Mental Health Conditions

Mental Health Conditions VA Benefits Attorney in South Portland, ME

Being a veteran comes with great honor. After all, what is more admirable than serving and being willing to lay down one’s life for one’s country. However, it’s the aftermath of being in service that plagues the veterans most and it’s not just about the physical. Many veterans suffer from mental health conditions caused or exacerbated by service. This is where a mental health conditions VA benefits attorney from South Portland, ME comes in. 

Mental health conditions in veterans call for disability benefits since this can plague their daily lives, making every day a struggle. However, given the uphill battle that veterans face when trying to claim benefits, it would be difficult for them to get compensated. A mental health conditions VA benefits attorney South Portland ME law office Jackson and MacNichol houses can help you or your loved one get a VA claim. 

Trusted Mental Health Conditions VA Benefits Attorney in South Portland, ME

A mental health conditions VA benefits attorney South Portland ME law firm Jackson and MacNichol houses is more than capable of helping you or your veteran loved one claim compensation for a host of conditions, specifically for mental health. An attorney can provide you with legal advice and help you understand the veterans disability calculator and help you determine how much disability compensation you can get. 

Get in touch with a seasoned mental health conditions VA benefits lawyer from Jackson and MacNichol, a South Portland, ME law office. The veteran affairs benefits lawyer is capable of handling your disability case. A lawyer can walk you through the legal process, provide you with legal advice, and offer representation, making for a great attorney client relationship to help you get the compensation you deserve. Schedule an appointment with a mental health conditions VA benefits attorney in South Portland, ME right now. 

Why do I need a Mental Health Conditions VA Benefits Attorney in ME?

If you or a loved one has served the country, you should know that benefits are due for your time in service. Oftentimes, veterans get injured on service or have existing conditions that military service has exacerbated. In this case, it is necessary to evaluate their conditions through a calculator and mental health conditions are no different. However, having a veterans benefits lawyer by your side can greatly help. 

An attorney from Jackson and MacNichol can help you navigate veterans affairs law and ensure that you get the proper kind of compensation. The law firm has offices around the South Portland area and has dedicated 20 years of legal practice to ensuring that veterans get the help that they need. If money is an issue, fret not. Jackson and MacNichol offer free consultations with their VA benefits attorney. 

Get in touch with a mental health conditions VA benefits attorney in South Portland, ME law firm Jackson and MacNichol right now. An attorney can tailor-fit the strategies to your particular needs, explain the legal procedure involved, and help you better understand concepts such as the disability calculator, all to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Schedule an appointment right now. 

What are Mental Health Conditions?

Apart from back injuries and head injuries, mental health is common condition veterans face during or after service. Usual mental health conditions veterans face include PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression. It could take years before these conditions fully manifest themselves, even if these were acquired during service. Other mental health conditions include substance abuse and military sexual trauma. 

Mental health issues can be extremely debilitating and can hinder the veteran from living their lives fully. The claims system can be extremely complicated to handle, so enlisting an attorney’s help is necessary for this situation to help walk the veteran through the entire process. 

How Does the VA Rate Mental Illness?

The veterans affairs have varying diagnostic codes for mental illnesses, including 9411 for PTSD and 9434 for depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the DSM-1V is the basis on which mental health conditions are rated by the VA. The ratings include the following: 

GAF Scores

The Global Assessment of Functional Scale or the GAF is a diagnostic tool which the VA considers or derives scores from in order to determine how severe your mental health issues are and if they are hindering you from functioning properly in everyday situations. These range from 0-100 and the higher your score is the better you can function and the lower it is, the more eligible you are for benefits

%Ratings for Mental Illnesses

VA regulations have a rating for psychiatric conditions that are available in 10% increments from 0 to 100. These ratings provide that mental illnesses will be rated as chronic adjustment disorders. Getting a 0% rating doesn’t provide any payments but it allows eligibility for health care and other benefits. 

What Does Each Rating Mean?

100% Rating: Unable to function in most life settings with inappropriate behaviors such as hallucinations and delusions, being a threat to both self and community, and inability to retain basic information. 

70% Rating: Inability to function in most areas with obsessive behaviors, illogical speech, panic attacks, and depression. Suicidal ideations and impulsivity also fall under this rating. 

50% Rating:  Impairment in social and work settings and lack of productivity due to memory loss, mood disturbances, and poor judgments. One or more panic attacks weekly occurring. 

30% Rating: A bit of trouble functioning socially with inefficiency at work and in performing tasks but still capable of self-care and communication. 

10% Rating: Mild symptoms when under stress. Manageable with medication. 

0% Rating: Very mild symptoms that don’t require medication nor do they interfere with daily functioning. 

How Can I Maximize My Ratings?

There aren’t any guidelines for mental health ratings on certain diagnosis, rather medical evidence on your file will be examined to determine symptoms and limitations before deciding on a rating. It’ll be difficult to predict what kind of rating you might get. While the VA gives low ratings on mental disabilities, here are some that you can do to increase rating: 

• Compensation and Pension Exam.  
• Personal Statement
• Supporting Statements
• Tracking Symptoms
• Criminal Records
• Performance Evaluations
• Increased Ratings

Call our Mental Health Conditions VA Benefits Attorney Now!

In a world where mental health conditions are frequently looked over, it is important if you are a veteran to seek legal assistance when navigating this legal territory. Mental health conditions, mild of severe, deserve a level of care and attention together with compensation that can help make life easier. An attorney from Jackson and MacNichol who is experienced in the field of veteran affairs can walk you through the system and ensure that you get the rightful compensation you deserve.

Schedule an appointment with a South Portland, ME mental health conditions VA benefits attorney right now.