A PTSD rating of 0% means that your symptoms are present but are not severe enough to impact your social and occupational functioning. This rating is usually awarded to Veterans who have a combination of PTSD and service-connected TBI.
Many veterans downplay their PTSD symptoms during the C&P exam, leading to lower ratings than they deserve. Fortunately, you can often change your rating by collecting and presenting new medical evidence.
Severity
A PTSD rating is based on the severity of your symptoms. The VA uses its rating schedule to determine your disability percentage, which dictates the monthly amount you receive for your condition. Also, the PTSD compensation chart outlines the varying levels of benefits provided to individuals based on the severity of their post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and their impact on daily life.
A 10% rating means that you have a PTSD diagnosis, but your symptoms are only sporadic, or they can be controlled with medication. A 30% rating means that your PTSD symptoms are more frequent and interfere with occupational and social functioning, but you can still function at a satisfactory level.
A 50% rating is when PTSD symptoms become more frequent and severe. This includes a passive outlook, difficulty concentrating or completing work tasks, memory problems, and confusion when reading or following instructions. If you reach a 70% rating, your PTSD symptoms have likely made keeping a job impossible. You may also have trouble maintaining healthy relationships. A 100% rating is rare, but it signifies that you cannot work and are not able to maintain meaningful social interactions.
Frequency
Unlike some disabilities, where you need to exhibit all symptoms of the rating level to receive that rating, veterans who have PTSD can qualify for a higher rating based on only some of their symptoms. This is especially true if the severity of their symptoms and how they impact them daily are reflected in the medical and other evidence of record.
A 10% PTSD rating reflects the most mild symptoms that affect your life in small ways, such as sporadic panic attacks or the lingering effects of medication. A 30% rating means your PTSD symptoms are more frequent but manageable. This is the threshold where you can receive a significant disability benefit if you cannot work.
A 70% rating shows that your PTSD symptoms are nearly constant and interfere with every area of your life. At this point, you should file for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) to receive additional compensation for your PTSD symptoms.
Duration
VA disability ratings determine how long a veteran can work and how much tax-free compensation they are eligible to receive. This rating system is critical for veterans to maintain adequate financial support and access to essential medical treatment.
A 100% rating means that the severity of a veteran’s symptoms prevents them from maintaining meaningful occupational and social relationships. This level of impairment is often the result of severe PTSD symptoms such as suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, delusions, gross thought, and memory impairments, disorientation, difficulty maintaining social connections, self-neglect, emotional outbursts, and irrational anger, obsessive focus on rituals, impulsive behavior, and an inability to manage stressful situations.
The process of determining a veteran’s PTSD rating takes into account the severity and duration of their symptoms. During this process, family members and friends are often interviewed to understand how veterans’ symptoms affect their lives. This collaboration helps create a more holistic picture of veterans’ symptoms and their impact on their ability to work and live.
Impact on Employment
If your PTSD symptoms are disabling, you may qualify for disability payments. However, the amount you receive depends on the severity of your symptoms and how they affect your life. This means you should be honest with the VA examiner and try to explain how your PTSD symptoms make work difficult for you.
For example, suppose you have trouble staying focused at work because of recurring nightmares and suicidal thoughts. In that case, you should explain how these symptoms cause significant impairment in your ability to hold down a job. You can also discuss how sights, sounds, and other environmental cues trigger the symptoms.
Remember, a rating of 10% indicates your PTSD symptoms are sporadic or controlled with medication. Symptoms in this category can still interfere with occupational and social functioning, but you can function in most jobs.
