Va Disability For Insomnia Secondary To Ptsd

Know What the VA is Looking For.

Va disability for insomnia secondary to ptsd. VA law is very clear that a Veteran is not entitled to service connection if he does not file a compensation claim for the disability. Tip 3 to your CP Exam for Sleep Apnea. Think Outside the Box. If the causal condition is already service-connected then service connection for insomnia may be granted on a secondary basis.

Back Pain Veterans Disability Benefits. As mentioned above secondary service connection is dependent upon establishing a nexus between the two conditions. Know Your Medical Records in Detail. Many veterans attempt to connect Sleep Apnea Secondary to PTSD.

Anyone whos ever tried to get a good nights sleep while suffering from back pain understands the close connection between ongoing pain and lack of sleep. Dont Have Your Best Day. Secondary service connection is used to provide Veterans with compensation for injuries or illnesses that were caused by a current disability. The problem with this secondary linkage approach between OSA and PTSD is that the medical research is questionable at best and thus I expect more VA denials than approvals.

Additionally insomnia can be caused by chronic pain from other disabilities. Research shows that veterans with PTSD have a higher risk of developing sleep apnea for which they can file a VA claim of secondary service connection. Tip 4 in your Sleep Apnea and PTSD CP exam. For example insomnia is associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression anxiety and PTSD.

How to Prove Your Sleep Apnea is Secondary to Your PTSD. Therefore if veterans are service-connected for PTSD and later develop sleep apnea they may be able to establish secondary service connection. You must have a PTSD disability rating of at least 0. Many veterans will benefit from seeking a VA disability rating for secondary insomnia.

For example as explained below people with PTSD often suffer from issues like sleep apnea erectile dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. For example if you were officially diagnosed with PTSD while you were in the service you may have developed insomnia due to the disorder. Tip 1 for Preparing for your CP Exam for Sleep Apnea as a Secondary Condition to PTSD. In veterans TMJ is often linked to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD and the anxiety and tension associated with this condition.

If you believe you fall into this category you could be eligible to receive TMJ VA disability benefits. In cases of secondary service connection the medical nexus opinion must link a veterans secondary disability to their already service-connected disability. Make sure to have a sleep study conducted and get a diagnosis for sleep apnea. To receive disability benefits you must prove that your sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by your service-connected PTSD.

Other conditions besides depression and chronic pain that are often triggers for insomnia include PTSD and anxiety. The recommended first-line treatment approach in the VADoD Clinical Practice Guideline CPG for PTSD is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia CBT-I when available 21 which is agreeable to the American College of Physicians first-line recommended treatment approach for sleep problems 22 and the VADoD Clinical Practice Guideline CPG for Chronic Insomnia Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea recommendation for treating chronic insomnia 23. How to show your sleep apnea is secondary to your PTSD. For cases where the Veteran did not file for the secondary condition when he filed his Agent Orange claim the effective date for the secondary disability is less clear.

If you can prove that you suffer from a secondary condition related to your service-connected PTSD you may be entitled to additional VA disability compensation.