VA PTSD Disability: The Complete Guide
PTSD is one of the most claimed — and most misunderstood — VA disabilities. This guide covers everything: how PTSD claims are evaluated, the rating criteria, what the C&P exam looks like, special evidentiary rules, secondary conditions, and how to build the strongest possible case.
How PTSD Claims Are Different
PTSD claims follow different rules than most other VA disability claims. Under 38 CFR § 3.304(f), the VA recognizes that the nature of PTSD — rooted in traumatic events that are often chaotic, violent, and poorly documented — requires a more flexible evidentiary standard. Understanding these special rules is the difference between a grant and a denial.
Unlike a knee injury where you need a sick call record, PTSD claims can be supported with lay evidence alone in many cases. The VA has carved out specific pathways depending on how your PTSD developed — combat, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), fear of hostile military activity, or other stressor events.
PTSD Is Rated Under the Same Criteria as All Mental Health Conditions
Whether your diagnosis is PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or adjustment disorder — the VA rates all mental health conditions under the same schedule: 38 CFR § 4.130, Diagnostic Code 9411 for PTSD. The rating depends on the level of occupational and social impairment, not the diagnosis itself.
The Four Stressor Categories: Know Your Path
The VA divides PTSD stressor verification into four categories. Each category has different evidentiary requirements. Knowing which category applies to you determines what evidence you need — and what evidence the VA is not expected to require from you.
Combat-Related Stressor
If you engaged in combat with the enemy and your stressor is related to that combat, the VA must accept your lay testimony as sufficient proof of the stressor — no corroborating records required. Your DD-214 showing a Combat Action Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, or similar combat indicator is usually enough. Even without a combat award, deployment records placing you in an active combat zone can satisfy this standard.
Fear of Hostile Military or Terrorist Activity
Under the 2010 stressor liberalization rule, if your PTSD is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirms the stressor is adequate to support a PTSD diagnosis, your lay statement is sufficient. This covers veterans who were in theater but may not have direct combat documentation — convoys, mortar attacks, IED threats, guard duty in hostile zones.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
MST-related PTSD has special "marker" evidence rules. The VA recognizes that MST is rarely reported through official channels, so they accept behavioral changes, requests for transfer, performance drops, substance use changes, pregnancy tests, STI tests, and other circumstantial evidence as corroboration. You do not need a police report or official complaint.
Non-Combat Stressor
For stressors that do not fall into the above categories — training accidents, witnessing death or injury outside of combat, natural disasters during service — the VA requires corroborating evidence that the stressor actually occurred. This can include service records, news reports, unit histories, buddy statements, or official incident documentation.
The VA Is Not Expected to Deny Based on Missing Records Alone
Under Buchanan v. Nicholson and Jandreau v. Nicholson, the absence of contemporaneous records does not automatically make your testimony incredible. If your stressor category allows lay evidence, the VA must evaluate the credibility and consistency of your statements — a denial based solely on the absence of a paper trail from 20 years ago is generally not well-supported.
PTSD Rating Criteria: How the VA Assigns Your Percentage
All mental health conditions, including PTSD, are rated under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (38 CFR § 4.130). The VA evaluates your level of occupational and social impairment — not the severity of your symptoms in isolation. The key question is: how much do your symptoms interfere with your ability to work and maintain relationships?
Diagnosed but Symptoms Not Severe Enough
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. This rating acknowledges the diagnosis but provides no compensation.
Mild Impairment with Medication
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
Occasional Decrease in Work Efficiency
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily). Symptoms may include depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, and mild memory loss (forgetting names, directions, recent events).
Reduced Reliability and Productivity
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.
Deficiencies in Most Areas
Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas — work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. Symptoms may include suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech that is intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently; impaired impulse control (unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
Total Occupational and Social Impairment
Total occupational and social impairment due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintaining minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.
