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Can Ptsd Rating Be Reduced

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Home » FAQs » Can PTSD Rating Be Reduced?

Yes, your PTSD rating can be reduced. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can lower your disability rating and reduce your monthly benefits for PTSD if it finds evidence that your condition has improved. But it must follow certain guidelines in doing so.

If the reduction will reduce your monthly compensation benefit, before VA can reduce your disability rating for PTSD , it must send you a notification letter explaining the VAs proposal to reduce you. Upon receipt of this letter, you have the right to request a hearing, where you and your attorney if you choose can argue against a rating reduction, but you must request the personal hearing within the time frame specified on the notice letter. Upon receipt of this letter, you also have the right to submit evidence to the VA but again you must submit the evidence within the time frame specified on the notice letter.

The Va Denied My Ptsd Disability Claim What Do I Do Now

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.

If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, to speak with a VA claim expert for free.

The reality of the situation is that the VA many veterans have been denied for their PTSD Disability claim even when they have medical documentation for it!

Its sad but true, many deserving veterans are denied their legitimate claims for disability compensation. Being denied after putting in hard work, time, emotional and mental efforts into filing a claim can be defeating and exhausting. It can be hard to convince yourself to get up and try again.

The VA Denied my PTSD Claim for Disability, What do I do Now?!

But dont give up! Even though it feels hopeless, a denial is not the end of the journey!

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  • Additional Types Of Counseling

    In addition to the treatments described above, other types of counseling may be helpful in treating PTSD.

    Through group therapy, service members can talk about their trauma or learn skills to manage symptoms of PTSD . Many groups are effective and popular among those who have had similar traumatic experiences. Group therapy can help those with PTSD by giving them a chance to share their stories with others, feel more comfortable talking about their own trauma, and by connecting with others who have experienced similar problems or feelings. Some types of cognitive behavioral therapy can also be provided in a group setting.

    Family and couples therapy are methods of counseling that include the service member’s family members. A therapist helps all of those involved communicate, maintain good relationships, and cope with tough emotions. PTSD can sometimes have a significant negative impact on relationships, making this mode of therapy particularly helpful in some cases.

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    A Mistake Made By The Va

    Unfortunately, the VAs own mistakes are a very common reason for PTSD claims being denied! It can be from a mistake while filing, to a bad reading of your claim, or a mistake during your C& P exam.

    Its not fair, because its their job. But it happens quite often.

    Remember, when it comes to filing a claim for PTSD or any other condition, you cannot take any stage of the process for granted! Many veterans assume that the VA already has their medical records or that the VA will be looking to help you along the road. Dont give the VA room for error by having all the necessary information for them. But when it happens, report the bad C& P exam and file for an appeal to correct your claim!

    Seek A Higher Level Review

    A Safer and More Effective Way to Treat PTSD

    If you do not believe you need to submit new evidence, that your claim was sufficient, and that the VA simply made a mistake, you can file for a Higher Level Review.

    This process will have the VA evaluate your claim all over again, but with a new reviewer. The original adjudicator will not go near your claim, nor will their original decision be considered by the new one. The new adjudicator will have the option of making a new decision or upholding the previous one.

    The Higher Level Review may be a good option for you

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    Common Reactions To Combat And Operational Stress And Trauma

    Four important things to know about combat stress and trauma:

  • You are not alone.
  • This is not about weakness.
  • You deserve to heal and recover from the invisible, psychological wounds of war as much as you would deserve the best care for the physical wounds of war.
  • Help is available.
  • Staying informed and learning ways to manage and cope with what you’re experiencing are key in the readjustment process. Some common reactions to combat and operation stress and trauma are listed below. Keep in mind that these post-traumatic reactions can present themselves at varying times and to varying degrees from individual to individual. If your reactions interfere with your life, do not improve, or worsen over time, please take the steps to get the help you need and deserve.

    Reactions to combat and operational stress and trauma may include:

    • Problems concentrating or making decisions
    • Having disturbing dreams and memories or flashbacks
    • Feeling hopeless about the future
    • Feeling numb or lacking interest in anything
    • Having a negative view of the world or other people
    • Guilt and shame
    • Avoiding people, places, and things related to stressful operational experiences
    • Feeling on guard, constantly alert, or jumpy
    • Being irritable or having outbursts of anger
    • Having trouble sleeping

    Understanding Your Va Disability Rating For Ptsd

    VA disability ratings range from 0% to 100%, but for PTSD claims, the standard ratings are 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. These ratings are meant to capture the severity of your condition, and how much it affects your ability to work and take care of everyday life stuff.

