How To Qualify For VA Disability With PTSD

Suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can make daily tasks like finding steady work nearly impossible. This situation becomes even more challenging when the victim isn’t receiving support. Thankfully, the VA offers generous disability benefits for eligible veterans who need them. If you prove that your mental health condition is directly related to your military service, you can successfully qualify for compensation.

What Is PTSD?

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops directly after a traumatic event. Due to the high risk of life-threatening situations and accidents during a veteran’s military career, roughly 7% of veterans will suffer from PSTD at some point.

Some of the most common symptoms of PTSD include:

• Experiencing flashbacks or re-living the event in your mind
• Constantly experiencing anxiety or feeling on edge
• An increase in negative thoughts and emotions compared to before
• Actively avoiding situations that may cause you to remember the event
• An inability to feel joy or engage fully with others

Most symptoms can last a few weeks to a few months. Victims should seek medical help and get an official diagnosis if they persist longer.

VA Disability Ratings For PTSD

The VA’s disability ratings are from 0 to 100%. However, the standard PTSD ratings are 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. Each rating represents the severity of your symptoms and how much they interfere with your ability to find steady employment and perform daily tasks.

Receiving a rating of 0 or 30% means that the VA believes your symptoms are mild and are mostly not interfering with your daily life. But once it exceeds 50%, the VA considers your PTSD a significant barrier to employment and developing healthy social relationships. The higher your rating is, the more compensation you’ll be eligible for.

How To Qualify For VA Benefits With PTSD

If you’re applying for VA benefits with PTSD for the first time, there are a few requirements you need to meet for your claim to be successful, which are:

• A current PTSD diagnosis from a licensed therapist or psychiatrist
• Proof of a service-related stressor, such as military combat or natural disasters
• Medical evidence demonstrating a direct link between your PTSD symptoms and the service-related event

A VA buddy statement written by a fellow veteran who can support your claim will also help you gain more credibility. If that’s not possible, you can submit a personal statement describing the details of your service-related incident and how your PTSD symptoms still negatively affect your life. 

Our Experienced Attorneys Are Here To Help

Being a veteran with PTSD is challenging, especially when your symptoms persist for a long time. But if you can prove a direct connection between your current symptoms and your time in the military, you’ll be eligible for compensation. Our veterans’ disability lawyers will help you gather the necessary evidence to ensure you receive your benefits. Please contact us online or call us at 855-280-7585 if you have questions or want to schedule your free consultation today.