When it comes to getting a disability rating for alcohol or drug abuse, the VA has strict requirements. Merely taking drugs or having a drink doesn’t qualify as abuse.
Instead, the VA will only award a disability rating for alcohol and other drug abuse when it links to a primary service-connected disability like PTSD.
PTSD
Veterans with PTSD often suffer from physical symptoms as well, including high blood pressure, increased heart rate, muscle tension, joint and back pain, and depression. Many also use alcohol and prescription drugs to self-medicate. If your PTSD causes you to be unable to work, you may be eligible for 100 percent PTSD disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
To prove service connection for your PTSD, you will need medical records that detail your PTSD symptoms and show how they interfere with your daily life. You will also need evidence that a stressor event occurred. That evidence can include a C&P examiner’s testimony that you were exposed to a specific stressor, a mortar attack on the base. You will also need buddy statements that corroborate the stressor event.
The evaluation for PTSD with alcohol use disorder VA rating involves assessing the combined effects of both conditions on a veteran’s mental health, functionality, and overall well-being, considering the complexities that arise from their interaction.
Many times, the VA misunderstands or misreads a veteran’s symptoms or fails to consider all available evidence properly. This is why it’s essential to have an attorney review your claims file and request any relevant records.
Alcoholism
Veterans struggling with PTSD often struggle with alcoholism or other forms of substance abuse. This is because mental health disorders can cause a veteran to seek coping mechanisms, like drinking, that lead to addiction and substance use disorder.
A comorbid diagnosis of PTSD and alcoholism may be enough to meet the service connection requirements for a rating increase for a secondary disability. However, the VA will only grant a service connection for a secondary condition if there is a medical nexus between the disorder and your military service. The VA will not award a secondary alcohol and drug use disorder rating for someone who drinks to excess or abuses drugs on occasion. It must be an ongoing problem that negatively affects your life.
The PTSD severity rating determines how much disability compensation you receive per month, as well as other benefits. The higher the PTSD severity rating, the more bonus you receive and access to extensive healthcare benefits.
Secondary Conditions
Veterans who struggle with PTSD often also struggle with alcoholism. Depending on the severity and impact of their symptoms, these individuals may receive disability ratings that qualify them for financial assistance to help cover costs related to treatment.
The rating process for PTSD considers several factors, including the intensity of intrusive thoughts and nightmares, hyperarousal, avoidance behaviors, and other effects on social and occupational functioning. The duration and frequency of a veteran’s symptoms are also assessed to determine the extent of their impairment.
A rating of 70% or higher is usually awarded for a co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder. These ratings allow veterans to access additional healthcare and treatment services for their conditions while ensuring they receive the compensation they deserve. For many, these funds are essential to getting the care they need. It is vital to work with a provider that understands the link between mental health and substance abuse. This is especially important since alcohol and other drugs are commonly used as a coping mechanism for mental health disorders like PTSD.
Willful Misconduct
Most psychiatric treatment providers working with veterans who have co-occurring disorders understand that the use of drugs and alcohol is often a coping mechanism to address another disease. Therefore, a veteran needs to be able to show that their substance abuse is not the result of willful misconduct but rather the result of a mental health disorder.
Unfortunately, the VA will not grant a disability rating based on alcohol or drug abuse if it is found that the alcohol or drug abuse was due to the veteran’s willful misconduct. Willful misconduct is defined as knowingly engaging in conduct you know or should know is prohibited without caring about the consequences.
This is a deficient standard of proof and isn’t easy to overcome. The right attorney who understands these issues and can help you navigate the VA appeals process is vital to your success.
