, you must have each and every symptom at the specified severity or frequency. That is not the case with PTSD.
The PTSD rating criteria are a guide for VA raters when assessing your particular disability. Because PTSD is a complex and unique disorder, your PTSD may not neatly fit into one level of the ratings tables.
Luckily, VA law realizes that many veterans find themselves in that situation. Because of this, when deciding between two rating levels, the VA should rate you at the one that most closely describes your level of disability.
We say should because we have seen decision in the past where the VA did not grant the higher rating level because the veteran did not meet each and every part of the higher rating criteria. So, how does this work in reality?
Lets say you have applied for VA disability for PTSD and have some symptoms that fall in the 50% rating level and some other symptoms in the 70% rating level. Although your symptoms may be somewhere in between these two levels, it is not possible to split the difference. There is no 60% rating for PTSD, so the VA will have to decide which one is appropriate.
What You Must Have Before You Are Entitled To A Va Disability Rating For Ptsd
It may seem obvious, but you must have a current diagnosis of PTSD if you are to be rated by VA. Some veterans think they have PTSD but dont formally meet the diagnostic criteria for this mental condition. Sometimes, it may not actually be PTSD.
Depression, anxiety, and certain obsessive compulsive disorders can present symptoms similar to PTSD. It is important that you are evaluated by a qualified psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional qualified to diagnose your particular condition.
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How C& p Exams Get Scheduled
Hopefully, you will receive written notice of the exam after sending your claim for veterans benefits. Ideally, you receive this notice sometime before the examination is due to take place so that you have plenty of time to reschedule if needed. There is a chance you do not receive the notice or receive it too late.
How To Determine Your Monthly Va Disability Payment
To determine your monthly disability payment, navigate to the table below that fits your disability rating, marital and dependent status. Once youâre on the correct table, follow your rating across to your specific marital and dependent status.
If you have additional children or a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance benefits, you should include these figures from the added amounts table.
Jump directly to the tables here:
| $3,802.99 | $3,952.08 |
You may qualify for more depending on if your spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits and the number of children you have. View the added amounts table here and how to calculate.
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What If I Have Multiple Disability Ratings
Some veterans have more than one disability rating. In these cases, the VA uses a method called the whole person theory, which accounts for the fact that a person cannot be more than 100% disabled or able-bodied. The method ensures that the sum of individual disability ratings will never be more than 100%. Thus the final disability rating determined by the whole person theory method will be different from the sum of individual disability ratings combined.10
Getting A 100% Disability Rating From The Va
The appeal process for obtaining the highest possible disability rating can be complicated and frustrating. However, with the help of a competent and caring attorney, you can make a strong case for a high rating from the VA.
The VA grants a higher disability rating based on a combination of multiple disabilities connected to military service. In other words, if you are suffering from not just PTSD but another condition as well, your disability rating from the VA can increase significantly.
Mental health struggles connected with military service, including PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and more, are often among the most likely disabilities to receive too low of a VA rating. To make sure that you receive the benefits that you deserve, you can make an appeal with the support of one of Berry Laws committed team of attorneys. Our team knows the struggles that many Veterans face firsthand, and each of our attorneys is ready and able to help you get an accurate and fair ruling from the VA.
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Va Disability Ratings For Substance Abuse Issues
While substance abuse disorders are covered by the VA, theyre not considered to be directly service-connected. However, they can be considered secondarily service-connected if the substance abuse disorder arose because of the service-connected condition.
If, for example, the vet has excessive opioid use due to a back injury that occurred during active service, they could file a secondary claim to get additional disability benefits on top of what theyre already receiving for the related back injury.11
There is no way to predict what a veteran will receive in disability benefits until the VA assesses their needs. Just to give a rough idea: someone with a disability rating of 10% for SUD in 2021 could expect around $144.14 per month. A disability rating of 20% would yield $284.93 per month.12
Did you know that American Addiction Centers offers a veteran-specific program for those who have served in our armed forces and who are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction? Visit our Salute to Recovery program page to learn more.
Types Of Disability Benefits In Arkansas For Victims Of Ptsd
If your PTSD meets the criteria set by the Social Security Administration, you will be eligible to receive ongoing benefits. Since PTSD and other disabilities can prevent those suffering from it from being able to work to be able to pay for rent, groceries, and other necessities, disability payments are meant to replace the lost income through the SSDI program.
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Some Experts Now Think That Most Veterans Who Served Active Duty During Wartime Will At Some Point Suffer From Ptsd
By Jean C. ONeill, Contributing Author
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is the most common mental health problem suffered by troops returning from combat. If you are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, and have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of your service, you are likely eligible for veterans disability benefits.