The Symptom Lists Are Not Exhaustive
Under Mauerhan v. Principi, 16 Vet. App. 436 (2002), the CAVC ruled that the symptoms listed for each rating level are examples, not requirements. A veteran does not need to demonstrate every symptom listed at a rating level to qualify for that rating. The overall level of impairment is what matters. If your combination of symptoms causes 70%-level impairment even though you do not have every listed symptom, you should receive a 70% rating.
The C&P Exam for PTSD: What to Expect
The Compensation and Pension exam for PTSD is a structured clinical interview, typically conducted by a psychologist or psychiatrist. This is not therapy — this is a forensic evaluation where the examiner is assessing the severity and frequency of your symptoms, and whether they meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The entire exam is designed around the rating criteria above.
What the Examiner Will Evaluate
- Stressor verification: The examiner will ask about your traumatic event(s). For combat veterans, they will confirm your service history aligns. For MST claims, they will look for behavioral markers.
- DSM-5 criteria: Intrusion symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares, distressing memories), avoidance (avoiding people, places, or conversations that trigger memories), negative alterations in cognition and mood (guilt, detachment, inability to feel positive emotions), and arousal/reactivity changes (hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, sleep disturbance, irritability).
- Occupational impairment: How your PTSD affects your ability to work — missed days, conflicts with coworkers, inability to concentrate, being fired or demoted, inability to maintain employment.
- Social impairment: How your PTSD affects relationships — isolation, inability to maintain friendships, marital problems, withdrawal from family, inability to be in crowds.
- Functional impact: Activities of daily living, personal hygiene, ability to manage finances, ability to drive, substance use as coping.
Do This at Your C&P Exam
- Describe your symptoms and functional limitations accurately, including how they affect you during flare-ups and more difficult days — the VA accounts for the full range of your condition
- Be specific about frequency — "nightmares 4-5 times per week" is far more useful than "I have nightmares"
- Explain how symptoms affect work and relationships with concrete examples
- Mention every symptom including ones you might dismiss as minor — hypervigilance, checking locks, scanning rooms, sitting with back to wall
- Bring a written list of your symptoms and their frequency so you do not forget under stress
- Consider having your spouse or family member write a buddy statement about behavioral changes they have witnessed
Do Not Do This
- Avoid understating your condition — phrases like "I'm handling it" or "it could be worse" may result in a rating that does not reflect your actual functional limitations
- Do not exaggerate — examiners are trained to detect inconsistencies, and credibility concerns can weaken your entire claim
- Do not say "fine" or "okay" when asked how you are doing — describe your actual functional limitations
- Do not discuss only the traumatic event and nothing else — the rating is about current impairment, not the event itself
- Do not skip the exam — a missed C&P exam typically results in an automatic denial
Building the Evidence Package: What You Need
A strong PTSD claim is built on layered evidence. The more sources that corroborate your diagnosis and impairment level, the stronger your position. Here is what a complete PTSD evidence package looks like:
Medical Evidence
- Current PTSD diagnosis from a licensed provider: A formal DSM-5 diagnosis from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker. VA treatment records, private treatment records, or a private DBQ all work.
- Treatment records showing ongoing care: Therapy notes, medication management records, and any hospitalization records. Consistent treatment records demonstrate the condition is chronic and ongoing.
- Nexus opinion (if applicable): For non-combat stressors that require corroboration, a medical opinion linking your PTSD to the specific in-service stressor. For combat-related and fear-of-hostile-activity stressors, a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirming the stressor is adequate to support a PTSD diagnosis can satisfy the nexus requirement.
- Private DBQ (Disability Benefits Questionnaire): Having your own psychiatrist or psychologist complete a DBQ for PTSD can be strong evidence. They document your diagnosis, symptoms, frequency, and functional impairment in the exact format the VA uses.
Stressor Evidence
- Stressor statement (VA Form 21-0781): Your detailed, written account of the traumatic event(s). Be specific about who, what, when, where. Include approximate dates, unit information, and locations.
