What Should I Do If My VA Claim Was Denied for PTSD?

What Should I Do If My VA Claim Was Denied for PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition that impacts a great many U.S. veterans. The VA says that about 7% of veterans will suffer from PTSD at some point, and the rate is much higher for female veterans–about 13%. PTSD has also become more common in veterans in recent years. For example, about 10% of Vietnam veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their lives. But, according to a large-scale study of U.S. veterans, 21% of Desert Storm veterans and 29% of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom suffer from PTSD at some point.

50-66% of those veterans–depending on the war–reported having experienced PTSD in they year leading up to the study. Since the study included veterans back to World War II, this illustrates how enduring the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder can be. Post-traumatic stress disorder can be debilitating, and symptoms may vary over time, becoming more severe when the veteran is under stress or triggering events or exposures occur. 

Establishing a PTSD Claim

To establish a service-connected disability for post-traumatic stress disorder, the veteran has the same basic requirements as with any other claim–to prove that:

  • They suffer from the disabling condition, and
  • The condition is service-connected

However, this can be more complicated in post-traumatic stress disorder cases than in some other types of claims. First, PTSD symptoms may not emerge immediately, or may not be identified by the veteran. That can make it more difficult to establish a service connection. Veterans claiming disability due to service-related PTSD must also submit an additional form with information about the specific event or events that caused or aggravated the condition. 

In 2010, a new VA rule loosened the burden on a veteran pursuing a PTSD claim somewhat. However, the VA still denies many post-traumatic stress disorder claims. 

Next Steps after Denial of a PTSD Claim

If your claim for VA disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder is denied, or if your disability rating is lower than you believe it should be, you have options about how to proceed. You may: 

The best option for you will depend on the specifics of your claim and the reason your claim was denied. An experienced veterans disability benefits advocate can help assess which approach makes the most sense for you, and help you put together the strongest possible supplemental claim or appeal. To learn more, call (855) 855-8992 right now, or contact us here.

What is the VA DBQ?

What is the VA DBQ?

What is the VA DBQ?  A VA Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is a form used to convey...

More Articles

The Importance of Documentation: Gathering Evidence for a PTSD VA Disability Claim

The Importance of Documentation: Gathering Evidence for a PTSD VA Disability Claim Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the most common reasons veterans receive VA disability benefits. In 2022, 1,343,669 veterans were receiving benefits for service-connected PTSD....

How to Win Your PTSD Claim

How to Win Your PTSD Claim - Donnel Beckles, Managing VA Advocate, Veterans Help Group Donnel Beckles is a top Veterans Advocate, and a member of the National Organization for Veterans Advocates. Donnel is accredited to practice...

PTSD and Veterans: Understanding the 100% Disability Rating Requirements

PTSD and Veterans: Understanding the 100% Disability Rating Requirements Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among veterans, and many veterans receive veterans disability benefits for the condition. However, most are rated less than 100% disabled. The standard...

What Causes PTSD to be Triggered in Veterans?

In the past 15 years, the estimated number of veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD currently numbers more than 500,000. As many as 60,000 of these veterans are Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Estimates show more than 20% to 30% of veterans...

FREE CASE EVALUATION 

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.