Answering Your VA Benefits Questions

08/15/08

Many American veterans are unaware of the fact that they might be eligible to receive benefits. Some veterans feel that they do not have any reason to receive benefits and others upon being discharged would rather leave that life behind. Obtaining benefits from the VA can sometimes be a difficult and long process that sometimes does not seem worth the effort. If you are a veteran and you have a disability or injury this is something you should look into, you have earned these benefits.

Q: How do you know if you could be receiving benefits? Who, exactly, is qualified to receive them?

A: Three main components make up a veteran's possible eligibility for service connected disability benefits. The first is that you must have done service with either the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force, or the US Coast Guard. Secondly, you must currently suffer from a disability which began during your years of service, or began before hand and was worsened by doing service. There is a wide range of these sorts of disabilities, to some types of cancer, to breathing problems, to other disabilities that originated from or were affected by your service. Third, you have to be able to connect your current disability to your time in the service.

An example is, if you were on leave from active duty and vacationing with your family and while skiing you fell and broke your leg or injured your knee. Today, even though many years have passed, the problem caused by that old injury is only getting worse, and you will soon need surgery to have the knee replaced. Though it may not seem like it, this injury itself is service connected, as you were on active duty when the accident or illness occurred, even though you were on leave. And in addition to the surgery, the incident has caused other problems that you need taken care of.

Q: But how will receiving benefits from Veteran Affairs really help me?

A: Like this: if you do obtain benefits, you can receive monthly monetary benefits, as well as eligibility to use the VA hospital and medical facilities. The amount of your monthly benefit will depend on your percentage of service connection granted.

Q: If I am eligible for service connected benefits, and have 10% hearing loss and 30% PTSD, why are my disabilities considered only 30% connected to my military service?

A: Veteran Affairs uses a rating schedule that uses the severity of your disability to tell them what percentage service connected disability to award you. They also use a rating chart to total your percentage of service connection, they do not use mathematical terms. These service connection percentages can be tricky to understand and if you feel that you should be receiving more benefits or a higher percentage then you should look into your disability and the severity or contact a professional that could assist you.

Q: My cousin has obtained a 65% service connection for the exact same disability I have. Why?

A: This happens because Veteran Affairs determines all service connection percentages individually, based on the severity of a veteran's disability. Again, there is a rating schedule that determines the amount of benefit and the percentage of service connection that each person receives.

Q: If I work at Veteran Affairs, can I still receive disability benefits for my time in service?

A: Yes. Unlike with Social Security Disability, the disability benefits you obtain from Veteran Affairs are not affected by working. If you obtain benefits for a service connected disability, but are still able to work, then you are entitled to keep working and receiving benefits. Your disability benefits are not reduced or annulled if you are earning an income.

Q: Can I receive Social Security Disability benefits and VA service connected disability benefits? A: Yes. While Social Security Disability does gauge your earned income when determining your SSD benefits, your VA benefits are not considered earned income, and so will not get in the way of your SSD benefits.

Q: My husband/wife was in the service and receiving VA service connected disability benefits but they have passed. Am I eligible to get his or her VA benefits?

A: There are benefits for surviving spouses and dependent children. However, every case is different, and you need to be sure to speak to a professional before moving forward.

Q: How do I file a claim?

A:The VA has laws that are considered veteran friendly laws. The VA has the duty to help you file a claim and walk you through the process of obtaining benefits. There are Regional Offices in every state and there are organizations set up to assist the veterans at no cost to you. To locate your local Veteran Affairs Regional Office and any local Veteran Service Organizations, visit the Veteran Affairs website at www.va.gov.

Q: Can I hire an attorney?

A: The VA does have laws that tell attorneys when they can represent a client for a fee and when they can not. You can find some lawyers who will represent you for free, or Pro Bono, and others who will require you to sign a contract promising payment for their services. You should contact a local attorney's office for more information and specifics regarding your claim.

Q: I already get benefits for a service connected ability. Is there any other benefit I can receive?

A: This depends on your situation. If, for instance, your service connected disability has grown in severity since you began receiving benefits, you can apply for an increase in your percentage or rating, which will also increase the amount of your monthly benefits. The VA also has benefits for those veterans that are unemployable due to their service connected disability. To apply for these benefits there is a separate form that needs to be filled out and filed with the VA. If you feel that your disability makes it impossible for you to work, and should therefore receive more benefits from the VA, you should either contact a VSO or a lawyer to answer your questions and help you through the process. Veteran Affairs also provides additional benefits to those veterans who, due to their service connected disability, are mostly homebound and cannot care for themselves. This type of extra benefit is called homebound compensation. This is an option to consider if you feel you need assistance to care for yourself.

Every veteran's case is different and obtaining the benefits set aside for you by the VA can be quite confusing to some people. The VA's website has a lot of information on what kind of benefits there are beyond disability benefits and what you can do to receive these benefits. If, as a veteran, you were injured in any way during service, or saw your previous disability or injury exacerbated by your service, it is very important to look into your benefits options. You served for our country and you may be entitled to veterans benefits.