VA Compensation for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental condition that can affect your ability to reintegrate into civilian life after combat. If you or a loved one has been suffering from PTSD as a result of serving in the military, please do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced VA attorney today.

What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder brought on by living through a traumatic experience. Before PTSD was officially recognized, it was called “shell shock” when World War I veterans exhibited symptoms of psychological distress and had trouble reintegrating into civilian life. Now, PTSD is recognized as a serious mental disorder that affects thousands of veterans in the United States.

What are the Symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of combat-related PTSD can interrupt your day-to-day activities and can ultimately affect your quality of life.

Symptoms of PTSD include:

While this list of symptoms can be helpful for recognizing the signs of PTSD in yourself or in a loved one, it’s important to remember that each person experiences PTSD in a different way. The above list is not inclusive of all symptoms a person with PTSD could be experiencing at any time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately 31% of Vietnam veterans have PTSD. More recently, 11% of veterans of the war in Afghanistan and 20% of Iraqi war veterans have PTSD.

How does PTSD affect my VA benefits?

A diagnosis of PTSD and evidence of a connection between your PTSD symptoms and a traumatic event in your service record can contribute towards your disability rating with the Department of Veterans Affairs. However, trying to prove disability from combat PTSD on your own can be difficult. This is why it’s important to contact a VA disability attorney to help you build a strong case.

In order to prove that your PTSD was caused by an in-service stressor, you will have to procure evidence that you were “engaged in combat” with the enemy. Other stressors for PTSD might include military sexual trauma (MST), natural disasters, or vehicle accidents. A qualified VA attorney can help you get the benefits you need for service-related PTSD.

Need More Help?

If you are interested in hearing more about post-traumatic stress disorder and how it may impact your VA benefits, please contact our Kalamazoo VA disability lawyer at 1-844-838-5297. At VA Disability Group, our VA attorneys strive to help you get the VA compensation for PTSD you need.

[This blog has been updated.]