Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a debilitating condition that sometimes results from exposure to a traumatic event. This doesn’t happen to everyone, but when it does, the symptoms can be very severe. People with PTSD often re-experience the event in some way, whether through flashbacks, nightmares, or abnormally heightened startle response.
Many things can cause PTSD, including assault, natural disasters, or child abuse. But the condition is often associated with military veterans, in particular, those who have been in combat. Historically, this condition has also been called “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” because of its association with wars and other conflicts.
Disability benefits for veterans suffering from PTSD
PTSD is considered one of the more debilitating psychiatric conditions, with people who develop PTSD from combat often presenting with more severe symptoms. Many have these people become unable to work at some point in their lives, and may apply for disability benefits.
The good news is that PTSD is recognized by the Social Security Administration as a disabling condition. This means that if you’ve been unable to work because of your PTSD symptoms, you may have a better chance of being approved than others.
Qualifying for benefits
Even though a diagnosis of PTSD is serious in itself, the SSA will expect you to meet certain requirements before awarding benefits.
These requirements are, in many ways, the same as the requirements for other conditions. You must have symptoms associated with PTSD, or a related condition, and these symptoms must be severe enough to prevent you from maintaining a normal income.
For example, a person who returns home from a combat zone may experience nightmares are insomnia that quickly degrade their health, making it difficult to hold any job. In another case, PTSD may cause a person to be easily startled and mistrustful of other people. PTSD is often associated with social withdrawal.
In the second case, the person may be able to perform certain jobs, but not others. Depending on the type of work this person performed before developing PTSD, they may qualify for benefits, just like the person who is unable to work at all.
Because of how variable PTSD can be, part of your claim should include a description of your symptoms and how it affects your ability to function at work or other areas of life. This is something you’ll want help with, because it can make or break your case. We want to help you, and we have the experience, so please don’t go through this alone. Contact our offices by phone, email, or text message for a free consultation!