Lawyers for Veterans With PTSD

Our aggressive and experienced veterans law attorneys will fight for you.

“I am so glad I don’t have to shoulder the burden of fighting for my benefits by myself. There is such a great team at Berry Law to stand shoulder to shoulder with me now.”

– Chet Bennetts, Iraq War Veteran

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PTSD Lawyers Experienced in VA Benefits

For years, the general population, medical community, and military ignored or misunderstood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, today, PTSD is widely recognized as a serious mental disorder that can severely impair a person’s ability to work and interact with others. There are a variety of methods and treatments for PTSD, including service animals.

Can I Get VA Disability Benefits for PTSD?

The VA uses special rules to grant disability benefits for PTSD. To receive VA disability benefits for PTSD, a Veteran’s post-traumatic stress disorder must be service-connected.

To prove service connection to a traumatic event, a claim must show:

  1. Clinically diagnosed PTSD under the standards of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and
  2. Proof of an in-service stressor, and
  3. Medical evidence of a link between the in-service stressor and the current PTSD diagnosis.

Most of the time, a Veteran will need extra proof about an event in service that caused distress or trauma. This proof can be in the form of service personnel or treatment records, news reports, witness statements, or similar documentation. Sometimes this extra proof isn’t needed.

The requirement for corroborating evidence is waived, and a Veteran’s own statements may be enough, if:

  • PTSD was diagnosed in service, or
  • The stressor event occurred during combat with hostile forces, or
  • The stressor event was related to the Veteran’s fear of an actual threat of hostile military or terrorist act, or
  • The stressor event was related to the Veteran’s time as a prisoner of war.

Because of the special rules for getting VA benefits for PTSD, it is more difficult to be service-connected for PTSD than for other mental health conditions. But often, medical evidence will show that a Veteran has mental-health disorders other than PTSD, and those may render the Veteran eligible for VA disability benefits more easily than a PTSD condition might.

Click here to learn more about getting VA disability benefits for other mental-health conditions.

The rules around VA disability benefits for PTSD are so complicated that even the VA gets them wrong with some frequency. Unfortunately, this means that many Veterans are denied the benefits they deserve. An experienced VA disability and PTSD attorney can help you determine the evidence needed to support your claim.

How Much Compensation Can I Get for PTSD?

Once the VA grants service connection for PTSD, the VA will assign a disability rating to the disability. If your rating is 10 percent or higher, the VA will pay you disability compensation.

Even if the severity of your PTSD does not warrant a 100 percent disability rating, you may still qualify for disability benefits at the 100 rating level if you cannot maintain substantially gainful employment. This is called a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

Click here to learn more about TDIU ratings.

VA disability ratings for PTSD are assigned the same way they are for other mental health disorders. A Veteran’s PTSD can be rated as 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent disabling for those with significant PTSD injuries. The rating assigned depends on the severity, frequency, and duration of your PTSD symptoms, as well as the overall effect of your PTSD on your ability to function normally in work and social settings.

Learn more about increasing your VA disability compensation generally.

At Berry Law, our experience has shown us that the VA often misses important evidence or doesn’t consider all of a Veteran’s symptoms. This regularly results in disability ratings for PTSD that are lower than a Veteran deserves. In 2021, the difference between a 50 percent and 70 percent disability rating for a Veteran without any dependents is $7,778.88 per year.

Contact us now if you believe the VA has not awarded you the amount of benefits to which you are entitled.

Unfortunately, many Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder run into roadblocks when they seek the disability benefits they need.

The VA may:

  • Deny that a Veteran suffers from service-connected PTSD
  • Award benefits at a lower disability rating than the Veteran deserves
  • Determine an incorrect effective date for the Veteran’s benefits, which can reduce the amount of back pay that a Veteran receives.

If you face any of these obstacles, Berry Law wants to help.

What is PTSD and Do I Have It?

What is Post traumatic Stress Disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not a weakness. It is a mental disorder common to combat Veterans and other Veterans who experienced particularly traumatic events resulting in psychological injury during service.

 

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How Common Is PTSD?

If you believe that you suffer from PTSD, you should feel no shame. In fact, the VA reports that PTSD is highly common in the Veterans’ community.

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What are Common PTSD Symptoms?

With time, most people recover from a traumatic experience. However, some people continue to experience emotional trauma from the event. The stress they feel may even increase over time.

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How Is PTSD Diagnosed?

If you believe that you have PTSD, contact your local VA Medical Center or see your regular doctor and ask for a referral to a mental health professional. You can describe your symptoms and ask for a PTSD assessment. This is also called a PTSD screen, test, or evaluation.

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How is PTSD Treated?

The treatment with the best proven results consists of two components—Therapy and Medication.

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Does Your PTSD Qualify You for Veterans Affairs Disability Benefits?

The VA provides disability compensation benefits to Veterans who suffer from service-connected PTSD. Generally, in order to qualify for these monthly, tax-free payments, you must meet three requirements:

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How Do You Prove Your Eligibility for PTSD-Related Veterans Affairs Disability Benefits?

If you believe that you suffer from service-connected PTSD you can submit an application online at the VA website or complete and mail VA Form 21-526 to your local VA Regional Office (VARO).

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What Veterans Affairs Disability Benefits Can You Receive If You Have PTSD?

If the VA determines that you suffer from service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, the VA will assign a disability rating to you on a scale from 0 to 100 percent. The higher your rating, the higher amount you will receive in disability benefits.

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Do You Disagree with the Veterans Affairs Decision on Your PTSD Claim?

After you submit your claim to the VA, you will receive a Rating Decision from the VA Regional Office. If you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal.

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Veterans Serving Veterans

At Berry Law, many of our attorneys are military Veterans who help fellow Veterans pursue the VA disability benefits they have earned. We typically work with Veterans who need to appeal a denied claim or whose VA disability rating is too low.

Our firm’s founder, John S. Berry Sr., became involved in veterans’ law when he began representing fellow Vietnam Veterans who suffered from PTSD.

His son, John S. Berry , is a former Ranger-qualified army officer who served in Iraq and Bosnia. Additional attorneys in our firm are Veterans, as well.

Founded in 1965, Berry Law is committed to putting our experience behind your VA disability benefits appeal. Over the years, our attorneys have helped thousands of Veterans obtain the appropriate level of VA benefits.

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Today, we focus a major portion of our practice on assisting Veterans with PTSD claims. We bring to our clients extensive knowledge of PTSD, military service during multiple conflicts including Vietnam and OIF/OEF, and a firm grasp of how to successfully navigate cases through the VA appeals process.

To speak with our team about your case, call or reach us online today. You will pay no fees unless we obtain benefits for you.

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Why Hire Our PTSD Lawyer to Help with Your VA Disability Claim Appeal?

The VA disability compensation system is supposed to be Veteran-friendly. However, the reality is that the rules and regulations governing the claims process can be confusing and frustrating for everyone involved.

Just as most people would not want to go through legal processes without competent representation, veterans deserve skilled and experienced representation as well.

At Berry Law, we have decades of experience representing Veterans fighting for their VA disability benefits on appeal. We have focused a major portion of our practice on helping Veterans with PTSD-related claims.

Our lawyers understand the claims process, what evidence is needed to establish service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, how to maximize the disability rating, and how to determine the proper amount of back pay you deserve.

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PTSD VA Disability Lawyers are Ready to Help You
(888) 682-0786

MEET “SMILEY”

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“John Berry and team…they have been a life-saver for me…wherever I have been, they have always protected me.”

– “Smiley”, Vietnam Veteran

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