01 May PTSD is the Most Common Veteran Psychiatric Disorder
Published April 30th, 2019 by Jason Lubar
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), PTSD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that affect members of the military during and after their time served. It is also one of the most difficult disorders to prove when establishing disability benefits for disabled veterans or their children. Firstly, you should go see a doctor. Secondly, you should contact a veterans disability benefits attorney in your area. They will need to prove that you are suffering from PTSD. The attorney has to prove your eligibility for compensation. Your injury must be a result of your service in the military.
What To Expect When Filing A PTSD Disability Benefits Claim
The first step of a PTSD disability benefit claim is that the veteran must have a present diagnosis of their condition from a psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed social worker, or other mental healthcare provider. Basically, a stressor pertains to a traumatic event or incident that is likely to cause mental stress and anguish. For previous military members this can include engaging in combat, combat-related incidents, witnessing fatal accidents or near fatal incidents, and similar situations that would cause immense amounts of traumatic stress.
The level of proof required for the second step of a Post Traumatic Stress is called a disorder claim. A Disorder claim is dependent on whether the veteran is a combat veteran. If the military member is not a combat veteran, the claim must contain service related triggers.
However you can submit a buddy statement of a person who went through the same experience. The last element of a PTSD claim is the nexus requirement. This is the causal link between the traumatic incident that occurred during service and the present condition. The nexus can be proven by a healthcare professional. It can also be proved by another expert that the traumatic experience caused the veteran’s current PTSD.
Submitting a Buddy Statement
To submit a buddy statement, an individual can fill out VA Form 21-4138. This form has an entire section labeled “Remarks,” where an individual can include any information they feel is relevant to the claim. When submitting a buddy statement, it is important to include all contact information for the “buddy.” By filling out this form, an individual is swearing that the content on the form is entirely true. Buddy statements may be submitted in the form of notarized documents.
Writing an Effective Buddy Statement
Firstly, to submit a buddy statement, an individual must have knowledge about the person and how the disability impacted them. A Veteran cannot have a friend submit a statement. The statement must be submitted by a medical professional or a lawyer.
Instead, they could submit a buddy statement which notes that prior to the disability, an individual was outgoing and social. Upon returning from service, they were sad, depressed, and stayed in most of the time. This helps to show that the event changed who the person was and that a disability was formed.
Working With Experienced Attorneys
Laying out another person’s view is important. This helps the individual applying for VA disability. It can help the VA to get a better picture of how the disability affected the Veteran. Another point of view is important when proving a claim. A buddy statement acts as evidence as to why a claim should be considered, it is easy to understand why specific details and certain aspects should be included.
It is important to as detailed as possible when speaking with your legal representation. Best practice is to write a clear, concise statement(s) in support of the claim.
How Long Does The Process Take?
Military service members can receive expedited processing of Social Security Disability claims through the Wounded Warrior Program. Veterans with a VA rating over 50% have a high likelihood of this occurring. Keep in mind, the Social Security Administration does not make disability determinations according to your VA disability rating. Instead, it is used to qualify you for expedited processing
Meeting the Disability Requirement with PTSD
To meet the requirement of the anxiety listing, you must have disruptive flashbacks, nightmares, or memories. This means that you suffer from near-extreme anxiety or emotional disturbance, not just disturbing memories that make you uncomfortable. The marked distress must interfere with your daily activities, social life, or ability to concentrate. Applications under the anxiety listing have panic attacks, OCD, phobias, or generalized anxiety due to PTSD.
The content of your medical records is critical to the processing of a SSDI claim. There should be a detailed description of a typical episode of PTSD. Be sure to include the frequency and duration of any panic attacks, as well as what triggers your symptoms. A doctor should include whether your description of your symptoms matches his/her opinion of your mental state. Most importantly, your medical records should detail how your PTSD symptoms impact your ability.
Victory Disability Attorneys
At Victory Disability, you will have experienced Attorneys working on your case. We know our clients by first name, not as a number. Many of our own family members have gone through similar situations, so we are familiar with hardships and stressors that accompany this process.
While our headquarters are based outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Victory Disability provides nationwide assistance. Each of our clients receives top-notch representation from one of our local Attorneys.
Accredited Law Firm
We maintain a A+ rating. We are members of the National Organization of Social Security Representatives and the National Association of Disability Representatives. In addition, Victory Disability is in good standing with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar.
We are also members of the two largest Social Security Advocacy groups in the United States, NADR (National Association of Disability Representatives) and NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Representatives). To see what veterans have to say about their experience with Victory Disability, click here.
Whether you are a client, a prospective client, or simply have some questions, we are always happy to help! Feel free to contact us at 866-350-7229 or visit Vet Disability Guide to find out if you are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
How a Lawyer can Help
To prove PTSD for a disability claim, a veteran must prove many elements with a considerable amount of evidence. An attorney can help you gather all of the evidence you need and ensure that your application for benefits contains everything you need to prove your claim. Lawyers have connections to the top healthcare professionals and experts to render opinions on your behalf to prove that you currently suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as well as that a nexus exists between the trauma you suffered as an active military member and your current condition. An attorney can request the documents necessary or help draft statements to prove that the incidents you claim caused the PTSD took place, and if your initial claim is denied a lawyer is the best possible person to argue your appeal.
Talk to an Attorney Today
If you have additional questions about PTSD claims for disability benefits or why this particular claim is so difficult to prove, Feel free to contact us at 1-866-350-7229 or visit Vet Disability Guide to find out how we can help you.