If you’re a veteran struggling with the effects of a personality disorder and wondering how to get a VA rating for the condition, you’re not alone.
Veterans with borderline personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and other personality disorders may believe their condition is service connected, but current case law complicates getting disability for these conditions.
Don’t fight the VA alone
In this article, we’ll share how the VA handles personality disorders, whether you can get a BPD VA rating, and how you can still receive compensation.
Key Takeaways
- BPD typically affects how you feel about yourself, connect with others, and make choices. It is often characterized by severe mood swings and impulsiveness.
- The VA does not have a BPD VA rating, nor does it offer VA disability for any other personality disorder.
- BPD may still be worth looking into with a VA disability lawyer, as other service-connected mental health disorders may be contributing to your symptoms.
In this article about the BPD VA rating:
What are personality disorders?
Personality disorders are long-term, often life-long, patterns of mood and behavior that affect the person’s ability to function and interact with others.
Personality disorders are sorted into three groups.
Group A includes:
- Paranoid personality disorder
- Schizoid personality disorder
- Schizotypal personality disorder
Group B includes:
- Borderline personality disorder
- Histrionic personality disorder
- Narcissistic personality disorder
- Antisocial personality disorder
Group C includes:
- Avoidant personality disorder
- Dependent personality disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Symptoms of personality disorders can make it harder to keep a job or maintain healthy relationships, and some people turn to substances like alcohol and drugs to cope. This leads to people with personality disorders, especially BPD and antisocial personality disorder, being at a greater risk of substance abuse.
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects approximately 1 in 100 adult Americans, with veterans diagnosed at even higher rates. Research suggests rates of paranoid personality disorder may also be higher in veterans.
BPD typically affects how you feel about yourself, connect with others, and make choices. It is often characterized by severe mood swings and impulsiveness.
Other symptoms may include low self-esteem, fear of abandonment, and extreme anger, among others.
Additionally, BPD has a complicated, bidirectional relationship with PTSD that has been examined in veterans.
While BPD is often diagnosed before the age of 30, growing evidence suggests the condition can develop later in life, after a significant change or event.
Is there a BPD VA rating?
Unfortunately, the VA does not have a BPD VA rating, nor does it offer VA disability for any other personality disorder.
This is established under 38 CFR 3.303(c) which states the following:
“Preservice disabilities noted in service. There are medical principles so universally recognized as to constitute fact (clear and unmistakable proof), and when in accordance with these principles existence of a disability prior to service is established, no additional or confirmatory evidence is necessary… In the field of mental disorders, personality disorders which are characterized by developmental defects or pathological trends in the personality structure manifested by a lifelong pattern of action or behavior, chronic psychoneurosis of long duration or other psychiatric symptomatology shown to have existed prior to service with the same manifestations during service, which were the basis of the service diagnosis, will be accepted as showing preservice origin.”
Under this regulation, personality disorders are considered to pre-date enlistment in the military. This prevents the condition from being service-connected, and, therefore, from being eligible for VA disability compensation.
Getting VA disability with a personality disorder
While there are many barriers preventing veterans with BPD and other personality disorders from getting VA disability, it’s still worth looking into with a VA disability lawyer or other VA-accredited representative.
In some cases, it may be possible the VA is misattributing your service-connected mental health symptoms to a personality disorder. Service-connectable depression, PTSD, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and more may be improperly overlooked in veterans with personality disorders.
In other cases, you may not be able to get VA disability for your mental health symptoms, but may be eligible for compensation for related conditions like:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Migraines
- Sleep apnea
Each case is unique, and this combined with the complications of seeking disability for a personality disorder make getting assistance with your claim especially helpful.
I love this law firm. They worked very hard and won my case and then blessed my family when I was still trying to fix some issues. If you need a law firm, this is the one to get to help you.”
B.R., Army veteran from South Carolina
From a Google review for Woods & Woods
TDIU for mental health disorders
In some cases, a veteran may be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for borderline personality disorder. TDIU is also known as individual unemployability or simply IU. Veterans are eligible for these benefits if they can’t hold down “substantially gainful” employment due to their service-connected conditions.
The General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders specifically takes into account whether a mental health condition affects the veteran’s ability to work. This is referred to in the rating criteria as “occupational impairment.”
Veterans with mental health conditions may struggle to work for a variety of reasons. They may have a hard time controlling impulses, interacting with coworkers or customers in times of high emotion, or showing up at all during episodes of paranoia or depression.
Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are compensated at the same level as those with a 100% disability rating, even though their combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more
How Woods & Woods can help
Woods & Woods has been fighting for people with injuries and disabilities since 1985. Our team of accredited VA disability lawyers, case managers, legal analysts, and intake specialists know the ins and outs of the VA so you don’t have to do all the hard work. Call us today for your free and confidential case evaluation.
Let’s get started today
Frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, there is no diagnostic code for BPD. The VA does not offer VA disability for any personality disorder. While there are many barriers preventing veterans with BPD and other personality disorders from getting VA disability, it’s still worth looking into with a VA disability lawyer or other VA-accredited representative.
No, there is no diagnostic code for narcissistic personality disorder. The VA does not typically offer VA disability for any personality disorder, though you may be eligible for other service-connectable health issues.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
