ptsd Can You Still Work And Be 100% Sc

[flyfisher]

Can you still be working and have a 100% service connection for PTSD? What types of issues do I need to document to obtain 100% if I am still working?

[Pete53]

If you are 100% for MH and can work than they did not rate you correctly. That is my opinon.

Just cause you are 100% does not mean that you don't want to work it is you will not be able to maintain a job most likely.

We go through this many times and I consider it bad advise to tell a Veteran that is rated 100% for a Mental Disability that they can work.

There are exceptions like the VA seems to overlook 100% Veterans who are service officers and get paid.

[Testvet]

every few months this subject poops up and the same answers are given and nothing changes

if you are TDIU or 100% for mental health then you are NOT supposed to be employable regardless of the work door greeter, letter carrier, senator, etc when Max Cleland was head of the VA and a Senator he was rated only on physical conditions, he went public about 6 years ago after he was voted out of office that he went to the VA for mental health for PTSD and went public with the news. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on the news every day did to him what it did to many other veterans of past wars it woke his demons.

If the VA has rated a veteran at 100% for mental health then the veteran is not supposed to be working and then some will pipe up and claim that as long as what the veteran is earning is less than poverty level it doesn't matter well if the VA gets a W2 or a 1099 showing earned income will they stop and check into the sutation before or after they reduce the benefits? How long before the appeal gets heard and the benefits get restarted if they do? How many car payments or house payments can you risk missing before they start repossession or foreclosure? Is the stress of worrying about this worth a few extra dollars a month, most disabled vets are getting VA comp at 2700 or more a month and 1000 a month SSD most of us rated at 100% pay no property taxes, or income taxes

Do what you want and know that "legally" maybe you can earn 6 or 8000 a year om top of those benefits but we have also seen the VA stick it to vets that have worked and they have ended up in a mess and a huge fight with the VA

I don't know about anyone else but it took me to many YEARS of appeals and denials to get 100% P&ampT to risk losing it for a few dollars more that puts my home, my families security at risk and leaves me to worrying about if the VA is going to cause problems if I get caught "working" I am also 100% for heart disease so even if I wanted to work I can't, I am end stage heart failure they say the life expectancy is 12 months but that is an average I am at 15 months since I was diagnosed with heart failure in April 2011

all, of us here are grown do what YOU want but you are risking a lot of problems working with a TDIU or a 100% schedular rating for a mental health issue PTSD or any other one

if you are only physically disabled and rated 100% schedular work all you want make 7.25 an hour or make a million a year that is legal and has no restrictions these rules only affect mental health ratings

Edited July 22, 2012 by Testvet

[broncovet]

I have not seen this "tested" in court, BUT I agree with Test. The rating schedule, as Carlie Pointed out, for 100% for mental disorders says

"Total Occupational Impairment". By definition, if you were employed, you would not be TOTALLY occupationallly impaired.

Still, the point is that it is based on "average impairment" and, it is possible or even likely for some to "overcome impairments" and achieve employment.

All this being said, I agree with Test, in that "Do you want to be a " VA court case test guinnea pig" for the VA lawyers to ring you around the ringer so that the VA can reduce compensation for all Vets who are 100% for mental and working? No thank you..I have been wrung around the VA ringer enough for 10 years and that is enough for me to know that I dont want any more of that.

Even if you did win in court, do you want to go without income for 10 years while you are fighting them, like many of us did in the past, reminding you that you are probably less healthy now than you were 10 years ago.

You could probably get away with a "passive" income such as investment income. Some Vets have won 6 figure Retros, and a few of these, at least, have not squandered the entire retro and have invested it instead. I really dont think the VA could reduce you because you had investement income, even if you bought a business and had your son in law run it and enjoyed a profit from this. VA compensation is not "needs based" like pension, so this does not preclude investment income, IMHO.

[tanker2]

if you are able and want to do some work even if you receive no pay in terms of $$....helping out around the church....vets groups..etc..may get some pay back from relief

of stress................best of luck and wishing you the best...FLY

[free_spirit_etc]

Can you still be working and have a 100% service connection for PTSD? What types of issues do I need to document to obtain 100% if I am still working?

Your question sounds like you aren't asking if you can start working if you are 100% PTSD - but that you want to know if you can get 100% PTSD while you are still working.

Based on the answers already posted, I imagine you can tell that the answer is no - You won't be granted 100% while you are still working.

As far as your questions about what issues you need to document to obtain 100% while you are still working - no one can probably help you much with that one.

But I am sure you can get lots of tips on this forum concerning what you need to document for a PTSD claim - and what kinds of things you can do now to protect your entitlement to increased benefits in the event you can no longer work.

[john999]

You can make all the passive income you like just not earned income if you are 100% for a mental condition like PTSD. If you have to pay SSA it is not passive income. Investment income like buying and selling stock is not affected by VA compensation. I have been doing it for 11 years with no problems. I am TDIU so I get checked I assume. The best thing to do is just to be smart with your money. Live debt free and build and keep an emergency fund and won't get an ulcer.

John