- For MST — VA Form 21-0781a: The separate MST stressor form. Include behavioral markers and secondary evidence.
- Service records: DD-214, deployment orders, unit histories, combat action reports, personnel records showing awards, MOS, and duty stations.
- Buddy statements: Fellow service members who witnessed the stressor event or can attest to your behavioral changes during service.
Impact Evidence
- Personal statement: Your own detailed statement describing how PTSD affects your daily life — work history since service, relationship difficulties, sleep disruption, avoidance behaviors, hypervigilance, substance use, social isolation.
- Spouse/family statements: Letters from people who live with you and witness your symptoms daily. These carry significant weight because they describe what the examiner may not observe in a one-hour appointment.
- Employment records: If you have lost jobs, been written up, or been unable to work due to PTSD symptoms, document it. Performance reviews, termination letters, and gaps in employment all support higher ratings.
PTSD Claim Master Checklist
- Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) submitted to lock in effective date
- Current PTSD diagnosis documented by licensed mental health professional
- Stressor statement completed (VA Form 21-0781 or 21-0781a for MST)
- DD-214 and service records gathered — combat awards, deployment orders, unit history
- Treatment records compiled — VA and/or private therapy notes, medication records
- Private DBQ completed by treating psychiatrist or psychologist (optional but recommended)
- Nexus letter obtained if required for your stressor category
- Personal impact statement written — daily life, work, relationships, sleep, avoidance
- Buddy statements collected — spouse, family, fellow service members
- VA Form 21-526EZ filed with all evidence uploaded
- C&P exam attended — described symptoms accurately including flare-ups, brought written list of symptoms
- C&P exam results reviewed in VA.gov file for accuracy
Secondary Conditions: What PTSD Can Cause
PTSD rarely exists in isolation. Under 38 CFR § 3.310, if a secondary condition is caused or aggravated by your service-connected PTSD, it can also be service-connected. Many veterans are unaware that these downstream conditions may also be compensable. Common secondary conditions include:
Figure: PTSD as a hub of secondary conditions. PTSD rarely stands alone — chronic hyperarousal and stress-hormone dysregulation drive a well-documented cluster of physical and psychiatric conditions, each potentially compensable as a secondary service connection when a nexus opinion links it to service-connected PTSD. "Strong" marks links supported by meta-analyses or large cohorts; "Moderate" marks consistent associations where the literature stops short of firm one-directional causation. Each condition is examined in detail, with its supporting study, in the section below.
Adapted from: Pacella ML, Hruska B, Delahanty DL. "The physical health consequences of PTSD and PTSD symptoms: a meta-analytic review." Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2013;27(1):33–46. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2012.08.004 (PMID 23247200)
Major Depressive Disorder
Depression frequently co-occurs with PTSD. However, under Clemons v. Shinseki, the VA rates all psychiatric conditions together under a single rating — you are generally not awarded separate ratings for PTSD and depression. But a depression diagnosis strengthens your overall mental health rating.
Sleep Apnea
Research shows a strong association between PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep fragmentation from nightmares and hyperarousal can contribute to or worsen sleep apnea. A nexus letter from a sleep specialist linking your sleep apnea to PTSD can support a secondary claim — rated separately at 0%, 30%, 50%, or 100%.
Migraines / Headaches
Chronic headaches and migraines are frequently associated with PTSD, stress, and sleep deprivation. These are rated under DC 8100 at 0%, 10%, 30%, or 50% depending on frequency and severity of prostrating attacks.
Gastrointestinal Conditions (IBS/GERD)
The gut-brain connection is well-documented in medical literature. PTSD-related chronic stress can cause or aggravate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). IBS is rated at 0%, 10%, or 30%. GERD is rated at 10%, 30%, or 60%.
Hypertension
Chronic stress and hyperarousal from PTSD can contribute to high blood pressure. Medical literature increasingly supports the PTSD-hypertension link. A nexus letter citing this research is critical for this secondary claim.