Receiving Va Disability Benefits As A Victim Of Military Sexual Trauma
Military sexual trauma refers to unwanted sexual contact. This includes rape and sexual assault, as well as harassment and sexually oriented hazing activities. Exposure to MST is quite common while in service, as one in four female veterans and one in 100 male veterans are victims of military sexual trauma.
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Will I Lose My Va Disability If I Get A Job
Because approval for this program requires you to demonstrate that you are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to your service-connected disability, working can make you ineligible. You can lose your TDIU benefits if the VA discovers that you are maintaining substantially gainful employment.
Va Disability Rating For Ptsd
Military members who experience trauma may develop symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is eligible for VA compensation for service-connected or service-aggravated conditions.
But for some, the process of establishing a VA rating for PTSD is a mystery. Understanding how the VA views and rates this condition goes a long way toward helping those who suffer from PTSD file their claims and document their condition properly for the purpose of getting a VA disability rating for the condition where applicable.
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Va Disability Ratings For Post
If you are living with post-traumatic stress disorder caused by military service, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation for this condition. The process of obtaining service-connected disability benefits, however, can be stressful and take years to navigate. The accredited VA disability attorneys from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD can help veterans file claims for compensation based on their post-traumatic stress disorder .
Is Ptsd A Disability
Is PTSD a disability? Many veterans ask this question, and the answer is absolutely yes. Post-traumatic stress disorder is not only disabling to many veterans, but is an official ratable disability that can be service-connected for compensation from the VA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes PTSD as a mental condition that can result from military service, and will therefore compensate veterans for PTSD if its service-connected and a claim is filed.
Is PTSD a disability is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to questions about this often distressing condition. The prevalence of PTSD in veterans is high, and since it is a disability its important to know not only how to get support and treatment but compensation for it. Below, we cover common questions about PTSD, particularly in veterans, as well as VA rating and compensation for PTSD.
You DESERVE a HIGHER VA rating.WE CAN HELP.
Take advantage of a FREE VA Claim Discovery Call with an experienced Team Member. Learn what youve been missing so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation youve earned for your service.
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General Rating Formula For Mental Disorders
If the VBA determines that a veteran has service-connected PTSD, then they assign a disability rating, expressed as a percentage. This disability rating determines the amount of compensation and other disability benefits the VA provides the veteran. The disability rating indicates the extent to which PTSD has deprived the veteran of their average earnings capacity.
The VA assigns disability ratings based on criteria set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 38, Part 4Schedule for Rating Disabilities, often referred to as the “VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities” or VASRD. The rating schedule for mental disorders is called the “General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders” , which specifies criteria for disability ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%.
Some argue that by relying on the current Rating Formula, “VA uses decades-old regulations developed for mental disorders that do not resemble PTSD”, and consequently, “rrelevant criteria … may outweigh … more relevant factors, leading VA to undercompensate veterans with valid diagnoses of PTSD.” Similarly, veterans service organizations have argued, for example, that a “… veteran service connected for schizophrenia and another veteran service connected for another psychiatric disorder should not be evaluated using the same general formula” and have supported efforts to revise the Rating Formula.
Should Veterans Apply For Increased Ratings From The Department Of Veterans Affairs
This is a question best answered on a case-by-case basis. There are no guarantees that the VA will raise your disability rating, and your entire file may be subject to review not just the condition you want to have reviewed.
So the answer is not simple, but there are ways you can get closer to a decision. One of those is to examine the VA Schedule For Rating Disabilities, also known as 38 CFR Book C.
Reviewing this document can go a long way toward helping you understand what the VA is looking for, how the agency rates your specific condition, and what the compensation percentages are.
As mentioned above, the VA is willing to re-examine your medical claim, but if you dont understand how the VA does this, under what conditions additional compensation may be justified, and what the maximum compensation might be for your condition, you take a big risk in getting re-evaluated.
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Can I Buy A Gun With A Ptsd Va Rating
Some veterans are afraid to pursue a PTSD claim, or any other mental health claim, because of concern that they will no longer be allowed to own guns.
There are prohibitions against owning a gun under certain conditions as laid forth in VA Title 18 U.S.C. § 922, such as that the applicant has not been adjudicated as a mental defective or been committed to a mental institution, but there is no direct prohibition against firearm ownership simply on the grounds of having a mental health diagnosis.
In real terms, that translates as being an imminent threat to yourself or others, or having been committed to a psychiatric facility by law enforcement due to threatening behavior or signs of mental illness.
Further, the VA does not automatically report veterans who apply for disability benefits based on a mental health diagnosis, and no particular PTSD or other mental health rating prohibits a veteran from purchasing or owning firearms.
The overwhelming majority of people rated for PTSD can legally own guns.