New Requirements to Acquire VA Disability for PTSD

11/25/2025 | Ducttape45

[Bulwyf]

I see it’s just as much as a pain there as Canada. I’ve had so much fun with those types. Eventually I let a company called veteran farmer help out. They’re good at navigating all the mumbo jumbo etc. I wonder if there’s something similar there?

[Tacrolimus1mg]

The DSM is very commonly used as a reference - this is not new.

People say they want government-run healthcare without knowing what a PITA it is. The VA is an amazing example.

[real saxophonist]

Sort of an aside, my tagline used to say:

Hoplophobia will never be in the DSM, because the DSM is written by hoplophobes.

[KitJ]

I’ve had good experiences with Disabled American Vets (DAV) helping me with claims.

I’m currently working with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) as my advocate for increasing some orthopedic issue ratings that have gotten worse over time. (note - WWP seems to only serve post-911 vets. Not much help for VN or Cold War era vets.).

My biggest issue with VA has been getting disability ratings that are “not service-connected”. 20+ years in the Army in combat arms, heavy vehicles, lots of ‘splodey things, and just under 3 years downrange humping through modern combat on the ground. Not service-connected?!?

I have a hard time understanding how being in a 37-ton Bradley in an accident, rupturing discs, etc., is not “service-connected”.

Ducttape, I have 0% hearing loss and 10% Tinnitus ratings. Both “not service-connected”. I’m on the cusp of needing hearing aids, but not quite yet. All of my close circle of (6) friends are wearing them. I’m the last holdout. Hah.

[KitJ]

"poking the bear"

I'm of the understanding that if someone has been retired for 10 years or longer with rated disabilities, they are not subject to reductions of ratings. The process is designed to weed out those with temporary disabilities. In my case, none of my ratings will ever get better with age.

This might be a newer policy from after 911?

I don't know how this applies to non-retired or medically-retired vets.

[KitJ]

Meet me here: https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4354518/posts?page=44#44

I haven’t worked with VFW or American Legion for claims stuff.

Lifetime member of VFW and DAV.

[KitJ]

Thank you for you long service to Veterans.

[Owen]

My understanding is any new claim filed, for new injury or increase in rating, opens the entire array of the veteran’s injuries to re-evaluation.

I have not heard of any of these being a new C/P exam. Just a re-evaluation of current disabilities under current guidelines. (Note Tinnitus has been or will soon be evaluated differently than in the past. There are details online.)

But mostly what you’re thinking about is the 10 yr rule and 55 yrs old rule. Those conditions preclude “routine re-examination for re-evaluation) and a new scheduled C/P exam. They do NOT preclude re-visiting your entire file if a new claim is filed.

[Owen]

Your phrasing is a problem. You can have hearing loss, declared service connected, but 0% because not sufficiently severe.

You said you have 10% tinnitus and not service connected. This is not possible. You can’t get 10% assigned unless it is service connected. You get nothing assigned for anything unless there is “a current diagnosis, evidence of the injury occurring on active duty, a nexus by a med professional concluding that the current diagnosis is at least as likely as not to exist because of active duty service.”

So you can’t have 10% rating for tinnitus unless it is service connected. If it was not service connected, there would be nothing.

[KitJ]

How would you characterize your experience in service? Any PTSD? Nightmares? Flashbacks?

I sincerely respect your father’s service. Holy Moses! There are not many who have ribbons from all three of those wars. Really an amazing Patriot.

Your uncle too. Merchant Marine was no joke in those times. I had a relative that lied about his age (15) in WWII, the Navy turned him down but the Merchant Marine signed him on. He did three dangerous years in the Pacific Theater. Crazy times.

You do admit there are some really screwed up folks that come back with PTSD, right?

It’s too bad that veterans of previous generations didn’t get help for their ailments. Seeing a psych or a shrink or even a counselor before the early oughts was a no-go. Up through the early 2000s and even after, if you had issues, you could never admit it. You security clearance would be pulled, and you would be re-assigned to handing towels out at the post gym.

In so many cases through decades, the solution was to just suicide. Whether through drugs or alcohol, fast cars, gambling, motorcycles, or just painting the Sisteen Chapel on your ceiling with a shotgun.

Times have changed and mental health care is much improved these days. The old stigmas are gone, thankfully.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“No, there is no one locally who is capable. ”

That stinks .

Alright Freepers, who can help this guy? Someone has certainly been through this process yourself or a family member.
Ideas from those who have done it?

[KitJ]

You are absolutely correct, sir. I stand corrected.

I had to go back and check my files. The 10% Tinnitus rating IS service-connected. I was going by faulty memory.

BTW, that word pronunciation confounds me. I’ve heard it pronounced “Tin-it-us” and “Tin-nye-tus”. I tend to use the latter.

Thanks for your correction.

[Owen]

Don’t think I knew the pronunciation until I heard it a bunch of times. Tin eye tus, and I certainly have heard the other, too.

[KitJ]

I’ll try and clarify that 10/55 rule with some research and contacts.

The “periodic re-examinations” went out the window years ago, I think. I’ve never been subject to those in the past 15 years. Like I said, none of my ratings will ever get better. Whether through physical therapy or even surgery. I’m not worried about downgrades.

I am retired, and don’t know how disability claims work for those Vets who were in a few a years, and discharged with medical claims.

I have a friend who was a Vietnam-era sailor that completely screwed up his back forever getting tossed off a gun-deck on a detstroyer backwards in high seas. He was medicaled-out and denied disability then. Through encouragement of friends, and with DAV support, he finally filed for disability a few years ago and got some. Maybe 20%, no back-dating.

Another friend was a Marine cop in VN and just got 100% last year after being 70% or so for decades. His breathing is not so well after burn pits and agent orange, decades later. Full time oxygen.

In my experience, the VA under republican presidents is much more streamlined than under democrats. It’s a difference between months and years for adjudication. (same thing with ATF, but that’s another story).

I love Trump!

[Owen]

Many ratings need not be concerned. They won’t get better. But I may not have been clear.

Some injuries can be re-evaluated under current guidelines. Those guidelines might not be the guidelines that originally declared the XX%. If a guideline changes, then an injury might no longer qualify.

There are videos on youtubes by guys trying to sell their expertise to vets. The good ones of these paste the paragraph number of whatever document that explains these things.

I noted tinnitus above as proposed (and maybe approved by now) for a guideline change. There are other obstacles to loss, like the reg that says something can’t reduce under 10%. But it gets more and more complicated.

The original poster . . . his healthcare apparently only got approved for use via a 10% tinnitus claim. It would be unwise to chase after another 10% somewhere and risk that original tinnitus 10% because it gets re-evaluated.

[meatloaf]

A friend is an 86 year old Navy vet. Her SS is right under $20,000 per year,

Recently after almost 10 years the VA reviewed her eligibility and where before she had no copay for drugs, now there’s a copay.

SS is the only money she receives.

Any idea why she now has a copay?

[central_va]

What’s her net worth?