Getting Veterans’ Disability Benefits in Orlando for PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is something that many military veterans experience. In some cases, veterans can receive disability compensation for their PTSD. Applying for veterans’ benefits can be a complicated process. To better improve your chances of approval, you need to contact an experienced Orlando veterans’ disability attorney.
At the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A., we have years of experience helping Florida veterans get the disability benefits they deserve. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation to learn more about how we can help.
What Is Considered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
PTSD develops after a very traumatic event that exposes the victim to an event involving death or injury to someone else or learning of a close loved one’s death. People who suffer from PTSD have feelings of helplessness, intense fear and relive the traumatic experience. Victims often try to avoid any stimuli they associate with the trauma. PTSD symptoms will occur for longer than a month and result in significant disruption to their ability to work and engage in social situations.
Identifying Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
People living with PTSD can experience a wide range of symptoms. Some of the more common ones include:
- Repeated memories of the event, regular nightmares, and re-living the event over and over;
- Feeling detached and numb, disinterested in everyday life activities, depressed;
- Not talking to people about the event and trying to avoid any situation that triggers a bad memory; or
- A feeling of always being on high alert all the time and watching for danger.
Finding the Service Connection for PTSD
In order for a veteran to get benefits for PTSD, there needs to be a service connection. Fortunately, the VA has relaxed the requirements on disability benefits related to PTSD. You no longer have to show that the event in question caused your PTSD. This now applies to all veterans who experience fear of terrorist activity and hostile actions, not just combat veterans.
To establish a service connection, you will need to show the following:
- A medical diagnosis of PTSD;
- A statement that talks about the traumatic event and “stressor” that you experienced during your military service;
- How the occurrence of the stressor is consistent with the circumstances of your military service; and
- A medical opinion that your stressor was enough to trigger PTSD from either a psychologist or psychiatrist under contract with the VA or a VA psychiatrist or psychologist.
What Benefits Do You Get for PTSD?
Depending on the circumstances, you will receive a rating based on a graduated scale, such as 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%. If you receive a disability of 0%, it’s because the VA believes you have little to no impairment due to your PTSD. If you have a rating of 10% or higher, you will receive some compensation.
Contact an Orlando Veterans’ Disability Lawyer
If you are a military veteran who has PTSD, you shouldn’t go through it alone. Let the skilled Orlando veterans’ disability lawyers at the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A., help. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation.
https://sheafugate.com/veterans-disability-for-ptsd/
