Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Veteran Disability Claims
Disability Claims for PTSD work a little differently than other Mental Disorders. PTSD can develop for anyone who experiences or witnesses a traumatic stressor.
Traumatic stressors include exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. You could have experienced it directly, witnessed it occurring to someone else, and or learned about the event happening to a close friend or family member.
For other mental disorders, the VA will look for evidence that those symptoms began during service. For PTSD, the VA will look for evidence that a traumatic stressor occurred during service. Therefore, even if PTSD symptoms were not documented during service, there may be credible evidence that you experienced an in-service traumatic stressor.
PTSD related to MST
PTSD claims related to MST are handled differently than other PTSD claims.
Military sexual trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during military service. Veterans of all genders and from all types of backgrounds have experienced MST.
MST can include these types of experiences:
• Being pressured or coerced to have sex
• Being physically forced to have sex
• Being touched in a sexual way that made you uncomfortable
• Sexual contact without your consent, such as when you were asleep or intoxicated
• Comments about your body or sexual activities that you found threatening
• Sexual advances that you found threatening
MST often goes unreported to understandable feelings of humiliation, shock, emotional pain, worry about being blamed, fear of not being believed, concern about retaliation, and limits of confidentiality. For that reason, the VA has adapted the way they process claims related to MST. The VA offers guidance on direct or indirect evidence you may want to submit. The VA has also identified evidence that may be a marker of trauma.
Markers of trauma include, but are not limited to:
- increased use or abuse of leave without an apparent reason, such as family obligations or family illness
- episodes of depression, panic attacks, or anxiety without identifiable reasons
- visits to a medical or counseling clinic or dispensary without a specific diagnosis or specific ailment
- use of, or increased interest in, pregnancy tests or tests for sexually-transmitted diseases (including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)) around the time of the incident
- sudden requests that the Veteran’s military occupational series or duty assignment be changed without other justification
- changes in performance and performance evaluations
- increased or decreased use of prescription medications
- increased use of over-the-counter medications
- alcohol or drug abuse
- increased disregard for military or civilian authority
- obsessive behavior such as overeating or undereating
- unexplained economic or social behavior changes
- treatment for physical injuries around the time of the claimed trauma, but not reported as a result of the trauma, and/or
- the breakup of a primary relationship.
Independent Medical Exams and Nexus Letters for PTSD
How can Dr. Belanger help?
Avoidance is one of the symptoms of PTSD. That avoidance often causes people to be “defended” against their symptoms. It makes it hard for people with PTSD to recognize the symptoms they experience. That makes PTSD difficult to assess, especially with Veterans, who are used to denying any negative mental health symptoms. Dr. Belanger is skilled at recognizing PTSD that has gone undiagnosed and in helping to uncover the traumatic stressor that led to the PTSD.
Her insight can be crucial to establishing your diagnosis in an IME and linking your PTSD to an in-service stressor. Dr. Belanger can effectively search through your records to locate any markers that would substantiate your claim.
Finally, Dr. Belanger will conduct your assessment in the context of prioritizing your needs and well-being. That means that in addition to providing an assessment that is objective and accurate, your examination will be trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and compassionate.
Read more about what to expect in an exam with Dr. Belanger.
A couple notes from the VA:
The VA has changed how they process claims related to MST.
They’ve improved the specialized training for claim processors. If you previously filed a claim related to MST and they denied it, the VA encourages you to request a decision review. They can review your claim again using a new process.
If you’d like to request a decision review, contact a Veterans Benefits Administration MST outreach coordinator at your local VA regional office.
The VA offers these resources related to MST:
- Free treatment for any physical or mental health conditions related to your experiences of MST. You don’t need to have reported the MST at the time or have other proof that the MST occurred to get care.
- A Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MST coordinator at every VA medical facility. Coordinators serve as a contact person for MST-related issues. They can assist you in accessing care. You can contact the MST Coordinator nearest you.
- MST-related outpatient services at every VA medical center and many VA community-based outpatient clinics. These services include psychological assessment and evaluation, medication evaluation and treatment, and individual and group psychotherapy for mental health conditions associated with MST. Treatment for physical health conditions related to MST is also available.
- MST-related outpatient counseling through VA’s community-based Vet Centers.
- MST-related treatment in VA’s residential (live-in) or inpatient programs for individuals who need more intensive treatment and support.
Beyond MST, a free, secure and private self-help mobile app created specifically to support the health and well-being of people who experienced MST. The app has over 30 specialized tools and other features to help you cope with challenges, manage symptoms, improve quality of life and find hope.