🎖️ VALOR

Why Many Veterans Stay Silent About Mental Health—and How to File a VA Claim with Confidence

Many veterans, especially those from earlier generations, struggle to talk about mental health due to deep-rooted cultural and military stigmas. For Vietnam-era vets and others raised in an era where toughness meant staying quiet, acknowledging mental health challenges can feel like admitting weakness. That mindset is still present today, even among younger vets, who may fear speaking up could hurt their careers. Military sexual trauma adds another layer of difficulty, often surrounded by shame and silence that makes seeking help even harder. 

Hill & Ponton attorney Rachel Cheek offers practical, compassionate advice for those considering a mental health claim with the VA. PTSD is a common condition, but the VA also recognizes depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. To build a strong claim, veterans must show that their condition is linked to military service. That might mean collecting deployment records, stressor documentation, or powerful lay statements from family and friends who saw a change in behavior after service. These statements can be conducive to when formal medical records are missing or incomplete.   

Most importantly, the speaker reminds veterans that support isn’t just for those with visible wounds or combat experience. If your mental health was affected by the service in any way, your claim matters. Veterans promised to serve, and the government promised to take care of them in return. Filing a claim isn’t asking for a handout; it’s asking the system to hold up its end of the deal. 

⚖️ EXPERTS

VA Disability Ratings for Mental Health: How the VA Scores Conditions Like PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety

If you're a veteran with PTSD, anxiety, depression, or another service-connected mental health condition, understanding the VA's rating system can help you get the compensation and support you've earned.  

The VA uses the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders to evaluate most psychiatric conditions (except eating disorders). Ratings range from 0% to 100%, depending on how much your symptoms affect daily functioning. 

How the VA Rates Mental Health Conditions 

• 0%: Symptoms are present but don't interfere with work or social life and don't require continuous medication. 

• 10%: Mild or occasional symptoms that cause issues only during periods of stress or are controlled by medication. 

• 30%: Occasional work impairment due to symptoms like depression, anxiety, panic attacks (weekly or less), or sleep issues. 

• 50%: Reduced reliability and productivity from more frequent panic attacks, impaired memory or judgment, and difficulty maintaining relationships. 

• 70%: Major difficulty functioning at work or socially due to suicidal thoughts, obsessional rituals, impaired impulse control, or near-continuous depression. 

• 100%: Total occupational and social impairment from symptoms like hallucinations, disorientation, grossly inappropriate behavior, or inability to care for yourself. 

What Veterans Should Know 

• The same rating formula applies to PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, and more. 

• You don't need to check every box in a category to qualify: your overall level of impairment matters. 

• Include all your symptoms, even if they're not explicitly listed. Memory issues, isolation, mood swings, and anger can all affect your rating. 

• The VA examines how mental health impacts one's ability to work, manage relationships, and handle daily life. 

Proposed Changes to the VA Mental Health Rating System (Not Yet in Effect) 

The VA is considering a new system that would: 

• Focus on five key areas: 

  • Thinking and understanding 

  • Social interaction 

  • Task completion 

  • Mobility 

  • Self-care 

  • Score each area by severity (none to total) and frequency (less than 25% or more than 25% of the time) 

• Allow higher ratings even if only one area is severely impacted 

Note: These changes are not yet active as of 2025, but they could streamline claims and lead to more accurate ratings in the future.

If you’re facing challenges with your claim and need assistance, reach out for a free case evaluation.

🦅SUPPORT

Attention: Join us today at 1400 hours EST for a new Livestream with our legal team!

Join us to get your questions about VA disability law and the claims process answered by our legal team. Comments open 30 minutes prior to the Livestream starting, so get there early to get your question in. We try to answer as many as we can!

Were You Exposed to “Forever Chemicals” in Your Water Supply?

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic substances widely used in firefighting foams, water-resistant products, and industrial applications. These chemicals have been found in dangerously high concentrations in some water supplies, including on or near military bases. Learn if your military base was impacted using our Toxic Exposure Map.

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to severe health conditions, such as:

• Testicular Cancer

• Kidney Cancer

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Liver Cancer

If you or a loved one lived or worked in areas with PFAS contamination and have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, you may qualify for compensation.

Act now. Contact us today at (855) 494-1298 to learn more about your options or to begin your claim. You’ve served your country; let us serve you.

🗺️ TACTICS

Female Veterans Often Miss Out on VA Compensation for Sexual Dysfunction: Here’s Why That Needs to Change

In this video, Hill & Ponton attorney Rachel Cheek raises awareness about a benefit many female veterans don't know they're entitled to: Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for sexual dysfunction. While it's common for male veterans to receive about $130 a month for erectile dysfunction under the VA's "loss of use of a creative organ" category, women rarely hear that they may qualify too. The female equivalent, called female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), can involve pain, lack of arousal, or other difficulties related to service-connected conditions like PTSD, military sexual trauma, or side effects from medications.  

The problem is that FSAD is typically rated at 0 percent, just like ED, and many veterans assume that means no compensation. However, attorney Cheek explains that the 0 percent rating doesn't disqualify you from receiving SMC. Veterans with FSAD tied to a service-connected condition can still be compensated under the same criteria. That money, while modest, offers both financial relief and long-overdue recognition of what many women silently endure. 

Attorney Cheek's call to action is simple: Female veterans deserve the same support and compensation as their male peers, and that starts with being informed. She encourages veterans and their communities to talk about FSAD, ask questions, and file claims when appropriate.  

When veterans understand their rights, they're more likely to get the benefits they've earned and help others do the same.

Need Help with an Appeal? Hill & Ponton is Here for You

At Hill & Ponton, we specialize in helping veterans navigate the VA appeals process to secure the benefits they rightfully deserve. Whether you're facing a denied claim, an appeal for a higher rating, or need assistance gathering critical evidence, our team is ready to advocate for you.

Use our VA Disability Calculator to see if your current rating aligns with your level of disability and explore potential increases based on any secondary conditions you may have. Calculate Your VA Disability Rating Now!