Va Rating For Depression
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.
This means you have a diagnosis of Depression, but no subjective symptoms.
You have no occupational and social impairment at the 0% rating.
Interested in learning more about PTSD?
Percent Va Disability Rating For Ptsd
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as:
- gross impairment in thought processes or communication
- persistent delusions or hallucinations
- persistent danger of hurting self or others
- intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living
- disorientation to time or place
- memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name
What Is A Va Impairment Rating
I answer this question in a lot more detail in other posts, but lets do a quick recap here.
The Impairment Rating what I call the 3rd Pillar of your VA Claim is how the VA translates the degree of your disability into a dollar amount for your monthly VA Compensation.
Lets say that you have a sleep apnea diagnosis .
You show the VA how your sleep apnea diagnosis is affecting your daily living, and they turn that into a percentage rating, which equates to a dollar amount you are paid each month.
Simple enough, so far, right?
This is where things start to turn into the Tower of Babel. There are four major ways that the VA can assign an impairment rating, and because they all have very similar names, they can get really confusing.
But each of these 4 ways of rating a claim has very different legal standards if you use the wrong words, you may completely change what you have to prove and to what degree you have to prove it to the VA.
Using the wrong language when seeking an Impairment Rating in your VA Claim could, ironically, cost you your entire VA Claim.
So lets look at the 4 major ways that the VA can rate a claim. The purpose of todays post is to define these different types of ratings, and get you thinking whether they apply in your claim or appeal.
Throughout this post, I will link to other posts that go into more depth on how to use and prove these different types of ratings.
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How To Get A 100 Percent Va Disability Rating
If you served in the Armed Forces and are living with disabilities connected with your service, you may be entitled to receive certain benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs . The types and amounts of benefits you can receive depends on a disability rating assigned to you by the VA, which looks at the severity of your condition and how it impacts your life. The higher your rating, the greater the benefits you will receive.
Unfortunately, even if you firmly believe that you are fully disabled due to your service, you can find yourself facing serious hurdles to secure a 100 percent VA disability rating.
When you are a fully disabled veteran, getting appropriate disability compensation and benefits may be the most critical challenge you are facing. Improve your chances of securing a 100 percent rating by turning to the Mississippi disability lawyers at Derek L. Hall, P.C.
Our law firm provides exceptional legal representation to our nations dedicated service members. You can count on our lawyers to give you an honest, realistic expectation of your cases outcome while constantly fighting for the best possible results for you.
Obtaining a 100 percent VA disability rating can ensure that you receive the best possible support, both now and in the future. Call or contact us today for a free consultation.
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Va Claims Processes And The 100% Permanent And Total Disability Rating
The VA claims review process for assigning disability ratings has everything to do with the nature of the medical issue, when and how it developed, and whether or not the problem is service connected and/or permanent.
That rating process does not take into consideration whether or not employment difficulties were caused by the condition. There IS a process that rates veterans in terms of how employable they are having the VA rated medical conditions, but this is done when applying for Total Disability Individual Unemployability Claims, not the initial VA claim.
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Percent Va Rating For Depression
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication persistent delusions or hallucinations grossly inappropriate behavior persistent danger of hurting self or others intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living disorientation to time or place memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.
The 100% VA rating for Depression has the most severe symptoms under the law.
Notice the change to total occupational and social impairment.
This means youre having major issues at work and at home.
Perhaps you cant work because your Depression is so severe.
This is the first time we see delusional thoughts, hallucinations, and grossly inappropriate behavior.
Severe memory loss and occasional inability to care for oneself are now present at the 100% level.
You might even require the Aid and Attendance of another person to help take care of you.
Best Way To Get 100 Va Disability Tip #: File For Secondary Service Connection With Credible Medical Nexus Letters
Nexus Letter for Secondary Claim
Many VSOs, Attorneys, and Claims Agents focus on primarydisabilities for direct service connection.
However, did you know youre also eligible for secondary claimsand something called secondary service connection?
Secondaryservice connection requires a showing of causation.
A showing of causation requires that the secondarydisability be shown to be proximately due to or proximately aggravated byanother service-connected disability.
The first part can be satisfied with any existing medicalevidence in service treatment records, VA medical records, or any privatemedical records.
The second part can be satisfied with a veterans existingservice-connected disability rated at 0 percent or higher.
