A gentleman already service-connected for PTSD came into the office wanting to file a new claim for depression. He had been to Mental Health and his doctor wanted him to try a new medication for the depression. I knew he would not be able to file a new claim for depression, so I talked to him first about how the VA defined PTSD to give him a better understanding of why we could not file the claim.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health issue that occurs after someone has been involved in a traumatic event such as war, disaster, or assault. Some Veterans who have PTSD have already been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Anxiety. They may also suffer symptoms of nightmares, anger, or avoidance. In essence, the VA lumps all these together under PTSD. It may seem better to get rated for each one individually. The law provides that a Veteran may only receive compensation for one psychiatric disability. All symptoms of the disability are included in the evaluation assigned for the disability.
The office of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law is available to answer your questions. Call us today at 1-877-526-3457, or tell us about your claim now.
