How do I write a VA claim for PTSD?
Write very clearly, or type on a computer if you can. Describe the traumatic events in the order that they happened. Tell where the event happened, what unit you were in at the time, and when it happened (as best you can). Provide as much detail as you can and also describe the feelings you had about what happened.
To prove a current medical condition for PTSD, you should have a medical diagnosis of PTSD and on-going treatment. Without a diagnosis and treatment, it is hard to persuade the VA to look closely at your claim, and they may deny your claim without sending you for a psychological exam. Not always – – but almost always.
The 70% rating criteria for PTSD include occupational and social impairment and deficiencies. Veterans with a 70% PTSD rating show the following symptoms: problems in most areas of their life, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.
100% – “Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including ...
Write very clearly, or type on a computer if you can. Describe the traumatic events in the order that they happened. Tell where the event happened, what unit you were in at the time, and when it happened (as best you can). Provide as much detail as you can and also describe the feelings you had about what happened.
This rating scale ranges from 0 percent to 100 percent with in-between ratings of 10, 30, 50, and 70 percent. However, before you receive a disability rating, you must establish service connection for PTSD. This process can often be very challenging for veterans.
- Method 1: Appeal the Decision or File a New Claim. The most straightforward approach is to appeal VA's decision on the original claim. ...
- Method 2: Prove Individual Unemployability (TDIU) ...
- Method 3: File for a Secondary Service Connection. ...
- Assistance with Your Claims and Appeals.
What is the Average VA Disability Rating for PTSD? On average, most veterans who receive VA disability for their service-connected PTSD are rated at the 70 percent level.
To qualify for the automatic 50% PTSD rating a veteran must be discharged from active service as a result of their PTSD. The veteran must be experiencing enough symptoms that they cannot carry out their military duties, AND those symptoms must have been caused or worsened by a stressor or event during active service.
The foundation of all VA disability claims is to show how your disability has impacted your ability to work and earn a living. Providing documentation or information that reveals that the frequency and severity of your PTSD symptoms has impacted your ability to work will often result in a higher rating.
What should you not say at C&P exam?
Don't Lie or Stretch the Truth. This is a big one. Don't ever lie or stretch the truth when it comes to your VA disability claim. At your C&P exam, you should think, look, act, and speak as you would on a normal day.
Highlight Specific Symptoms
For example, if a veteran is experiencing near-continuous panic or depression, they should describe how it affects their relationships, their work, and their overall ability to function independently. These details can indicate that their PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating.
Don't Say…
You're doing good or “alright”. Every little thing you say can be recorded during your CP exam for PTSD benefits. The entire point of the exam is to prove that you are not doing alright! This doesn't mean to lie, it just means to be honest about your symptoms and how you are struggling.
If you can't provide a clear service-connected stressor that was the cause of your clinically diagnosed PTSD, then your claim will most likely be denied. You must have a clear service-related stressors in order to qualify for VA disability benefits for PTSD.
Be honest about your PTSD symptoms, even embarrassing ones; Provide as much detail about your PTSD symptoms as possible; Take time to consider each question before providing an answer; and. Describe specific instances where your PTSD symptoms affected your daily life.
The VA denies around 30% of disability claims each year. It can be frustrating to learn that your claim for VA compensation was denied. You may feel like you did everything they asked of you and provided all the evidence necessary to get the disability compensation you deserve.
If your disability benefits request is rejected by the VA, a second medical opinion may be the only way for you to secure disability benefits going forward. In short, your PTSD claim was probably denied because the evidence VA obtained didn't conform to the more difficult evidence standards for PTSD claims.
To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following for at least 1 month: At least one re-experiencing symptom. At least one avoidance symptom. At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms.
They include depression that interferes with daily functions, suicidal ideation, obsessive rituals interfering with daily activities, impulse control problems, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance or hygiene, and difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships.
At the 30% rating medication and therapy can be effective at mitigating symptoms. A 50% rating applies when your PTSD causes more pronounced problems at work and in your daily life. A 70% rating means PTSD causes significant and frequent difficulties in your daily life, such as near continuous panic attacks.
How far back does the VA back pay?
