My PTSD feels like it's getting worse so why is the VA still keeping me at 30%?
1 Answer
It’s completely understandable to feel frustrated when your symptoms are getting heavier but your rating hasn’t moved. The VA doesn’t rate PTSD based on the diagnosis alone̶ they rate the *functional impact* of your symptoms on your daily life. That means they look closely at how PTSD affects your ability to work, maintain relationships, manage stress, sleep consistently, and carry out basic responsibilities. If your medical records don’t clearly document these impairments̶even if you're truly experiencing them̶ the VA often keeps the same rating. This is a documentation issue, not a credibility issue. Many veterans downplay their symptoms in treatment or only talk about them during flare-ups, which leads to incomplete records. A well-documented pattern of worsening function is what usually moves the rating upward.
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