Is it possible to obtain a FAA medical certificate and VA benefits for PTSD? There are many veterans who hold medical certificates with the FAA, despite actively receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”). While every case is different, the FAA typically considers an airman’s current mental health status, whether the airman requires on-going treatment for symptoms, and the airman’s level of risk for recurrence of PTSD symptoms, to consider whether an airman is eligible for airman medical certification. The airman’s history will also be considered. Specifically, the FAA evaluates an airman’s history for the purposes of confirming whether symptoms have resolved, that the airman is not taking medication for PTSD, and that there is no history of other mental illness.
While your PTSD may be in remission, the FAA can still consider you for certification even if you are receiving counseling for PTSD. Specifically, the FAA will frequently issue a special issuance authorization to airmen who require ongoing counseling for PTSD. Typically, in order to maintain medical certification and special issuance for PTSD, the FAA will require that an airman provide frequent updates from a healthcare professional regarding treatment, status, and prognosis. The FAA doesn’t always require these updates be from a psychiatrist, but rather from either your primary care physician or counselor.
Learn more about FAA medical certification with PTSD on The Pilot Lawyer Podcast.
At the end of the day, it is possible to obtain a FAA medical certificate and VA benefits for PTSD at the same time. There are some tactics and strategy that may very well help you more easily demonstrate eligibility for certification with the FAA and move through the process faster. If you’d like to discuss how you can present your VA benefits for PTSD to the FAA, call the FAA medical attorneys at The Ison Law Firm. More information about obtaining a FAA medical certificate with PTSD can be found on The Pilot Lawyer Podcast.