VA Mental Health Claims
Everything you need in one place to file a successful VA mental health claim. Mental health conditions are among the most-claimed VA disabilities, and almost all of them, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, are rated on one shared scale (38 CFR 4.130) that depends on how the condition affects your work and daily life, not on the label your doctor uses. This hub covers how the rating formula works, the condition guides, how to prove a stressor or military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and the diagnostic codes behind each claim.
One-page guide: Mental Health Research Summary
Summary of the RateMyVSO mental-health research datasets: 67,219 depression, 48,330 anxiety, 8,906 schizophrenia and 5,098 bipolar Board decisions, each counted separately. Opens the full-size chart, free to save or print.
One-page guide: Mental Health Claim in One Page
One-page mental-health VA claim overview covering diagnosis, service connection, medical nexus, functional impairment, evidence, and claim preparation. Opens the full-size chart, free to save or print.
How the VA Rates Mental Health
With a few exceptions, every service-connected mental health condition is rated under the same scale: the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders at 38 CFR 4.130. The rating turns on occupational and social impairment, how much the condition interferes with holding a job and maintaining relationships, not on which diagnosis you carry.
| Rating | What it reflects |
|---|---|
| 0% | Diagnosed, but symptoms are mild or controlled and do not impair work or social function. |
| 10% | Mild symptoms with occasional decrease in work efficiency during periods of stress. |
| 30% | Occasional impairment, depressed mood, anxiety, mild memory loss, but generally functioning. |
| 50% | Reduced reliability and productivity, panic attacks, impaired judgment, difficulty with relationships. |
| 70% | Deficiencies in most areas, work, school, family, mood, with serious symptoms. |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment. |
If your mental health condition alone keeps you from holding steady work but you are rated below 100%, you may qualify for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), which pays at the 100% rate.
Browse the Diagnostic Codes
Each code page shows the rating criteria, C&P exam tips, secondary conditions, and Board appeal data for that condition.
One-page guide: Mental-Health Diagnostic Codes Map
Reference map of selected mental-health diagnostic codes under 38 C.F.R. Section 4.130. Opens the full-size chart, free to save or print.
This hub is for educational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Rating criteria come from 38 CFR 4.130. For help with your claim, find a VSO representative near you.