VA Mental Health Claims Beyond PTSD
How to File VA Disability Claims for Depression, Anxiety, Adjustment Disorder, and Every Other Ratable Mental Health Condition
Your Toolkit Includes
Editable guides, templates, trackers, and calculators designed to be used alongside the book. Each file mirrors a concept or chapter from the guide — download what you need, fill it in, and build your claim package at your own pace.
VA Mental Health Claims Beyond PTSD
FWD Assist Publishing
Built by Joshua Christopherson. VA disability claims educator. Air Force and Air National Guard disabled veteran with hands-on VSO experience.
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About This Topic
A guide to VA disability claims for mental health conditions other than PTSD, including major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, somatic symptom disorders, and others. Covers service connection pathways, how the VA rates mental health conditions, and the stressor documentation requirements for different diagnoses.
What the Book Covers
Key topics and takeaways from VA Mental Health Claims Beyond PTSD:
Who This Is For
- Veterans with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions
- Veterans who don't have a PTSD diagnosis but are still struggling
- Veterans whose mental health worsened because of service
- Anyone unsure whether their mental health condition qualifies for VA compensation
Download the Entire Toolkit
All 21 files in one zip · 0.3 MB
Companion Toolkit
21 files for VA Mental Health Claims Beyond PTSD — Organized by when you need them in the claims process.
Assessment & Preparation
3 files
Mental Health Condition Mapper
XLSXMap your mental health conditions to the correct diagnostic codes and criteria
8 KB
Mental Health Rating Criteria Guide
DOCXReference the diagnostic code rating criteria for your claimed conditions
12 KB
Evidence Building
10 files
C-File Request Guide Tracker
XLSXRequest and track your VA C-File to verify what evidence VA already has
10 KB
Mental Health Evidence Templates
DOCXEvidence templates for mental health claims including lay statements and treatment logs
11 KB
Mental Health Symptom Tracker
XLSXTrack mental health symptoms daily to build longitudinal evidence
8 KB
Nexus Letter Builder
DOCXDraft a nexus letter using the three-element framework VA raters look for
39 KB
Substance Use Secondary Claims
DOCXFile secondary claims for substance use disorders caused by service-connected conditions
11 KB
TBI Mental Health Overlap Guide
DOCXNavigate overlapping TBI and mental health conditions for separate ratings
12 KB
Statements & Letters
2 files
Filing & Submission
3 files
Anxiety Disorder Filing Kit
DOCXFile a VA claim for anxiety disorders with the right diagnostic framework
11 KB
Mental Health Filing Action Guide
DOCXBuild a personal mental health action plan with VA and civilian resources
11 KB
Tracking & Monitoring
3 files
Claims Master Tracker
XLSXTrack every claim, rating, effective date, and status in one master spreadsheet
11 KB
How to Use This Toolkit
Every file is yours to keep. The Word documents (.docx) are your guides, templates, and letter builders — open them, fill in your information, and use them with your claim. The spreadsheets (.xlsx) are your trackers and calculators — they include real formulas that do the math for you. Save them to your computer and update them as your situation changes.
Related Topics
Disclaimer: FWD Assist HQ and FWD Assist Publishing provide educational resources only. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice, medical advice, or accredited representation. Always consult with an accredited VA attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Officer for personalized guidance.