The VA typically only pays disability compensation going back to the date of discharge to veterans who apply for their VA disability benefits within one year of being discharged.
The #1 most effective way to increase your VA disability rating for PTSD from 50 percent to 70 percent is to have a private medical provider complete a DBQ or other medical report for PTSD Review. You must be open, honest, and “uncomfortably vulnerable” during your interactions with a private medical provider.
Based on the results of the exam, your disability rating may increase, decrease, or stay the same. Once you turn 55, you are typically "protected" and will no longer have to attend an exam to prove that your condition has not changed unless there is reason to suspect fraud. This is sometimes called the 55-year rule.
The veteran's total disability due to PTSD is permanent with no likelihood of improvement. The 100 percent rating for PTSD is total, permanent, and static in nature.
A Veteran's gun ownership is not restricted simply because he or she receives a higher PTSD disability rating, and Veterans with 100% PTSD ratings typically retain their gun rights.
Tinnitus. Tinnitus, otherwise known as “Ringing-in-the-Ear-Syndrome” is by far the #1 easiest VA disability to claim. Tinnitus is when you experience ringing, hissing, buzzing, or other noises in one or both of your ears.
The 70 percent disability rating criterion for depression and anxiety is the most inclusive insofar as it represents a wide array of symptoms, including a progression of symptoms noted in the lower disability ratings.
#1 Q: What is a VA claim exam, also known as a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam? If you've filed a claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for disability compensation or pension benefits, VA may ask you to go to an examination as part of the claim process.
Highlight Specific Symptoms
For example, if a veteran is experiencing near-continuous panic or depression, they should describe how it affects their relationships, their work, and their overall ability to function independently. These details can indicate that their PTSD warrants a 70 percent rating.
- The occupational impacts you have incurred as a result of your condition. ...
- Statements from family, friends, or even your employer that substantiate a claim that your PTSD symptoms have worsened over time or were more severe than originally documented.
How do I get 70% disability?
TDIU for 70% Disabled Veterans
The schedular requirements for TDIU, outlined under 38 CFR § 4.16, are as follows: The veteran has one service-connected disability rated at least 60 percent disabling; or. The veteran has a combined rating of at least 70 percent, with one condition rated at least 40 percent.
“To whom it may concern, My name is John Doe, and I am the brother of veteran [Insert Veteran's Name]. I am writing this statement on behalf of [Insert Veteran's Name]. I have known [Insert Veteran's Name] for his entire life, and we currently live in the same town.
Don't Lie or Stretch the Truth. This is a big one. Don't ever lie or stretch the truth when it comes to your VA disability claim. At your C&P exam, you should think, look, act, and speak as you would on a normal day.
You can expect a lot of questions from a medical professional during a C&P exam. You'll likely undergo a psychiatric evaluation for a mental health condition, where they'll ask you about your personal history and current symptoms. They want to know how your mental health concerns impact your daily life.
How Much Compensation Do Veterans Rated at 80 Percent Receive? As of December 1, 2022, veterans who are rated at 80 percent will receive $1,933.15 per month. However, this amount typically changes each year to reflect changes in the cost-of-living.
Tinnitus. Tinnitus, otherwise known as “Ringing-in-the-Ear-Syndrome” is by far the #1 easiest VA disability to claim. Tinnitus is when you experience ringing, hissing, buzzing, or other noises in one or both of your ears.
The current monthly payment for an 80% VA disability rating is $1,933.15 for a single veteran without children or special monthly compensation (SMC). This amount is reviewed and adjusted each year. Veterans with spouses or dependent children or parents are eligible for additional compensation each month.
Any individual 18 years old or older who knows the veteran and can be considered a legitimate witness to the veteran's condition can write a VA buddy letter. Some of the more common sources of buddy letters include the following: The veteran's spouse. A fellow service member.
A buddy statement can be written by anyone who has insight into a particular aspect of your disability. There are no specific requirements as to who can write a letter, as long as the person is over the age of 18.
A buddy letter should focus on the details of the injury or stressor, specifically, the who, what, when, and where, and why or how of the incident. Additionally, it's important that the buddy letter juxtaposes your health, ability, or behavior before the injury or stressor to what you experienced after it.
