It has surprised me how many people who have served in the military are unaware that they can get compensation for different conditions or disabilities they may have developed due to their service.
You can receive VA benefits and monetary compensation by getting a disability rating through the VA.
If you are a Veteran or know someone who is, make sure you keep reading to find out how you can get disability pay and compensation from the VA.
Also check out my post about the 6 VA Benefits You Can Receive as a Veteran
What is a VA Disability Rating?
This is a rating that reflects how much a disability or condition, related to your time in the military, has affected your daily life. This rating is known as a “service-connected” disability.
It can be an injury, a disease, a disability or condition that you developed form your time in the military. It can also be a condition that has been exacerbated over time because of your time in the military.
A service-connected disability rating ranges from 0% to 100%.
A 0% service-connected rating means that your condition does not affect your every day life.
A 100% service-connected rating means that it dramatically affects your every day life.
Sometimes you may start out as a 0% service connected rating, but over time you may start to develop new symptoms. If you develop new injuries, diseases or disabilities, you can apply for an increase.
How does a Service-Connected disability rating help me?
Your service connected rating can do 2 things for you.
- You can receive service-connected compensation. This is a monthly payment from the VA because of your disability.
*The monthly amount varies on your rating
2. You will be eligible for more VA services and programs designed to help you manage your daily life related to your disability
VA Disability Rating Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for VA disability, you have to meet the following 2 requirements:
- You must have a current illness or injury that affects your mind or body
- You have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training
In addition to the 2 requirements above, you also have to have at least one of the following:
- You were sick or injured while serving in the military and it can be linked to your current condition
- You had an illness or injury before you joined the military and your time served exacerbated it
- Your disability related to your active-duty service didn’t appear until after you ended your service
If you meet these criteria, you are certainly eligible to apply!
How to Apply for a VA Disability Rating or “Service-Connected” compensation
To apply for a service-connected rating and compensation, you will have to file a claim for disability through the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).
There are two ways you can go about doing this.
- You can either work with a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) to help you prepare and file your claim.
- Or you can prepare and file it yourself.
The process and preparation of documents can be daunting, so I often refer Veterans to a VSO to help them get started with the claim.
There are several VSO’s that are accredited in each state. Accredited means they are certified by the US Department of Veteran Affairs to help you with claims and can have access to your VA medical file if you give them consent.
For a list of Recognized VSO’s, You can look at page 2 of this VA Form 21-22. OR you can go to our Resources Page and download the FULL list of VSO’s and their representative contacts for each State.
Checklist for VA Disability Application
If you are choosing to file your application yourself. You can download my FREE VA DISABILITY RATING CHECKLIST.
Before you submit your claim, make sure you are submitting the most appropriate claim. Check out Types of VA Disability Claims for a list of the types of disability claims offered through the VA. You can also work with a VSO to help determine the type of claim you should make.
How long does the application process take?
Honestly, it varies.
It can depend on whether you were able to provide all of the necessary documents all at once, or if anything was missing.
According to the VA.gov website, the average time it takes to find out if your claim is approved is around 142 days.
The VA benefits page also suggests that it may be beneficial for you to complete an “intent to file” form first. This allows you time to get all of your paperwork together without it delaying your “effective” date if you are approved.
For example, if you complete the “intent to file” form on October 1st, this potentially sets your “effective date” for your benefits to that date. So if your claim is approved, your benefits can retro-active back to the effective date. Often being the date your application was submitted.
You can track the status of your application process by going to the Online Benefits website at: Check Your VA Claim Or Appeal Status | Veterans Affairs
What Happens After a Claim Decision Has Been Made?
Once a decision has been made on your claim, you should get an award letter in the mail. You can also look at it online at the Benefits website I mentioned above.
Once you get your award letter, PLEASE READ IT! It contains your disability rating and why you received that rating.
You will also receive a VA benefits handbook. This handbook can be overwhelming, but it lists the various great benefits and services you can take advantage of.
I will also be going over some of the benefits that many people aren’t aware of in future posts. So sign up for our Newsletter if you want to be notified when these posts will be available!
If you receive your award letter and disagree with the rating, you can always file an appeal. You can request a review and appeal by going to the VA.gov Website of: VA Decision Reviews And Appeals | Veterans Affairs.
No responses yet