    • A 0% rating indicates that your PTSD doesnt interfere with your work or school or family life. This is not a common rating, because it doesnt make much sense for someone with a PTSD diagnosis to not experience its disabling impacts.
    • A 30% rating means you have mild symptoms that may come and go, depending on your stress level. At the 30% rating medication and therapy can be effective at mitigating symptoms.
    • A 50% rating applies when your PTSD causes more pronounced problems at work and in your daily life.
    • A 70% rating means PTSD causes significant and frequent difficulties in your daily life, such as near continuous panic attacks. At this rating you also have trouble working and maintaining healthy relationships.
    • A 100% rating is rare, and applies to people who are not able to function in the workplace, and have become socially isolated. The technical term is complete occupational and social impairment.

    The good news is that a denied PTSD claim or a too-low rating is not the end of the story. You can appeal the decision and submit more evidence to support your claim.

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    Worried About A Loved One With Ptsd

    n many cases, it is not the veteran themselves who initially acknowledges the need for help, but their spouse, children, family members, or friends who become worried after recognizing the signs and symptoms of PTSD in their loved one.

    PTSD may not only be disabling to the affected veteran, but also cause their relationships with everyone in their lives to suffer as well. For those searching for what to do when a loved one is a military veteran with PTSD, please know one important fact first:

    Its okay that youre scared. Its perfectly understandable, normal, and acceptable to feel worried, frustrated, and angry when dealing with the effects of Military Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on a formerly happy home.

    A returning servicemember with PTSD may become emotionally distant or irrationally angry, withdraw physically and/or emotionally from those they love, isolate themselves, or self-medicate through drug or alcohol use.

    Va Classified You As Permanently And Totally Disabled

    PTSD Treatment Works: Hear from Veterans

    Permanent and total disability is a special classification used by VA when it believes that a veterans condition results in a total disability that is reasonably certain to continue throughout the life of the disabled veteran.

    Once you receive this classification, your rating is mostly safe. Only in very rare situations, such as fraud, can VA lower the rating of a veteran who has a permanent and total disability.

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    Va Disability Compensation For Ptsd

    Posttraumatic stress can happen after someone goes through a traumatic event such as combat, an assault, or a disaster. Most people have some stress reactions following trauma. But if the reactions dont go away over time or they disrupt your life, you may have posttraumatic stress disorder . Find out if you can get disability compensation or benefits if you have symptoms of PTSD.

    A Closer Look At Ptsd

    The first documented instances of post-traumatic stress disorder were called shell shock and involved the diagnosis of unusual behaviors in survivors and veterans of World War I.3 Since then, the clinical understanding of PTSD has changed. Today in the U.S.:4

    • An estimated 7% of the U.S. will develop this condition at some point in their lives.
    • 8 million adults will have PTSD in a given year.
    • 4% of men will develop PTSD sometime in their lives, while the number is 10% for women.

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    How Do I File A Ptsd Va Claim Appeal

    Take a deep breath! It can take a lot out of you when you find our you have been denied, but theres still hope and youll need to gather yourself to get ready to go for it!

    After receiving your decision, you have one year to file an appeal with the VA.

    There are three options for appealing the decision made about your PTSD disability claim:

    Ptsd: National Center For Ptsd

    UTHealth opens PTSD center for veterans, families

    Available en Español

    You may find a dog can lift your mood and be a good companion. There is not enough research to know if dogs help treat PTSD and symptoms. Learn about service dogs and emotional support dogs and the study VA is doing to learn more about dogs and PTSD.

    Reading time: minutes

    Owning a dog can lift your mood or help you feel less stressed. Dogs can help people feel better by providing companionship. All dog owners, including those who have posttraumatic stress disorder can experience these benefits.

    Currently, there is not enough research to know if dogs help treat PTSD and its symptoms. Evidence-based therapies and medications for PTSD are supported by clinical research. We encourage you to learn more about these treatments because it is difficult to draw strong conclusions from the few studies on dogs and PTSD that have been done.

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    Take The Next Step To Connect With Care

    Every day, Veterans from all military service branches and eras connect with proven resources and effective treatments. Heres how to take the next step: the one thats right for you.

    Read VA’s latest coronavirus information. If you have flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath, please call before you visit your local medical center or clinic. If you have an appointment, consider making it a telehealth appointment.

    New to VA? Apply for health care benefits.

    • Getting started is simple. Create a free account online to help ease your enrollment process. To prepare to apply for VA health care in person, by telephone, or by mail, explore VAs How to Apply page.
    • Not sure whether you are eligible for VA health care benefits? Read about eligibility for VA health care.
    • Unsure of what kind of help you need? Call 1-877-222-VETS to find the right resources to meet your needs, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. If you have hearing loss, call TTY: .
    • Veterans family members and caregivers can see whether they qualify for VA medical benefits as a spouse, surviving spouse, dependent child, or caregiver. Explore family and caregiver health benefits.

