Did you know that 11% to 30% of Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are affected by PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
While PTSD affects people of all ages, races, and backgrounds, it is particularly prevalent among U.S. military veterans. If you are a Veteran living with PTSD, it’s important to seek help and understand your options for disability benefits.
How Do I Know If I Have PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition, which is “triggered” by either experiencing or directly witnessing a terrifying event. This event is called a “stressor”.
Symptoms of PTSD can vary from person to person, but commonly include flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance behavior.
Additionally, PTSD can lead to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, and if untreated, can result in long-term health problems, such as heart disease and chronic pain.
Only a trained professional can diagnose PTSD, but the VA offers a simple online self-screening at PTSD Self-Screen that will help you figure out if your feelings and behaviors are related to PTSD.
Unfortunately, many Veterans who suffer from PTSD are unaware of the benefits they may be entitled to, including disability compensation.
How Do I Know if I’m Eligible for a PTSD VA Disability Claim?
You may be eligible for disability benefits if you have symptoms related to a traumatic event (the stressor) or your experience with the stressor is related to the PTSD symptoms.
You must also meet all of these requirements:
- The stressor happened during your time in the service (it can be combat or non-combat-related)
- You can’t function as well as you once could because of your symptoms
- A doctor has diagnosed you with PTSD
Stressors include (but are not limited to):
- Exposure to death
- Threatened death (fear or hostility)
- Actual serious injury
- Threatened serious injury
- Actual sexual violence
- Threatened sexual violence
Examples of Combat-Related Stressors:
- IED event
- Enemy ambush
- Witnessing another service member be killed
- Plane crash
- Rocket attack
- Combat exposure
- Being threatened with a weapon
Examples of Non-Combat Related Stressors:
- Service member suicide
- Victim of rape
- Witnessing a rape
- Training accidents
- Serious vehicle accidents
How Does the VA Determine My PTSD Disability Rating?
VA disability ratings range from 0% to 100%, but for PTSD claims, the standard ratings are 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%.
0% rating: indicates that your PTSD doesn’t interfere with your work or school or family life. This is not a common rating, because it doesn’t make much sense for someone with a PTSD diagnosis to not experience some symptoms.
30% rating: means you have mild symptoms that may come and go, depending on your stress level. At the 30% rating medication and therapy can be effective treating your symptoms.
50% rating: applies when your PTSD causes more pronounced problems at work and in your daily life.
70% rating: means PTSD causes significant and frequent difficulties in your daily life, such as near continuous panic attacks. At this rating you also have trouble working and maintaining healthy relationships.
100% rating: is rare, and applies to people who are not able to function in the workplace, and have become socially isolated.
Have You Applied for a VA PTSD Claim and Been Denied?
Don’t lose hope. A denied or low-rated PTSD claim does not mark the end of your journey. You have up to one year to appeal the decision and provide more evidence to support your claim.
How Tucker Disability Law Can Help with Your PTSD VA Disability Claim
Your denial or low rating will come with a decision letter explaining why they denied the claim or why they gave you a lower rating than you deserve. Hold on to that letter! The information provided will help you determine what new evidence you should submit with your appeal.
If all this seems overwhelming, we understand. PTSD is one of the most underrated disabilities in the VA. Oftentimes, it’s hard to talk about our problems with strangers, and as a result, many Veterans downplay their symptoms during their medical exam.
Tucker Disability Law has been serving Veterans for over 30+ years and we have a 98% win rate with the VA. We know the appeals system inside and out, and we can help you get the benefits you and your family deserve.
Use the blue contact section NOW to call us, live chat with us, or message us using our confidential contact form.
