VA Mental Health Ratings Are Not What Most Veterans Think, Former VA Rater Explains

VA mental health ratings are not always determined the way Veterans think. A lot of Veterans hear bad advice online about PTSD ratings, depression ratings, anxiety ratings, suicidal ideation, 70 percent evaluations, 100 percent evaluations, and whether having a job prevents a Veteran from receiving 100 percent for mental health. In this video, I explain the truth about how VA mental health ratings are really determined, why the DBQ is usually one of the most important pieces of evidence, how the evaluation builder can affect the recommended rating, and why some common advice online is flat-out wrong. I’m a former VA rater, and I’ve also gone through this process myself as a disabled Veteran. My goal is to help Veterans better understand how VA mental health evaluations work so they can read their decisions more clearly, prepare better for exams, and avoid relying on bad information. In this video, you’ll learn: • Why PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, and most other mental health conditions are evaluated under the same general rating formula • Why multiple service-connected mental health diagnoses do not mean multiple separate mental health ratings • Why the mental health DBQ matters so much • How the VA evaluation builder can recommend a rating based on the impairment box and checked symptoms • Why suicidal ideation does not automatically guarantee 70 percent in every case • Why having a job does not automatically prevent a 100 percent mental health rating • Why Veterans should be honest and complete during mental health C&P exams If you are in crisis or feel like you may hurt yourself, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, or go to the nearest emergency room. And real quick, check the pinned comment. I put something there that can help you take a smarter look at your VA claim. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Bad advice about VA mental health ratings 0:56 One mental health rating, even with multiple diagnoses 3:06 Why the DBQ matters so much 3:43 How the evaluation builder works 5:12 The impairment box usually sets the floor 5:26 Checked symptoms can raise the recommendation 6:14 Suicidal ideation and the 70% myth 7:14 The truth about 100% mental health ratings 7:47 The 70% box can still lead to 100% 8:16 Can you work and still get 100%? 8:40 Why 100% covers different levels of impairment 10:20 What to explain at your mental health exam 11:29 Do not exaggerate, but do not minimize 12:10 Review your decision if the rating seems too low 12:57 How VA exams affect your rating 🎯 NEXT VIDEO TO WATCH: The mental health DBQ can have a major impact on your rating, and that starts with the C&P exam. Watch this next to understand what happens during VA exams and why those exams can make or break a VA claim:    • VA C&P Exam: Good or Bad for Your Claim?   🛠 TOOLS I USE TO MAKE THESE VIDEOS: Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. Check the link below if you’re interested in the tools I use: https://bit.ly/SgtRaterTools 🎵 MUSIC ATTRIBUTION: Cylinder Five by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/cylinders/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This channel provides general educational information based on experience as a former VA rater. I am not an accredited claims agent, attorney, or VSO, and this is not individual claim advice. #VADisability #VAMentalHealth #VARating #Veterans #VAClaims