The third part can be satisfied with a Medical Nexus Letter forsecondary condition completed by a qualified medical professional.
The major benefit of going after secondary serviceconnection in a VA disability claim is its typically easier to prove the Nexusrequirement, especially if youve been out of the military for more than oneyear.
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With A Dependent Spouse Or Parent But No Children
Find the dependent status in the left column that best describes you. Then look for your disability rating in the top row. Your monthly basic rate is where your dependent status and disability rating meet.
If your spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits, be sure to also look at the Added amounts table, and add it to your amount from the Basic rates table.
| Dependent status | 30% disability rating | 40% disability rating | 50% disability rating | 60% disability rating | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dependent status | 30% disability rating | 441.35 | 40% disability rating | 635.77 | 50% disability rating | 905.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,146.39 |
| With spouse | 30% disability rating | 493.35 | 40% disability rating | 705.77 | 50% disability rating | 992.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,251.39 |
| With spouse and 1 parent | 30% disability rating | 535.35 | 40% disability rating | 761.77 | 50% disability rating | 1,062.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,335.39 |
| With spouse and 2 parents | 30% disability rating | 577.35 | 40% disability rating | 817.77 | 50% disability rating | 1,132.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,419.39 |
| With 1 parent | 30% disability rating | 483.35 | 40% disability rating | 691.77 | 50% disability rating | 975.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,230.39 |
| With 2 parents | 30% disability rating | 525.35 | 40% disability rating | 747.77 | 50% disability rating | 1,045.04 | 60% disability rating | 1,314.39 |
If your spouse receives Aid and Attendance benefits, be sure to also look at the Added amounts table, and add it to your amount from the Basic rates table.
Best Way To Get 100 Va Disability Tip #: File For Va Total Disability Individual Unemployability
TDIU VA Requirements
VA TDIU stands for Total Disability IndividualUnemployability, but its often referred to as Individual Unemployability.
Did you know disabled veterans who qualify for TDIU areentitled to be paid at the 100% VA disability rate, even if they are ratedbelow 100 percent scheduler, if they can establish that one or moreservice-connected disabilities prevent them from maintaining substantiallygainful employment?
TDIU VA Requirements Do You Qualify?
You may be able to get individualunemployability disability benefits if you meet both requirementslisted below:
*Note: In certain cases, for example, if you need to be in the hospital oftenveterans may qualify for 100 TDIU at a lower disability rating than listed above.
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Va Disability Rating Table For Ptsd & Mental Conditions
Veterans with severe mental conditions may obtain a 100 percent VA disability rating for PTSD. Your PTSD rating is going to be given a rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. That means the VA is going to consider all your mental impairments together.
To get a 100 percent VA disability rating for PTSD you are going to have to fit into the below requirements. If the VA finds your PTSD to be service-connected, you will receive one of the below ratings:
Years: Service Connection Is Protected
A disability rating cannot be denied service connection if a rating has been assigned for a period of ten years or more. The rating may have been reduced within that time, but never taken away. Once service connection is protected, the rating is still subject to fluctuation, but benefits may not be terminated after this time.
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Going From 70% To 100%
When trying to go from a 70% disability rating to a 100% disability rating, veterans should be mindful of the rating criteria for each service-connected condition for which they are seeking an increase. Veterans can read through the rating criteria and determine how their symptomology lines up with what is listed. Furthermore, veterans can have private doctors opine on the severity of their conditions in relation to what is listed in the rating criteria. This may be beneficial in developing a more convincing case for a higher disability rating.
Veterans should also keep the above-mentioned VA math process in mind. If veterans are trying to get a 100 percent VA disability rating, and they do not have a 100 percent rating for any one service-connected condition, the only way to get there is to reach a combined disability rating of 95 percent or higher according to VA math. Therefore, veterans may consider filing claims for additional conditions they believe may be due to service in the event that such conditions might combine for a higher rating.
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List Of The Top 7 Best Ways To Get 100 Va Disability
How to Get 100 VA Disability
- Tip #1: Use MyHealtheVet to Get Your Current Symptoms Documented in VA Medical Records
- Tip #3: Have a Doctor Complete DBQs for Conditions Already Service Connected
- Tip #4: File for Secondary Service Connection with Credible Medical Nexus Letters
- Tip #5: Obtain a Buddy Letter from a First-Hand Witness
- Tip #7: File for Total Disability Individual Unemployability
Okay, lets explore in detail how to get a 100 percent VA disability rating, regardless of your current rating or even if youve been denied VA benefits in the past.
