Common symptoms
- ▸Depressed mood, anxiety, or panic
- ▸Sleep impairment, nightmares, or insomnia
- ▸Difficulty concentrating or remembering
- ▸Social withdrawal or irritability
- ▸Suicidal ideation in severe cases
Common evidence
- ▸DSM-5 diagnosis from a qualified mental-health provider
- ▸VA Form 21-0781 (or 21-0781a for MST) stressor statement
- ▸Lay/buddy statements describing before-and-after changes
- ▸Service personnel and medical records
- ▸C&P exam DBQ for Mental Disorders
Primary service connection examples
- ▸In-service trauma, combat, or stressor event
- ▸Military sexual trauma (MST)
- ▸Documented in-service mental-health treatment
Secondary service connection examples
- ▸Sleep apnea aggravated by the mental-health condition
- ▸Hypertension secondary to chronic stress
- ▸GERD or ED secondary to psychotropic medications
Rating basics
Rated 0/10/30/50/70/100% under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders based on occupational and social impairment. 70% requires deficiencies in most areas (work, school, family, judgment, mood); 100% requires total occupational and social impairment.
Common denial reasons
- ✕Diagnosis from a non-qualified provider
- ✕Stressor not corroborated in service records
- ✕Examiner concludes symptoms don't meet DSM-5 threshold
- ✕No nexus opinion linking condition to service