How Difficult Are VA Mental Health Claims?

0:00 Introduction
0:47 What does the VA consider a mental illness that can be rated?
1:24 Are there any mental health disorders the VA does not grant benefits for?
1:56 What evidence is helpful for a VA mental health claim?
4:15 How do VA C&P Exams work for mental health claims?
7:12 What if a veteran had a pre-existing mental health condition before service?
8:05 What if you had trauma that happened before service? Can you get benefits for aggravation?
8:47 How do VA ratings work if you were hospitalized?
9:30 Can you get permanent and total ratings for mental health conditions?
10:24 What is a GAF score?
11:36 How are Traumatic Brain Injuries rated? How are TBIs rated?
12:03 What are common issues with mental health claims?

Speakers
Natalia Jofre - COO
Melanie Williams – Attorney

[makaiokalahama]

I have a question... my Psych put a disclaimer in my file to prevent me from being able to use my diagnosis for filing a claim:

**The listed diagnosis is based solely on the veteran's self-report of symptoms. The clinical assessment that led to this diagnosis did not include any measure of potential response bias, a review of the veteran's claims file, or a review of other collateral sources. The assessment results and diagnosis documented in this note is for treatment purposes only and should not be used to make legal decisions, such as VA Compensation and Pension determinations.**

Can they do this??!? I don't know what to do now.
I've spoken with multiple other veterans who are service-connected mental health, along with multiple VSOs, and none of them have seen or heard of this happening. The VSO said a claim would be dead on arrival with that being in my file. What do I do.??

[agentstarling]

You always have top notch accurate information! Thank you and happy holidays!

[jarhead]

I have an appeal waiting for a hearing before the Board of Veteran Appeals. The appeal was filed timely. I am trying to retain your firm to represent me. I cannot manage this claim on my own and it has been open since 2012. I was denied service connection for migraine headaches, Sleep Apnea, and Tinnitus. I was granted one claim but it did not have the right effective date. I have complaints of headaches in my SMR. I also had a screening ECG in my SMR that showed I have right ventricular hypertrophy which I feel is related to my sleep apnea.

[timgreen]

So I was recently diagnosed with GAD and MDD. I have 2 or 3 events that brought this on while deployed. Do I list all 3? Or is it fine to just concentrate on one event, do I file secondary to tinnitus which I have 10% for now

[richardhogeland]

What information do buddy letters need to include, any of the writer's information, does VA ever try to contact this person

[derrickbatts]

I’m attempting to file for mental health but I been out the army since 2013. Do you guys offer additional assistance?

[SemperShock]

I am going in tomorrow… my buddy who is 100% disabled and who was in my company during OIF just told me to be honest because he said I definitely have PTSD for what we went through. Tell him everything we went through and the stuff we saw & had to witness. But I’m still preparing myself before I go in. Thank you

[davidkilby]

Rated at 30% for depression. During my last few years in the Marine Corps, my ex was very abusive and was subsequently arrested. Should I use this information to increase my depression rating or for ptsd. According to myhealthevet, I am diagnosed with ptsd

[CMMart]

Is okay to take handwritten notes with you or should you try to rehearse only from memory?

[ronaldgillette]

If you have tinnitus can you get a rating cause it driving you crazy?

[dretseljohnson]

Outstanding informative thumbs Up 👆 video 🌟. Thank you very much for the knowledge 😀

[drewg]

I have one rating with the va in which I am rated at 70% (mental health) if I file for an increase and get 100% will I automatically be tdiu? Since by definition 100% mental health disability means total social and occupational impairment

[viloladixtion]

Melody Williams I was married to a serviced connection vet.He threatened my life several times .He had several guns and kept them cleaned out everyweek.Crulity to me, tell

[RokineMLG]

Hello. I’m feeling very discouraged with my claim. I’m filing this week and I submitted for PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Adjustment disorder, tinnitus and insomnia. I included a statement describing all of my symptoms as well as 3 other statements: 1 from a psychologist I’ve been seeing where he states that in his clinical opinion, the symptoms I’ve displayed are indicative of major depressive disorder and PTSD as a result of numerous negative service related experiences, a statement from my mom that gives a heartbreaking account for my severe shift in psychological health during my service and my girlfriend who attests to my emotional unavailable, night terrors, inability to empathize, sleep correctly or find joy in my day to day life. Do you think these things would be enough to actually get rated what I deserve? Everybody else I served with experienced the same traumatizing circumstances in the military and got rated at 100% for mental health alone.

[ze_german]

20 years ago I was sexually assaulted by another man who was senior to me in rank and when I brought it up to my command, I was laughed at and made fun of. There is no official record of it but it was the beginning of a series of a very traumatic event that escalated to what I believe to have PTSD and I have yet to file any claim because I was ashamed to talk about this but want to start taking the necessary steps to file a claim. I am still afraid that the VA will simply laugh at my concerns and black list me, I don't trust people anymore.

[donaldcorker]

Was stuttering be considered a mental health problem? I stuttered very little before I joined and now it's like I give out a breath trying to talk some days.

[dwaynejones]

Excellent Information! Could you refer me to another excellent lawyer or company that can give me insight into Social Security Disability Claims
as I am working on both VA & SSD at the same time & each is similar, but very different. I would appreciate that very much. Your Loyal Subcriber.

[tonyawooten]

Suppose you dont like people, so there is nobody to write a buddy statement because you always wanna be alone.

[ronaldgillette]

Can your wife write a buddy statement?

[josephjones]

Why didn't you seek help because of the social standards of men