Substance Use Disorder
Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs is extremely common among veterans with PTSD. While substance abuse itself is not directly compensable, conditions caused by substance use that is secondary to PTSD (such as liver disease from alcohol use caused by PTSD) can be service-connected through the secondary chain.
Erectile Dysfunction
PTSD medications (SSRIs/SNRIs) commonly cause sexual dysfunction, and PTSD itself affects intimacy. ED secondary to PTSD or PTSD medication is compensable — typically rated at 0% with Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K) for loss of use of a creative organ.
Bruxism / TMJ
Teeth grinding (bruxism) caused by PTSD-related stress and hyperarousal can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. Dental records documenting teeth grinding and a nexus opinion can support this secondary claim.
The Pyramiding Rule — One Rating per Symptom
Under 38 CFR § 4.14, the VA is not expected to rate the same symptoms under multiple diagnostic codes. All psychiatric symptoms (PTSD, depression, anxiety) are rated together under one mental health rating. But physical conditions secondary to PTSD — sleep apnea, migraines, IBS, hypertension — are rated separately and added to your combined rating.
The Medical Literature Behind Each Secondary Connection
A secondary claim is only as strong as the nexus opinion behind it — and a nexus opinion is strongest when it cites the published research. The connections below rest on peer-reviewed evidence — large meta-analyses, prospective cohorts, and systematic reviews — that you or your physician can cite directly in a nexus letter. Each entry is labeled Strong (large meta-analytic or cohort-level support) or Moderate (a consistent, well-documented association where the literature stops short of firm one-directional causation or describes a bidirectional relationship). Links open the source's full text or PubMed record in a new tab.
Figure: How PTSD becomes physical disease. Sustained trauma-related hyperarousal keeps two stress systems chronically switched on — the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. The resulting flood of cortisol and catecholamines is the shared upstream mechanism behind many of PTSD's secondary conditions, from elevated blood pressure to disrupted sleep, gut–brain dysregulation, and a lowered migraine threshold. A nexus letter that names this mechanism is far harder to dismiss than one that merely asserts two conditions are "related."
Adapted from: Yehuda R. "Status of glucocorticoid alterations in post-traumatic stress disorder." Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2009;1179:56–69. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04979.x (PMID 19906232)
Psychiatric & Neurological
Depression is the single most common comorbidity of PTSD — a meta-analysis of 57 studies found that roughly half of people with PTSD also meet criteria for current major depression, with the rate higher still in military samples. Note that under Clemons v. Shinseki and the pyramiding rule, depression is rated together with PTSD under one mental health rating rather than separately, but documenting it strengthens the overall rating.
Rytwinski NL, et al. J Trauma Stress 2013. Meta-analysis of 57 studies / 6,670 participants (52% co-occurrence) — Wiley.
People with PTSD experience migraine at a markedly higher rate than those without — an association that persists after adjusting for depression. Shared mechanisms include serotonergic dysregulation, chronic autonomic hyperarousal, and central sensitization. Rated under DC 8100 (0%, 10%, 30%, or 50%) based on the frequency of prostrating attacks.
Nitsche, et al. Headache 2026. Systematic review of the PTSD–migraine association — Wiley.
Sleep & Cardiometabolic
PTSD-driven sympathetic hyperarousal, sleep fragmentation, and disrupted REM sleep raise the risk and severity of OSA. A meta-analysis found a pooled OSA prevalence of 75.7% (AHI ≥ 5) among PTSD patients, with veterans affected at higher rates than civilians. Rated separately under DC 6847. See the dedicated Sleep Apnea guide for the full evidence package.
Zhang Y, Weed JG, Ren R, et al. Sleep Med 2017. Meta-analysis of 12 studies (pooled OSA prevalence 75.7%) — PubMed.
Chronic hyperarousal with sustained sympathetic and HPA-axis activation elevates blood pressure. Prospective cohorts show a dose-response increase in incident hypertension among those with more PTSD symptoms, and a large VA registry study found that PTSD treatment attenuates the added risk — supporting the causal direction.
