All About VA Ratings for Mental Health

How to win a PTSD claim without a diagnosis

Attorneys Kerry Baker, Matthew Hill and Carol Ponton discuss tips on what to do without a PTSD diagnosis.

They also explain what to do when the VA tells you that you DON’T have a mental health disorder and why mental health claims can seem so restrictive.

This 10 minute video is jam packed with important info for veterans and family members alike. Don’t miss it!

Attention: Were You or a Loved One Exposed to Paraquat & Diagnosed with Parkinson’s?

Were you or a loved one exposed to Paraquat and diagnosed with Parkinson’s? Paraquat exposure has been linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Don't suffer in silence. Our experts are ready to help fight for the justice you deserve.

Call us at (855) 494-1298 to see if you qualify for compensation.

All About VA Ratings for Mental Health

Navigating the VA disability process can be challenging, especially when it pertains to mental health disorders.

If you're struggling with a mental illness that originated or was aggravated during your military service, it's crucial to understand how you might qualify for VA disability benefits.

Eligibility for VA Disability Due to Mental Illness

The VA recognizes a wide array of mental health conditions as qualifying for disability benefits if they are connected to your service.

These include:

• Anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and PTSD

• Mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder

• Cognitive disorders

• Eating disorders (e.g., anorexia, bulimia)

• Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

• Somatoform disorders – conditions where physical symptoms are caused by psychological factors

Establishing a Service Connection

To secure VA benefits, proving a service connection is essential.

This involves:

1. Diagnosis: A qualified medical professional must diagnose you with a mental illness.

2. Incident Documentation: You must pinpoint an incident during service that led to or aggravated your mental condition.

3. Medical Nexus: Providing evidence that directly associates your diagnosed condition with the military service incident.

Considerations for Preexisting Conditions

If you had a mental health diagnosis before joining the military, you could still qualify for benefits if you can demonstrate that your service worsened your condition.

This is known as "service connection by aggravation."

VA Rating for Mental Health Disorders

The VA assigns disability ratings for mental health disorders from 0% to 100% based on how significantly the condition affects your social and occupational capabilities.

Ratings are usually assigned as follows:

• 0% - You have a diagnosis but your symptoms do not interfere with work or social functioning and no medications are required.

• 10% - You have mild symptoms, periods of high stress that lead to mild impairments with work and social situations, and your symptoms might be controlled by continuous medications.

• 30% - You have occasional work and social impairment, you have occasional decreases in work efficiency due to your symptom, and some of your symptoms might include depression, anxiety, panic attacks or mild memory loss.

• 50% - You have regular impairments of work and social functioning due to symptoms, and some of your symptoms might include panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, poor short-term and long-term memory or impaired judgement.

• 70% - You suffer from impairments in most areas such as work, school, family relationships, judgement, critical thinking and mood, and some of your symptoms might include suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, illogical speech, continuous panic or depression.

• 100% - Total impairment in social and occupational areas due to the condition. This is the highest schedular rating and is considered totally disabling.

Filing Your Claim

It's important to note that the VA will evaluate your claim for mental health based on the overall impact of any and all diagnosed disorders, rather than separately.

This approach ensures that the VA comprehensively assesses the extent of impairment caused by your mental health conditions.

Updated VA Disability Rates for 2024

As you consider applying for benefits, here are the updated monthly compensation rates for 2024, based on your disability rating.

Remember, veterans with ratings of 10-20% do not receive extra compensation for dependents.

• 10%: $171.23

• 30%: $524.31

• 50%: $1,075.16

• 70%: $2,241.91

• 100%: $3,737.85

These benefits are designed to support you in managing your condition and maintaining your quality of life.

If you're navigating these challenges, remember, you are not alone.

H&P Disability Law Trivia

Nice job on the quiz question last week! About 43% of our readers got this one right! Here’s a recap:

Question:
Which of the following statements about veteran mental health is true according to recent VA studies?

Correct Answer:
C. PTSD is the most commonly diagnosed mental health condition among returning veterans.

Here’s this week’s question:

A Documentary About Veterans

In addition to May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it is also recognized as Myositis Awareness Month. Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) is a devastating condition that is silently afflicting many of our nations heroes.

The team at Hill & Ponton is releasing a documentary to help spread awareness of this condition, the struggles faced +by veterans suffering from it, and the strides that are being taken to raise public awareness and foster greater understanding.

We invite viewers to join us in the premiere of “Not The Life We Wanted,” an IBM documentary, live on our YouTube channel May 1st, 2024 at 5pm EST. Please watch and spread the word.

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