Veterans, if youve ever wondered How to Get 100 VA Disabilitypay close attention because these tips are for you:
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Qualifying For 100 Percent Va Disability
Veterans who have a service-connected illness or injury must meet several requirements in order to receive VA benefits. The most basic prerequisites require that veterans have:
- Sustained their injury or illness during active duty, active duty training, or inactive duty training.
- Been honorably discharged from the military.
- Been given a 10 percent or more VA disability rating for the illness or injury.
A key component impacting the rating is how much the conditions affect a veterans ability to work. Attaining a 100 percent disability rating means that you must prove that you are physically and/or mentally impaired to such a degree that it is impossible for you to maintain a substantially gainful occupation.
There are several ways that you may be able to attain 100 percent disability benefits:
- 100 percent rating based on VA formula. The VA processes your application by rating your disability or disabilities using a special schedule. If the combined total of the ratings is 100 percent, then you qualify for 100 percent benefits. It gets tricky if you have multiple disabilities and ratings. Its not a simple matter of addition. In other words, a 70 percent rating for one injury and a 30 percent injury for another condition will not automatically render you 100 percent disabled. This is especially important to understand if you are considering appealing your VA rating. Our attorneys can explain the VA math to you during our case review.
Who Should I Contact If I Have Questions About My Disability Rating
There are many organizations that specialize in helping veterans with their benefits and claims.
The first place to start is with the VA. They will have access to your records and other information. This is the best source for current and up to date information.
However, the VA isnt always the best place to get assistance with your claim, especially if you are filing an appeal after the VA denied your claim.
In that instance, I recommend contacting a veterans benefits counselor at your county VA office, or an organization such as the DAV, AMVETS, VFW, American Legion, or similar Veteran Service Organizations.
These organizations have trained benefits counselors who should be able to review your personal and medical situation and provide a better answer to your question than I can provide.
Alternatively, if you prefer to use the anonymity of the Internet, you can use the Physical Evaluation Board Forum, which offers an excellent community that offers advice on VA disabilities, ratings, and the military medical board process.
Please note that while I have a solid understanding of how the VA disability system works, I am unable to answer specific questions regarding ones VA disability claims or specific medical conditions. These questions should be addressed by the VA, your medical professionals, or a veterans benefits counselor.
Thank you for understanding, and thank you for your service!
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Receive Your Disability Check Faster
When you file your disability claim, be sure to give the VA the routing number to your bank so you can enroll in direct deposits. This is faster and more secure and a requirement as of March 1, 2013. I recommend using a high yield savings account so you can earn more money on any interest that your money earns.
If you have specific VA benefits-related questions, it is always best to call or visit your regional VA medical center, as they will be able to access your file and answer your specific questions.
You can view the current VA Disability rates here, but for your convenience, we have included them in this article as well.
Va Disability Pay Chart Expectations For 2022
The announcement for the following years’ change in COLA doesn’t typically come out until October. However, based on the Consumer Price Index, VA disability pay could increase anywhere from 5 to 6 percent in 2022.
We will update our charts here accordingly when the numbers are finalized.
FOOTNOTES:
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Get The Va Disability Benefits Help You Deserve
Woods and Woods has teams of lawyers, doctors, paralegals, psychologists, experts, and case managers ready to help you win your VA disability benefits claim. We were founded in 1985 to fight for injured and disabled people. Today, our VA-certified disability attorneys have helped thousands of veterans appeal bad VA decisions.
Woods and Woods law firm is dedicated to representing disabled veterans nationwide. It doesnt matter where you live, we can fight the VA for you.
Woods & Woods offers help with your application at no cost. Our law firm has helped thousands of veterans receive VA disability benefits for free during the application process alone. If your application is denied, you have the option to hire us for your appeal.
You can start the process of appealing your 90 percent VA disability rating by giving us a call. Our VA disability compensation lawyers offer free legal consultations to any veteran, spouse, or caretaker that needs assistance. We can take a look at your claim and figure out what is the next step you should take. Ask all the questions you have and well answer them. Learn your rights as a disabled veteran.