Sumner JA, et al. Psychol Med 2016. Nurses' Health Study II — 47,514 women followed 22 years — PMC full text.
Gastrointestinal
Through dysregulation of the gut–brain axis, PTSD substantially raises the odds of IBS; a meta-analysis found roughly threefold higher odds, and in veteran samples those with PTSD were about 2.7× more likely to have IBS. Rated at 0%, 10%, or 30%.
Ng QX, et al. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019. Systematic review / meta-analysis (8 studies / 648,375 subjects) — PubMed.
PTSD-related autonomic dysregulation, comorbid anxiety, and the side effects of some psychiatric medications are associated with higher rates of reflux disease; veteran studies consistently find GERD more prevalent among those with PTSD, though the literature frames this as a strong association rather than firm one-directional causation.
SAGE Open Medicine 2024. PTSD and gastrointestinal disease in U.S. military veterans — PMC full text.
Behavioral & Medication-Related
The self-medication pathway is the best-supported explanation for the high PTSD–substance use comorbidity; a national epidemiologic survey found about 20% of people with PTSD use alcohol or drugs to relieve symptoms, and self-medication was independently associated with higher odds of suicide attempt. While substance abuse itself is not directly compensable, conditions caused by it (such as alcohol-related liver disease) can be service-connected through the secondary chain.
Leeies M, Pagura J, Sareen J, Bolton JM. Depress Anxiety 2010. NESARC analysis (N = 34,653) — PubMed. Review: Jacobsen LK, et al. Am J Psychiatry 2001.
The SSRIs and SNRIs commonly prescribed for PTSD cause treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction in roughly 70% of patients when clinicians ask directly — far above placebo. ED secondary to PTSD or its medication is compensable, typically at 0% with Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K) for loss of use of a creative organ.
Serretti A, Chiesa A. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2009. Meta-analysis of 31 studies on antidepressant sexual dysfunction — PubMed.
Trauma-related hyperarousal and comorbid anxiety drive teeth grinding (bruxism), which can damage the temporomandibular joint. Patients with severe PTSD show higher rates of painful TMD and awake/sleep bruxism, with one case-control study finding awake bruxism roughly three times more likely in PTSD patients. Self-report is a limitation of much of this literature.
Knibbe W, et al. J Oral Rehabil 2022. Prevalence of painful TMD and bruxism in severe PTSD — PubMed. Case-control (awake bruxism OR 3.38): Clin Oral Investig 2024 — PubMed.
How to Use These Citations
A nexus letter that names a specific study — author, journal, and finding — carries far more weight than a bare assertion that two conditions are "related." Under Nieves-Rodriguez v. Peake, a medical opinion is only as strong as the rationale behind it, and a VA examiner who dismisses a well-supported connection without addressing the literature produces an inadequate opinion you can challenge on appeal. Bring these references to your treating provider and ask them to address the evidence directly in their nexus opinion. Nothing here is medical or legal advice — confirm the current rating criteria and your specific diagnosis with a qualified provider and an accredited representative.
Common Denial Reasons and How to Respond
If your PTSD claim is denied, the denial letter will identify which element is missing. Here are the most common denial reasons and how to address each one on appeal:
"No confirmed stressor event"
What it means: The VA says they were unable to verify your stressor. How to respond: Determine your stressor category. If combat-related or fear-of-hostile-activity, cite 38 CFR § 3.304(f)(2) or (f)(3) — lay evidence is sufficient and no corroboration is required. If MST, submit behavioral markers under § 3.304(f)(5). If none of those apply, submit buddy statements, unit records, deployment orders, or request a JSRRC search to corroborate the event. File a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence.
"No current diagnosis of PTSD"
What it means: The C&P examiner did not find that your symptoms meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD. How to respond: Get a private evaluation from a psychiatrist or psychologist who specializes in PTSD. If you receive a PTSD diagnosis, submit it with a Supplemental Claim. Under Clemons v. Shinseki, the VA must also consider other mental health diagnoses — if you have depression or anxiety related to the same stressor, that claim should still be considered.
