There is a big difference between a rating of 50 or 70 percent and a rating of 100 percent. The main difference is that a 100 percent rating provides much greater benefits.
Severe PTSD can cause significant difficulty in your work and personal life. Many veterans feel that they are totally disabled by it. But, VA only grants them a 50 or 70 percent rating for thier PTSD.
In this article, I will discuss whether it is possible to get a 100 percent rating for PTSD and whether there is more than one way to get that rating.
Can PTSD on its own receive a 100 percent rating from VA?
Yes, but it is very hard. In the Code of Federal Regulations, VA has published the different diagnostic codes and the different rating under each diagnostic code. VA has 6 different rating levels for PTSD:
0%;
10%
30%
50%
70%
100%
Each one of these levels has a different definition. At the 100% level, this is the definition given by VA:
“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 maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.”
The primary part of the definition is “total occupational and social impairment”. So, you are dealing with PTSD at the 100% level which makes it very difficult to function.
This is a difficult standard to prove. While you do not have to demonstrate all of the symptoms listed, the examples of symptoms include being a persistent danger to yourself or others and forgetting your own name or your job. Despite the difficulty with getting to the 100% PTSD rating, I see many veterans who try.
How does that compare to a 50 or 70 percent rating for PTSD?
While the criteria for a 50 or 70 percent rating is still pretty high, it is much less than the 100 percent rating. The 70 percent PTSD rating talks about “occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas…” At the 50 percent level, the definition reads, “occupational and social impairment, with reduced productivity and reliability due to such symptoms as…”
Both the 50 and 70 percent level go on to list examples of symptoms that might qualify you for these ratings. But, the big difference is that we go from “total occupational and social impairment” to essentially partial impairment.
Can a 50 or 70 percent PTSD rating help me get to 100 percent?
Yes. There are a couple of different ways that a 50 or 70 percent PTSD rating might help you get to a 100 percent overall rating.
The first way is by combining your PTSD rating with ratings for other service-connected disabilities. So, you might consider filing for secondary service connection or for an increased ratingUnfortunately, VA math can make this a pretty difficult way to get to a 100 percent rating. But, if you have multiple high ratings you may be able to do it.
Suppose you had a rating of 70 percent for PTSD, another rating of 70 percent for another service connected condition, and a rating of 50 percent for sleep apnea. Between these 3 ratings, you should reach a total rating of 95.5% using VA math which would round up to 100%.
As you can see, that method is pretty difficult since it takes three or more pretty high rated disabilities to get to the 100 percent overall level. Fortunately, you may be able to file for a 100 percent rating using another method which may be slightly easier.
Getting to a 100 percent rating using TDIU (total disability individual unemployability)
TDIU may often be an easier way to prove to VA that you are totally disabled. If your PTSD makes you unemployable but you do not have symptoms that meet VA’s requirements for a 100 percent PTSD rating, then applying for TDIU may be a good option for you. If you qualify for TDIU, you should receive VA benefits at the 100 percent rating level.
TDIU is known as an extra schedular rating. In other words, VA has the schedule in the Code of Federal Regulations which defines particular ratings for particular conditions. But, TDIU allows VA to grant a rating above the schedule when the service-connected condition or conditions make you unemployable.
There are threshold requirements you have to meet with your ratings to qualify for TDIU. The most common are having at least one condition rated at 60 percent or higher or having a total rating of 70 percent with at least one condition rated at 40 percent or higher. If you want, you can learn more about TDIU by reading this article.
The important takeaway is that you do not necessarily have to get a 100 percent scheduler rating for PTSD to get a 100 percent rating. Using a different approach may allow you to get the same result even if your PTSD does not fit into VA’s definition of a 100 percent rating.
Travis Studdard is an attorney who focuses on representing veterans in VA disability compensation claims. He regularly writes about issues that are important to veterans and their families.
You can subscribe to his Veterans Disability channel on YouTube.
I highly recommend Travis and his team. From start to finish, the communication and professionalism were outstanding. Jessica was absolutely amazing — responsive, knowledgeable, patient, and always willing to help answer questions and keep me informed throughout the process.
Travis was also excellent and made me feel confident that I was in good hands. Their entire office treated me with respect and care, and I truly appreciate everything they did for me. If you’re looking for an attorney and legal team that genuinely cares about their clients, I would definitely recommend them.Carlos Thornton
Travis Studdard and his team were always professional and from intake to case resolution, they were extremely pleasant to work with. After working closely with them for roughly six years, they successfully appealed my sleep apnea claim with the VA. At times I thought about giving up, but it was their diligence and confidence in their approach that gave me the ability sustain. There were no surprises, they led me by hand every step of the way. My family and I are truly appreciative for their great work. His team truly cares and it shows. They will fight to the end for veterans. I couldn't be happier with the results.James
I had the pleasure to be helped by Travis and his team on my VA disability claim. They know what they are doing, and I would definitely work with them again. I recommend them to any veteran that has a wrongfully denied claim with the VA...Joel Onomo
Travis and his team helped me get my case done when I couldn't get it done by myself.Everything went much faster and better than I expected.I highly recommend his team for any veteran trying to get a claim processed. Norman Scott,U.S.Army veteranNorman Scott
Jason Perkins and his team are so kind, knowledgable and helpful. They were thorough with all my legal needs and made sure my medical needs were taken care of financially. What I most appreciate is that he was always very clear about what was best for my case, but he also always told me I needed to do what was best for me, both mentally and physically. He was always available to answer questions, made sure I understood, and was willing to let me make decisions regarding my case. His ethics are beyond reproach. He would not take a percentage of a payment he did not help me receive. You can trust him. He always made it clear that my mental and physical well-being were more important than any part of my case. Then he would explain what would be best for the case and why, and allow me time to decide. Being in the Worker's Compensation system was an incredibly demeaning experience. I am a strong, educated woman, but when everyone in a system tells you that you are not worthy of the care you have received your entire life, and you instantly become less than to many of those who are suppose to be caring for you, it would weigh on anyone. I am so thankful I had Jason and his team fighting for me, getting me things I never would have imagined would be denied, like a second opinion before surgery, or physical therapy instead of opioids. I cannot imagine trying to handle this experience by myself.Andri Pilgrim
Would definitely recommend 10/10! The team was super helpful through the entire process, and always were available for questions anytime I needed. Always quick to respond, and we’re always sweet and professional!Haley Nicole
Perkins Studdard LLC has been wonderful to work with from the first day through the final journey. They were prompt in requesting the information from me so they could appeal my claim with the VA. I had exhausted all means trying but they were able to get me to 100%. I would "HIGHLY" recommend using them if you are having difficulty getting anywhere with the VA.Mike Black
When i found this law firm I was going through a hard time not just with the VA but mentally as well. And after i hard denial i reached out to Travis and let me just say that was the best decision of my life. From the first call i knew i had made the right decision they are nothing short of amazing. Shoutout to Jessica and Chandler they both helped ease my stress and make the process so smooth it felt really good to be heard. My only mistake was not reaching out to them sooner. Thank you all so very muchRilesia Singleton
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I understand you want your VA claim to be done as quickly as possible. But remember the ultimate goal – to win your VA disability compensation claim.
You may eventually get there on your own, but it may be after a series of decisions by the Regional Office and Board of Veterans Appeals. Sometimes claims are appealed and remanded several times, which can cause a claim to drag on for years. If you are interested in avoiding unnecessary delay in your claim and want to do everything you can to maximize your chances of success, it is probably a good idea for you to consult with an accredited veterans disability attorney.
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