Gaf And Disability Rating

[Bill (USAF Retired)]

I know it's not as simple as "a GAF of X gives you a disability rating of Y," but I'm hoping for some educated guesses from my more experienced colleagues.

The GAF is 41. Rating (for psych) is 50%. Now for the Goldilocks question: Is that rating too big, too small, or just right?

Thanks

Bill

[babyray]

I know it's not as simple as "a GAF of X gives you a disability rating of Y," but I'm hoping for some educated guesses from my more experienced colleagues.

The GAF is 41. Rating (for psych) is 50%. Now for the Goldilocks question: Is that rating too big, too small, or just right?

Thanks

Bill

I had a gaf of 53 by my private doc & 58 by the VA doc & was granted 10% for MDD. I ask for a recon & my c&p doc gave me gaf of 45 & was granted shedular 100%. Hope this help.

babyray

[john999]

Bill

The 40,000 dollar question is "are you working"? If not you should be 100% with that GAF. At least IU!

[JamesBreckenridge]

With GAF's consistently in the mid-50's through mid-60%, and currently working, what tends to be the average % granted?

This doesn't sound right, but I talked with my county VA representative and the guy said the % granted is solely tied to your GAF. He also said that if your GAF is above 50, you get nothing, but a GAF below 50 means you will receive a % granted. Based on what I have read here, his opinion did not pass the smell test.

Your County VA rep doesn't know what he's talking about. Or to say it nicer, he truly wants to help but he's operating on bad information.

GAF can change from day to day. You can have good days and bad days. We don't rate solely on GAF. We rate on industrial and social impairment and the symptoms found in the rating schedule. If I'm assigning a high evaluation and there's a low GAF, or a low evaluation and a high GAF, I make a big deal out of the GAF as one more piece of supporting evidence for my decision to make it stronger. Otherwise, I just mention what the GAF was.

I believe we have ALL had some "GAF 40" days.

But if I see a low GAF score, I'm going to be looking for a reason to assign a higher evaluation. I might not be able to. "Hm, that's odd, this vet's symptoms are for mild PTSD, maybe moderate at best, but boy his GAF sure is low... must be having a really bad day."

[mags1023]

This VA Rep is an idiot and you should stay away from him. I am 10% for MDD and the GAF they based that on was 60. Now my GAF is in the low 50's and I have an appeal in where I am hoping to get at least 50% for MDD.

[blanco63]

I hope that the VARO looks at my average GAF of 40 for the last 2 years when I file my claim for bipolar in a few months. I hope that it helps my claim.

[Testvet]

Blanco it would also help if the doctor would write statements to the effect that "he feels that you will be unable to ever return to work, and that he feels that your mental health will NEVER improve to the point where, any type of employment will be possible" my shrink wrote annual statements every Feb in my treatment notes and after the 3rd year the RO finally caved and awarded 100% PTSD but beyond that my GAF scores were never higher than a 38 and often were at 30 but then I am an ex postal carrier and everyone knows they are all bat chit crazy to start with but remember GAFs are highly questionable anyone can have a 30 score during a 24 hr period and may rate a 65 during the same period I have been seeing the same shrink since Jan 2003 and he is the Chief of Clinic so I imagine I will be seeing him for a lot more years he has been a great doc and works with my wife to keep me "normal" rofl whatever the hell that is

Edited March 7, 2010 by Testvet