"No nexus between current diagnosis and in-service event"
What it means: The examiner said your PTSD exists but is not related to your military service. How to respond: Obtain a private nexus opinion from a qualified mental health professional. The opinion should specifically address the stressor, explain why it is adequate to cause PTSD under DSM-5 criteria, and conclude that it is "at least as likely as not" (50/50 or greater probability) that your PTSD is related to the in-service event. File a Supplemental Claim.
"Under-rated — received 30% but symptoms warrant 70%"
What it means: You were granted service connection but the rating does not reflect your actual impairment level. How to respond: File a Higher-Level Review (HLR) if you believe the rater misapplied the rating criteria. Or file a Supplemental Claim with additional evidence — a detailed personal statement, spouse/family statements describing daily impact, and a private DBQ that specifically addresses the rating criteria for the level you believe is warranted. Cite Mauerhan v. Principi — the symptom list is not exhaustive.
Key Regulations for PTSD Claims
38 CFR § 3.304(f)
The primary regulation governing PTSD service connection. Establishes the stressor verification requirements for each category — combat, fear of hostile activity, MST, and non-combat stressors. This is the regulation you cite when the VA improperly requires corroboration for a combat or MST stressor.
38 CFR § 4.130, DC 9411
The General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Contains the rating criteria for 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% ratings based on level of occupational and social impairment. This is what the C&P examiner and the rater use to determine your percentage.
38 CFR § 3.310
Secondary service connection. The regulation that allows you to claim conditions caused or aggravated by your service-connected PTSD. Cite this when filing secondary claims for sleep apnea, migraines, IBS, hypertension, or other conditions linked to PTSD.
38 CFR § 3.102
The Benefit of the Doubt rule. When the evidence is in approximate balance — roughly 50/50 — the VA must resolve doubt in favor of the veteran. Cite this whenever the VA denies your claim on close evidence.
Key Case Law for PTSD Claims
Mauerhan v. Principi (2002)
The symptoms listed in the rating criteria are not exhaustive. A veteran may qualify for a higher rating even without demonstrating every listed symptom, as long as the overall level of impairment is equivalent.
Clemons v. Shinseki (2009)
A claim for PTSD encompasses all psychiatric diagnoses reasonably raised by the evidence. If you claim PTSD but the examiner diagnoses depression, the VA must still adjudicate the mental health claim — they are expected to consider the depression diagnosis as well — they should not deny PTSD and ignore the depression diagnosis.
Buchanan v. Nicholson (2006)
Lay evidence should not be dismissed solely because it is not corroborated by contemporaneous medical records. The Board must assess the credibility and weight of lay statements on their own merits.
Patton v. West (1999)
In MST cases, the VA must apply heightened sensitivity. The Board must consider evidence of behavioral changes as markers of the stressor event, even when the veteran did not report the MST during service.
PTSD and TDIU: When You Cannot Work
If your PTSD prevents you from holding substantially gainful employment, you may qualify for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) — which pays at the 100% rate even if your combined rating is lower. Many veterans with PTSD rated at 50% or 70% are eligible for TDIU but do not know it.
To qualify for schedular TDIU, you need a single disability rated at 60% or higher, or a combined rating of 70% with at least one disability at 40%. PTSD rated at 70% alone meets the single-disability threshold. If your PTSD prevents you from working, file VA Form 21-8940 along with your claim.
Related Guides on This Site
Build on this guide with: Building a Strong Claim for comprehensive evidence strategy. The C&P Exam Guide for full exam preparation. TDIU Guide if your PTSD prevents you from working. Appeals Guide if your PTSD claim is denied. And The Caluza Triangle to understand service connection at its foundation.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm
Call the Veterans Crisis Line: 988 then press 1 — or text 838255
Free, confidential support 24/7 for veterans and their families.