Panic Disorder — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Panic Disorder
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960P-2 (Mental Disorders (Other Than PTSD and Eating Disorders)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Panic Disorder — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Panic Disorder, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Panic Disorder
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9412, panic disorder and/or agoraphobia). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment with occasional 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, and mild memory loss.
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impairment of short and long-term memory; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.
Occupational and social impairment, with 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; impaired impulse control; spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
Total occupational and social impairment, due to 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; and memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Panic Disorder raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Panic Disorder claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Psychiatry Research, 2017 · PMID 28899613
Finding: Among 486 treatment-seeking veterans and serving Canadian Forces members, panic disorder was one of the core comorbid conditions assessed, and 79.2% of the sample had more than one probable mental health condition, with comorbidity clustering heavily around PTSD (95% of those with PTSD had at least one additional disorder).
Why it helps: Documents that panic disorder occurs as part of the high comorbidity burden seen in military/veteran mental-health populations, supporting an association between service-related mental health treatment and panic-spectrum conditions.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2022 · PMID 35429544
Finding: In a sample of military veterans (N=26) carrying a primary diagnosis of panic disorder, pretreatment PTSD symptoms predicted reduced early treatment response, illustrating that panic disorder presents as a primary, treated condition within VA mental-health care and frequently co-travels with PTSD symptom burden.
Why it helps: Shows panic disorder is recognized and treated as a primary diagnosis among veterans in the VA system, supporting that the condition is clinically established in this population.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2008 · nexus to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) · PMID 18665698
Finding: This randomized trial enrolled 35 veterans whose primary diagnosis was chronic PTSD and who also had comorbid panic disorder; panic control treatment left 63% panic-free at 3-month follow-up versus 19% for supportive therapy, while PTSD symptoms were unchanged, indicating panic disorder as a distinct comorbid condition occurring alongside combat-related PTSD.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-connected PTSD and co-occurring panic disorder in veterans, relevant to a secondary-service-connection theory linking panic disorder to an established PTSD condition.
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2021 · nexus to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) · PMID 33509412
Finding: In a VA Corporate Data Warehouse cohort of 46,268 OEF/OIF/OND veterans, those with comorbid PTSD had significantly higher odds of panic disorder (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.43-1.75) compared with veterans without PTSD.
Why it helps: Provides large-cohort quantitative evidence that service-connected PTSD is associated with elevated odds of panic disorder, supporting a secondary nexus between PTSD and panic disorder.
Annals of Family Medicine, 2015 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 26195676
Finding: In a nationwide cohort of 8,704 sleep apnea patients versus 34,792 matched controls, patients with sleep apnea had a 2.17-fold higher adjusted risk (HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.68-2.81) of developing newly diagnosed panic disorder during follow-up.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary nexus in which an established service-connected sleep apnea condition is associated with later onset of panic disorder, with a clear adjusted hazard ratio.
Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2023 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 37182230
Finding: This review of 78 papers found a greater prevalence of panic disorder among obstructive sleep apnea patients and concluded the relationship appears bidirectional, recommending that OSA patients be assessed for comorbid panic disorder and vice versa.
Why it helps: Reinforces the association between obstructive sleep apnea and panic disorder, supporting a secondary-connection theory linking a service-connected OSA condition to panic disorder.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2023 · nexus to cardiovascular disease / stroke (conditions claimed secondary to panic disorder) · PMID 36681301
Finding: In a nationwide cohort of over 1.6 million type 2 diabetics, those with panic disorder showed increased future mortality (adjusted HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.039-1.206) and, in the 40-64 age group, a significantly higher risk of stroke (adjusted HR 1.352, 95% CI 1.136-1.610), though no overall increase in myocardial infarction or stroke risk was seen across all ages.
Why it helps: Offers nuanced evidence that panic disorder may be associated with elevated stroke risk in middle-aged adults and higher mortality, relevant when panic disorder is the primary condition and a cardiovascular outcome is claimed as secondary; the mixed findings should be presented honestly.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Panic Disorder
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Panic Disorder. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Panic Disorder as a Secondary Condition
Panic Disorder is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Panic Disorderclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Panic Disorder should also be looking at:
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Draft your Panic Disorder personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Panic Disorder.
Panic Disorder Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.