    Already enrolled in VA and interested in mental health support? Schedule a mental health appointment.

    What about other options at VA? VA offers a variety of tools and resources.

    What about support beyond VA?

    Selected Major Accomplishments In Va Research

    • 1989:Created the National Center for PTSD to address the needs of Veterans and other trauma survivors with PTSD
    • 2007: Confirmed the value of prolonged exposure therapy as a treatment for women Veterans with PTSD
    • 2013:Funded, along with the Department of Defense, two consortia to improve treatment for PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury
      • Found that cognitive processing therapy delivered via videoconferencing is as effective for PTSD as in-person therapy
      • Found that Veterans who sought and received care soon after the end of their service had lower rates of PTSD than those who waited to get treatment

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    Help A Veteran Become Adjusted In Their New Home

    One of the most difficult parts of transitioning from military to civilian life is creating a home life. Veterans are accustomed to following strict schedules and procedures and living where they are assigned during their time in the military. Friends and family can help veterans who have PTSD by encouraging and assisting them as they face decisions about how and where they want to live. This could include helping a veteran scout apartments or a house after they leave the service finding furniture, appliances and other items needed for the home helping set up utilities and other necessary accounts and visiting periodically.

    Lifeline for Vets provides a list of resources that can help veterans and their loved ones throughout the transition to civilian life, including finding eligibility for a home loan and how to receive education or pension benefits.

    Va Dod Recommended Ptsd Therapies Dont Help Many Military Patients Review Finds

    Medical Marijuana treating PTSD

    The psychotherapy approaches considered by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to be front-line treatments for military-related PTSD dont work for up to two-thirds of patients, a new report published in JAMA Insights finds.

    Cognitive processing therapy, or CPT, and prolonged exposure therapy, PE, are two approaches for treating post-traumatic stress disorder that focus on a patients traumatic experiences and helps them process the memories associated with the horrific events.

    But a review of results from several large clinical studies conducted since 2015 on military personnel and veterans, researchers with New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine found these psychotherapies have limited success in these patients, despite recommendation as preferred treatments in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder.

    In fact, according to the review published Jan. 30 by JAMA, interventions that dont focus on traumatic events, such as present-centered talk therapy, transcendental meditation and medication, seem to work about as well as emotionally charged PE and CPT.

    Overall, these new findings suggest that first-line psychotherapies do not effectively treat military-related PTSD in large proportions of patients and do not outperform non-trauma-focused interventions, wrote lead author Maria Steenkamp, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Grossman.

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    Is Psychotherapy Confidential

    Therapy is almost always confidential.

    Exceptions to this important rule are made if:

    • you disclose that you are planning to kill or harm yourself or someone else
    • the therapist learns about a child being abused
    • you are Active Duty military
    • in a few other rare situations

    Please discuss any concerns you have about confidentiality with your therapist or health care provider.

    Will Therapy Really Work

    Research on different kinds of therapy shows that many types of psychotherapy and medications really do work. Plus, some kinds of therapy only take a few months to complete.

    Many Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans find that they get used to talking to a trauma specialist quickly and come to trust them. Trauma specialists are well-trained professionals who are specialized in helping trauma survivors and have helped many.

    Remember: you can always see how it goes you dont have to commit to anything right away. And if you have a few sessions and dont think its going well, you can talk to the trauma specialist about what you want changed, or ask for a different trauma specialist. Trauma specialists are interested in your recovery and will help you get the support you need.

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    What Is The Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    If you show signs of PTSD, you don’t just have to live with it. In recent years, researchers have dramatically increased our understanding of what causes PTSD and how to treat it. Hundreds of thousands of Veterans who served in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have gotten treatment for PTSD and found significant relief from their symptoms.

    Two types of treatment have been shown to be effective for treating PTSD: counseling and medication. Professional therapy or counseling can help you understand your thoughts and reactions and help you learn techniques to cope with challenging situations. Research has shown several specific types of counseling to be very effective for treating PTSD. Medications can also be used to help reduce tension or irritability or to improve sleep. The class of medications most commonly used for PTSD is called “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors,” but a doctor can work with you to figure out which medication works best for you.

    “In therapy I learned how to respond differently to the thoughts that used to get stuck in my head.”

    In just a few months, these treatments can produce positive and meaningful changes in your symptoms and quality of life. They can help you understand and change how you think about your trauma and how you react to stressful memories.

    You may need to work with your doctor or counselor and try different types of treatment before finding the one thats best for dealing with your PTSD symptoms.

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