Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very real disability that is often misunderstood. Living with PTSD becomes more devastating when sufferers find they can no longer do their jobs. Getting much-needed disability benefits for PTSD can be particularly frustrating.  If you are struggling with PTSD and cannot work, we can help you obtain the benefits you deserve. Marc Whitehead & Associates is a national law firm advocating for the rights of those who have been disabled by PTSD.  The disorder can afflict anyone exposed to dire stress or trauma, from veterans in combat to individuals who experience or witness a horrible …

Was your disability claim for a mental disorder denied by Social Security, an insurance company, or the VA? Do you worry your monthly LTD benefits might be terminated? As a national disability benefits law firm, a large portion of the cases we handle involve mental health-related claims. Mental illness affects every walk of life and every profession. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Not everyone with mental health issues qualifies for disability benefits. Yet severe mental disorders, or a combination of …

New data from the Department of Defense reveals that the prevalence of military sexual trauma, or MST, has reached new heights. Military sexual trauma is the term the VA uses to describe the effects of sexual violence, abuse or harassment experienced by a military service member during active duty. If you are suffering from the effects of military sexual trauma, important veterans’ disability benefits are available to you. If you have questions or need help with a VA claim for MST disability benefits, please call now and speak with us confidentially and without cost. Even if your military sexual assault incident occurred …

Are you wondering why your PTSD rating is so low? If you are unsatisfied with the VA’s decision, it may be possible to increase your PTSD rating. The VA ratings for PTSD—and all mental health claims—are set at the following percentage increments: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. But the reality is that far too many veterans do not get the PTSD and other mental health ratings they truly deserve. Veterans with severe mental health conditions, including PTSD, can and should obtain their appropriate 50, 70 or 100 percent VA disability rating. Remember:  when rating your VA disability benefits, the VA must …

Yes—if you are a veteran diagnosed with PTSD (or are living with symptoms and suspect you have the condition) you may qualify for Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, or both. Each program’s eligibility criteria are different and must be met. Basically, PTSD can be the basis for a successful VA compensation claim if the PTSD is service-connected and properly diagnosed.For SSDI benefits, assuming Social Security FICA requirements are met, the veteran needs to satisfy the criteria under SSA’s new medical listing for PTSD – or (as is often the case) the veteran may be granted disability …

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often rated at a level that fails to reflect your actual disabilities and extent or stage of impairment. These and other issues make it very hard for you to get a handle on your PTSD rating. A prevalent disability among U.S. service members, PTSD claims are hard fought battles for fair ratings to cover the life-altering symptoms the veteran suffers each and every day. Swift and just compensation for PTSD is your right. It is important to fight for your benefits, and we are here to assist at a moment’s notice. Generally, VA disability ratings represent service-connected injuries, …

Was your claim for PTSD sexual trauma denied in the past? VA now supports reapplication of previously denied disability claims for these types of cases. VA has acknowledged that errors were made in its decisions on many of these claims and has agreed to launch a review of denied benefits for PTSD related to military sexual trauma (MST). In cases of MST-connected PTSD, a veteran is not awarded disability compensation for the actual event. Instead, the veteran may qualify for disability for conditions that result from the traumatic event, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often veterans who are denied VA disability …

A study has found that even after 40+ years, close to 11 percent of Vietnam veterans still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and it seems that many more of them are gradually getting worse rather than getting better. Dr. Charles Marmar, chairman of the psychiatry department at New York University Langone Medical Center and director of the NYU Cohen Veterans Center, is one of the authors of this study and confirms, “Most people who serve in war are resilient.” He goes on to explain that among those that do develop post-traumatic stress disorder, “if they’re going to recover, they’re going to …

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Disability Claims Post-traumatic stress disorder disability affects millions of Americans, both veteran and civilian. PTSD can affect anyone who has lived through or witnessed a traumatic event such as The horrors of war and combatTerrorist attacks, such as the 9/11 World Trade Center attackA disaster such as a riot, fire, or hurricaneSexual assaultDomestic violenceSurviving a catastrophic injuryViolent crime such as shootings or murder As disability lawyers, we have handled hundreds of post traumatic stress disorder disability claims that were denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security disability, and LTD insurance companies. If you have been denied your rightful benefits …

For most of us, occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. It lasts for a while and we get over it or shake it off and go on with life. But if the anxiety you feel is so severe that it prevents you from living and working normally every day, you may want to look into whether or not you qualify for disability through Social Security. An anxiety disorder is one in which you are paralyzed by a constant fear, tension, apprehension and/or uneasiness. These abnormally strong feelings are provoked by ordinary, everyday life events that cause crippling fear and terror over the …

While all VA compensation claims for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) must meet the three basic requirements for service connection in section 1154(b), there are some special variations that apply to these cases. In the case of Pentecost v. Principi, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims established that a service connection for PTSD requires: A current PTSD diagnosis.Credible supporting evidence that shows that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.Medical evidence that shows a casual connection between the current set of symptoms and the claimed in-service stressor. As with any other illness or injury being claimed by a combat veteran, proving a claim …

When dealing with VA claims regarding mental disorders, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs uses a certain specialized language. In order to more effectively argue mental disorder claims, a veteran and the VA disability attorney who represents them should make themselves familiar with some of these special terms. Here are some common terms that anyone involved with VA claims should learn: Amnestic: Causing loss of memory. Axis: One of the 5 different types of problems a person making VA claims for a mental disorder may have. Axis I: Clinical disorders. Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation. Axis III: General Medical Conditions. Axis IV: Psychological and Environmental …