My Claim And Gaf Score, Advice Please

[labonte1000]

Hi I for some reason, I never knew my GAF score, and didn't know much about it, and I just found it in my record. I was given a GAF score of 50 with a 10% disability rating for anxiety/depression, where as my lawyer wrote up in my disagreement letter that a score of 50 should be at least 70%, is this true and did the VA, low ball my disability, this is all new to me with the GAF score. Like I said my appealing the original rating, within the year.

Edited January 26, 2008 by labonte1000

[Testvet]

GAF scores are not the sole criteria for percentages your work history, your family connections, friends, lifestyle etc all play a part in the percentage but 10% is a joke you should be at least 30% or 50% from the awards I have seen my GAFs were in the 30 -40 range and they awarded me 50% to begin with there are a lot of thimgs that come into play just not GAF scores

[labonte1000]

I haven't worked since september 0f 2006, my relatioships suffer with family and friends. I just thought a 50 GAF score was serious symptoms and I get a 10% rating. thanks for your help

[Rockhound]

When you file your appeal or a claim for increase, and as you say, your personal relationships with family and friends is suffering. Ask them to write out statements as to their personal observations of your condition and to then sign it. I certify that to the best of my knowledge all that I have stated in this letter is true and accurate. Having it notorised wouldn't hurt. Of course having it notorized will cost a few dollars, unless you are friends with a notory.

Of course an IMO/Independent Medical Opinion as to your condition being so severe that it would be impossible for you to seek substantial gainfull employment would also help your claim. You could use that also to file with Social Security for SSDI, if you do not already have it.

Good luck, and yes 10% is a joke. :o

Rockhound B)

[Armand]

Your GAF is Global Assessment Functioning. It is part of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual IV (DSM-IV) that rates your overall mental condition. The higher the score, the better your functioning level. A rating of 50 isn't LOW enough to convince the VA for C&P. You should seek a GAF evaluation from a private psychologist or psychiatrist.

Armand

[rentalguy1]

A GAF of 50 is most certainly low enough for the VARO to request a C&P, if they don't have enough evidence on hand to issue SC and a rating. When you read the symptoms of a GAF of 50, it closely resembles the rating criteria for 50%. You need to file a NOD, and ask directly for a rating of 50% based on what the DSM-IV says regarding a GAF score of 50 in regards to what 38 CFR 4.130 says regarding 50% rating criteria.

<h3 id="siteSub">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</h3> Jump to: navigation, search The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) is a numeric scale (0 through 100) used by mental health clinicians and doctors to rate the social, occupational and psychological functioning of adults. The scale is presented and described in the DSM-IV-TR on page 32. Children and adolescents under the age of 18 are evaluated on the Children’s Global Assessment Scale, or C-GAS.

91-100 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life's problems never seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her many qualities. No symptoms.

81-90 Absent or minimal symptoms, good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns.

71-80 If symptoms are present they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial stresses; no more than slight impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning.

61-70 Some mild symptoms OR some difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning, but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.

51-60 Moderate symptoms OR any moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning.

41-50 Serious symptoms OR any serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning.

31-40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication OR major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

21-30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR serious impairment in communications or judgment OR inability to function in all areas.

11-20 Some danger of hurting self or others OR occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR gross impairment in communication.

1-10 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others OR persistent inability to maintain minimum personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death.

0 Not enough information available to provide GAF.

9440 Chronic adjustment disorder

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to 100

such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought

processes or communication; persistent delusions

or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior;

persistent danger of hurting self or others;

intermittent inability to perform activities of

daily living (including maintenance of minimal

personal hygiene); disorientation to time or

place; memory loss for names of close relatives,

own occupation, or own name.......................

Occupational and social impairment, with 70

deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school,

family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due

to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation;

obsessional rituals which interfere with routine

activities; speech intermittently illogical,

obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or

depression affecting the ability to function

independently, appropriately and effectively;

impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked

irritability with periods of violence); spatial

disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and

hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful

circumstances (including work or a worklike

setting); inability to establish and maintain

effective relationships...........................

Occupational and social impairment with reduced 50

reliability and productivity due to such symptoms

as: flattened affect; circumstantial,

circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic

attacks more than once a week; difficulty in

understanding complex commands; impairment of

short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of

only highly learned material, forgetting to

complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired

abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and

mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining

effective work and social relationships...........

Occupational and social impairment with occasional 30

decrease in work efficiency and intermittent

periods of inability to perform occupational tasks

(although generally functioning satisfactorily,

with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation

normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood,

anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or

less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory

loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent

events)...........................................

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or 10

transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency

and ability to perform occupational tasks only

during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms

controlled by continuous medication...............

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but 0

symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere

with occupational and social functioning or to

require continuous medication.....................

[john999]

10% for a GAF of 50 is too low all other things considered. You are being screwed just like I was many years ago, my friend. I was unemployable and incapacitated and I got 10% so you are not alone. Appeal this thing.