Non-Combat Injuries

Non-Combat In-Service Injuries

Military personnel who never served in a forward combat zone (or were never deployed) can nonetheless suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Any major trauma that occurred during military service — an assault, an accident, a witnessed event — can trigger the aftermath known as PTSD.

The legal team at Berry Law aggressively advocates for veterans suffering from physical or psychological disorders stemming from non-combat events. We assist clients nationwide whose VA claims were denied for lack of service connection or confirmed PTSD diagnosis.

Non-Combat Stressors

Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a disabling medical condition. The triggering stressor for the psychological, emotional and physiological symptoms could be something that happened to you or something you witnessed, like:

• A sexual assault (male-to-female or male-to-male)
• A physical assault
• A vehicle accident while on duty (on or off-post)
• A “friendly fire” injury
• A training accident
• An explosion
• A fellow service member’s accidental death or suicide

Service-related trauma can refer to events that occur during active duty, while training, during weekend maneuvers or in any capacity in which you are engaged as a member of the armed forces, including the National Guard or Reserves. Our experienced attorneys can prove the specific service connection if the claim is denied on that basis.

We have handled a wide array of non-combat PTSD claims. On one military base, female service members who visited the latrine at night were at an extreme risk of being raped. At another, a man was accidentally shot while clearing a trench during a training exercise. Another soldier in the rear echelons who had the grim task of processing the remains of fallen comrades was overcome with grief and guilt when he came upon the body of his high school buddy.

PTSD affects each person differently. Some experience symptoms soon after; for others the disorder crops up months or years later. Some can’t stop reliving the event. Some can’t stand to talk about or be reminded of it.

Our role is to help clients get a diagnosis and receive their maximum disability ratings by detailing the ways that the stressor affects employment, family life, personal relationships and any other facet of daily living. The inciting event itself does not have to be proven as long as doctors diagnose PTSD.

We Can Help

Many of our attorneys and staff are military veterans. We understand the stresses and dangers of military service, and we are intimately familiar with VA disability claims and the appeals process. We represent injured veterans throughout the United States.

We invite you to call us for a free consultation at (888) 883-2483 or contact us online. Our veterans’ claims law firm handles VA disability cases on a contingency fee basis. There are no attorney fees unless we secure benefits for you.