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Psychological issues like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are unfortunately common among veterans. Often, these conditions occur as a direct result of a veteran’s service. The VA offers benefits for these disabilities, but securing them is often easier said than done.
At Gang & Associates, we are prepared to work tirelessly to help you secure the benefits you deserve. In many cases, this involves obtaining a 100 percent VA disability rating. Our attorneys can guide you through the process of appealing a denial for any of these conditions.
Depression Claims
Depression is about more than being sad. It is an intense hopelessness or sadness that makes it impossible to enjoy activities in life and potentially impedes you from functioning on a day-to-day level. It is possible to get a 100 percent VA disability rating based on your depression in some cases.
In order for your VA disability claim for depression to be successful, you will need a formal diagnosis from a medical professional. This generally involves establishing a minimum of five or more symptoms during a two-week observation period. Some of the potential symptoms include depressed mood, loss of interest, sleep disruptions, significant weight loss, fatigue, or feelings of worthlessness.
In order to get a 100 percent VA disability rating, you must have symptoms that are so severe that you face complete occupational and social impairment. Some examples include inappropriate behavior, persistent hallucinations, disorientation, memory loss, or persistent danger of self-harm.
Like with any VA claim, benefits are only available if you can link your depression to a service-related event. This might involve depression stemming from a traumatic experience or even an underlying diagnosis becoming worse due to a service-related event. It is also possible for depression to be a secondary condition. For example, a veteran who has been rated for a paralyzing injury might also suffer depression as a result of their condition.
Anxiety Claims
Anxiety is one of the more common conditions that lead to disability benefits through the VA. Some of the most common symptoms include worry, fear, and unease. They can take the form of generalized anxiety or full-blown panic attacks.
If you have a formal diagnosis of anxiety, you may be able to obtain VA benefits. In order to obtain a 100 percent VA disability rating, your anxiety must limit you professionally and socially. The biggest challenge is often establishing that your condition is linked to your service.
Many claims are directly linked to a specific traumatic event. This could be a severe accident in training or suffering an injury in combat. In addition to finding a direct cause, benefits may also be available if anxiety is a secondary claim. In other words, you could be entitled to benefits if your anxiety is linked to some other rated disability.
Bipolar Disorder Claims
The VA recognizes bipolar disorder as a disability that can be brought on by an in-service event. Ratings for this condition can be 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. The extent of the benefits available to you will depend on the severity of your symptoms.
This mental health condition can lead to severe mood swings, including manic highs and depressed lows. Often, the switch between these two moods occurs quickly. The depressive phases lead veterans to feel sad or hopeless while losing interest in activities they once enjoyed. During manic periods, it can lead to feelings of euphoria or irritation. This condition can strain relationships and even require hospitalization in some cases.
Like with other psychiatric conditions, establishing a link to your service can be challenging in these cases. In some cases, the obvious sign that the condition was service-related is the development of bipolar disorder during active duty. Research has shown that high-stress events or emotional trauma have the potential to trigger an initial bipolar episode.
There are also situations where your military service might aggravate your pre-existing bipolar disorder. Demonstrating that you had a bipolar diagnosis before you joined the military and then highlighting symptoms that only occurred during or after your service could bolster your claim.
Schizophrenia Claims
VA benefits are also available for schizophrenia claims. This serious mental disorder makes it difficult for a veteran to interpret reality like most people do. Symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, lack of emotion, and disorganized motor behavior.
The way the VA awards benefits for schizophrenia is based on how the condition impacts a veteran’s life. To secure a 100 percent VA disability rating, the disorder must lead to total occupational and social impairment.
One of the major challenges with schizophrenia is that experts are not certain what causes the condition. In fact, it is rare that there is a single event that triggers it. The key to these claims is often proving that the onset of schizophrenia occurred during a veteran’s military service. It may be enough to satisfy the VA by providing evidence that the prodromal phase occurred while in the military. The prodromal phase is a period where emotional symptoms begin to manifest.
Get Help With Your Denied VA Claim Today
There are unique challenges that come with establishing a service connection to a psychiatric disorder. While these claims can be challenging, they are also one of our top priorities at Gang & Associates. This is because we understand veterans living with these disorders often struggle to find employment or support themselves.
If you are considering a claim for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, we could help you get the maximum 100 percent VA rating. If your claim has been denied by the VA or you have received less than you expected, we are here to help. Contact us as soon as possible for a free case evaluation.