If you are a Veteran of the U.S. military who served honorably but struggle with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you may be entitled to medical and financial benefits meant to help you heal and reestablish your life. Veterans must establish a nexus between PTSD and military service. The symptoms may have plagued you and progressed during military service or manifested themselves during or after discharge.
Veterans who prove PTSD is a service-related injury are assigned a percentage disability designation by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Total disability is rated as 100%. Our VA-accredited attorneys dedicate our entire practice to assisting service members who sacrificed for their country. We can help you navigate the Veterans’ PTSD claims process in Charlotte and secure benefits for this debilitating mental condition.
Veterans suffering from PTSD experience several symptoms that range from difficulty concentrating and sleeping, to vivid flashbacks. These symptoms often cause a withdrawal from others, angry outbursts, and potentially the overuse of drugs or alcohol. Some additional symptoms include:
VA benefits include medical treatment when a Veteran is diagnosed with PTSD that is service-related, and a monthly, tax-free disability check. Counseling and medication have proven highly effective in helping someone understand the disability and reduce the tension associated with it. VA physicians have been successful treating PTSD with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but the combination of treatment is best determined by the Veteran and his or her physician.
Our VA-accredited attorneys offer a free consultation to explain the benefits process for a PTSD claim.
The VA depends heavily on medical reports when determining a service member’s percentage of disability. Veterans must be at least 10% disabled to receive benefits and, at 30% disability, Veterans’ checks may be increased to compensate dependents.
The PTSD diagnosis is compared to other service members who receive the diagnosis and are granted benefits by using a rate compensation chart.
Sometimes the VA denies a claim for benefits. Denials can happen due to a failure to submit all relevant information required, or because a Veteran failed to prove the nexus between PTSD and military service. Our sole mission is to see that Veterans receive what they have earned. We can spearhead an appeal to reconsider a Veteran’s PTSD claim, which can happen in one of three ways.
When a Veteran in Charlotte files an initial application for benefits due to PTSD and the claim is denied, new evidence can be submitted via a supplemental claim. This can include a second opinion concurring with the treating physician or evidence that was not submitted with the application.
The higher-level review sends the appeal to a claims reviewer with more experience than the initial person who denied benefits. No new evidence about the PTSD can be submitted, but the premise is that a mistake in the decision process was made and a second opinion could rectify it. Higher-level reviews are conducted at the VA’s Regional Office instead of before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
The Board of Veterans’ Appeals is available in three ways. A direct review involves a judge who renders the highest opinion about evidence originally submitted, much like the higher-level review, without a hearing. A judge can also look at new evidence submitted within 90 days of submitting the appeal. Finally, the Veteran is entitled to a hearing before a Veterans’ Law Judge who can consider additional evidence. Our attorneys have argued many appeals before Veterans’ Law Judges and can advocate for service members who were diagnosed with PTSD in Charlotte.
PTSD occurs after a traumatic experience, and there is none more traumatic than active-duty military service in combat. Thousands of Veterans from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts around the globe suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, which could make him or her eligible for disability benefits.
If you are suffering symptoms of PTSD that you can link to your military service, we can help you apply for Veterans’ benefits. If your benefits have been denied, we are experienced at appealing denials and will consult with you. Veterans’ PTSD claims in Charlotte can be complicated if you attempt filing them on your own, so reach out to us now, from anywhere in the country, for a free consultation.
