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📞 988 — then press 1PTSD is one of the most common service-connected disabilities — and one of the most frequently under-claimed. Whether your PTSD stems from combat, military sexual trauma, a training accident, or another in-service event, the VA provides disability compensation, free mental health treatment, and a range of support services. This guide explains everything you need to know to claim what you've earned.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or traumatic event. The VA recognizes PTSD as a service-connected condition when it can be linked to one or more traumatic events during military service.
Common service stressors that can lead to a PTSD claim include:
To receive VA compensation for PTSD, you need to establish three things:
If you served in a combat zone and received a Combat Action Ribbon or similar decoration, you do NOT need to corroborate your stressor with service records. Your statement alone, combined with a PTSD diagnosis, may be sufficient to establish service connection. This is known as the "combat PTSD presumption."
PTSD is rated under VA's General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (38 CFR Part 4, §4.130). Ratings are assigned at 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%.
| Rating | Symptom Level | Monthly Compensation (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | Mild symptoms with occasional decrements in work/social functioning | ~$171/mo |
| 30% | Occasional work/social impairment; depressed mood, anxiety, sleep disturbance | ~$524/mo |
| 50% | Reduced reliability and productivity; panic attacks, impaired memory, difficulty with complex tasks | ~$1,075/mo |
| 70% | Substantial work/social impairment; near-continuous panic, memory loss, suicidal ideation | ~$1,716/mo |
| 100% | Total impairment; persistent delusions, severe memory loss, inability to care for self | ~$3,737/mo |
Veterans with a 70% PTSD rating who cannot maintain substantially gainful employment may qualify for TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) — which pays at the 100% rate even without a 100% schedular rating.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurred during military service. The VA provides free, specialized mental health care to all veterans who report MST — regardless of service-connected status, discharge status, or ability to prove what happened.
MST claims are among the most difficult to file — not because veterans don't qualify, but because MST was historically underreported and official records often don't exist. The VA has specific policies to help:
Every VA facility has an MST coordinator available to help survivors access care and file claims. You can request to work with a female or male provider, and VA law prohibits mandatory reporting — meaning you control what information is shared outside of VA care.
Editorial Standards: This article was written by Marcus J. Webb, a veterans benefits researcher who has studied 38 CFR Part 4, the VA M21-1 Adjudication Manual, and thousands of BVA decisions. Content is verified against current 38 CFR regulations and VA.gov guidance. Last reviewed: April 2026. Not legal advice — for representation on your specific claim, talk to a VA-accredited attorney.
You can also reach the Vet Center Call Center at 1-877-927-8387 for non-crisis peer support from fellow combat veterans.
claim.vet guides you through every step of the PTSD claims process with compassion, clarity, and no jargon. Free for veterans, always.
Get Started — FreeNo. Combat service is not required to file a PTSD claim. PTSD can be service-connected from any traumatic event during military service, including military sexual trauma (MST), training accidents, witnessing serious injury or death, and other stressors. For non-combat PTSD, you'll need to provide a statement describing the stressor and supporting evidence.
The highest rating for PTSD is 100%, assigned when PTSD causes total social and occupational impairment. Veterans with 70% PTSD who cannot maintain gainful employment may qualify for TDIU, which also pays at the 100% compensation rate.
You need: (1) a current PTSD diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional, (2) evidence of an in-service stressor — service records, official reports, or a credible personal statement for MST claims, and (3) a medical nexus connecting your PTSD to the in-service stressor. Buddy statements from fellow service members can also significantly strengthen your claim.
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