Through the VA disability program, veterans also gain benefits that can include coverage of travel expenses if used for medical treatment or rehabilitation. You can apply if you meet these guidelines: You must be a veteran of the US military service You must have been recently diagnosed or have a disease
Full Answer
What can you get VA disability for?
You may also be able to get VA disability benefits for: 1 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) 2 Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 3 Depression 4 Anxiety
What is considered a mental illness for VA disability?
For VA rating purposes, “Mental Disorders” refer to mental health conditions, and include 31 primary disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Some examples of mental illness include PTSD, adjustment disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and eating disorders among others.
What kind of care does the VA provide?
Counseling on genetic diseases (diseases that run in families) Acute care (short-term treatment for a severe illness or injury or after surgery) Specialized care (including organ transplants, intensive care for mental and physical conditions, and care for traumatic injuries). Urgent or emergency care at some VA health facilities.
Do you qualify for VA disability benefits if you have been court-martialed?
If the injury or disability event occurred while the veteran was in any type of prison, jail, court, or detained because of being court-martialed, they would not qualify for any kind of benefits As you can see, many conditions qualify for VA disability benefits.
What medical conditions qualify for VA disability?
You may be able to get VA disability benefits for conditions such as:Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability.Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease.Severe hearing loss.Scar tissue.Loss of range of motion (problems moving your body)Ulcers.More items...•
What are the easiest things to claim for VA disability?
According to a recent Veterans Administration report to Congress, the ten most commonly awarded medical conditions that are getting approved for benefits are as follows:Tinnitus.Limitation of flexion (knee)Hearing loss.Lumbosacral or cervical strain (back and neck strains)Limitation of arm motion.General scars.More items...•
Will the VA pay for outside treatment?
VA can pay for emergency medical care outside the United States if the emergency is related to your service-connected condition.
Can I lose my VA health benefits?
If you're in one of the lower priority groups, you could lose your VA health care benefits in the future. If you don't keep your private insurance, this would leave you without health coverage.
What is the VA 5 year rule?
The VA disability rating 5-year rule states that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot reduce a veteran's disability rating if it has been in place for five years or more unless the condition shows sustained improvement over time. In this situation, the veteran's rating is considered a stabilized rating.
What is the most common VA disability claims?
The most common disabilities found among the Veteran population include:Cervical strain: affecting 989,835 Veterans. ... Sciatic nerve paralysis: affecting 781,178 Veterans. ... Limited ankle motion: affecting 636,853 Veterans. ... Migraine: affecting 548,999 Veterans. ... Degenerative arthritis: affecting 505,553 Veterans.More items...
Do veterans get free healthcare for life?
You can get free VA health care for any illness or injury that we determine is related to your military service (called “service connected”). We also provide certain other services for free.
Can VA fill non-VA prescriptions?
The VA Medical Center will only fill non-VA prescriptions for veterans who are enrolled in the VA healthcare system and are in receipt of Aid and Attendance (A&A) or housebound benefits or have been authorized by VA to receive care in the community.
Will the VA pay for my surgery?
VA medical facilities provide a wide range of services, including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy.
How often does the VA reevaluate?
How Often Does VA Reevaluate Ratings? VA usually reevaluates veterans' service-connected disabilities on two occasions: Six months after leaving military service; and. Between two and five years from the date of the decision to grant VA disability benefits.
At what age does VA disability stop?
age 67When veterans reach age 67, all VA disability payments would revert to the amount associated with the rated disability level; veterans age 67 or older who are already receiving IU payments would no longer receive them after the effective date of the option.
Is VA disability for life?
If VA assigns you a 100% rating, it has the option of also designating you permanently and totally disabled. If you receive this designation, your benefits are safe for the rest of your life.
View your VA disability ratings
If you’ve already filed a disability claim and have an assigned rating, you can sign in to view your individual ratings and your VA combined disability rating.
How we assign VA disability ratings
We assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your disability. We express this rating as a percentage, representing how much your disability decreases your overall health and ability to function.
How we determine combined VA disability ratings
If you have multiple disability ratings, we use the table below to calculate your combined VA disability rating. Calculating your combined disability rating involves more than adding up your individual ratings. That’s why your combined rating may be different from the sum of your individual ratings.
What is VA disability compensation?
VA disability compensation. VA disability compensation (pay) offers a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions ...
What is VA DIC?
Compensation benefits for a surviving spouse and dependents (VA DIC) Learn about getting VA disability benefits as a surviving spouse, dependent child, or parent.
Can you get VA disability for mental health?
You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. Find out how to apply for and manage the Veterans disability benefits you've earned.
What is it called when you get sick while serving in the military?
You: Got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an inservice disability claim), or. Had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a preservice disability claim), or.
Can you get VA disability for lung disease?
You may be able to get VA disability benefits for conditions such as : Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability. Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease. Severe hearing loss. Scar tissue.
What evidence will VA look for to support my disability claim?
A current physical or mental disability (damage to your body or mind that makes you less able—or totally unable—to do everyday tasks, including meaningful work), and
Fully developed disability claims
With the Fully Developed Claims program, you send in all the evidence you have—or can easily get—when you file your claim. Find out how you can use this program to get a faster decision on your disability benefits claim.
Standard disability claims
With standard claims, we take more responsibility for gathering the evidence we need to make a decision on your claim. Find out how to file a standard disability claim.
What is VA disability?
What do VA disability benefits encompass? What are they? Basically, VA disability benefits are monthly payments that are sent to individuals who qualify for benefits based off of their own, individual situation. You canbe eligible for these benefits by applying and completing a disability claim.
What are the benefits of VA disability?
Through the VA disability program, veterans also gain benefits that can include coverage of travel expenses if used for medical treatment or rehabilitation. You must have been recently diagnosed or have a disease. There must have been some type of incident during your time of service that resulted in your disability.
What are the three connections for VA disability?
These situations are commonly split up between three different connections: a direct service connection, a presumed service connection, and an aggravated injury connection. These three connections are very differentand we’ll break down ...
What are service connected injuries?
These service-connected injuries or disabilities can also include if a veteran was traveling to and from work and/or leave, when a vet was on a military base at any time or off hours, or when a vet was on leave.
What are the disabilities of a prisoner?
Disabilities stemming from times spent as a POW: If a veteran was a prisoner of war, there are many physical, mental, and emotional disabilities that can be traced to this time as a POW. Because of this, these disabilities are considered to be presumed service connection disabilities.
Can veterans get disability for radiation exposure?
For the most part, those who were exposed, in any variety, to radiation during their active service and later are diagnosed with cancer more than likely are qualified for benefits under the presumed service connection criteria. Veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents (e., Agent Orange) during their active military service can also gain disability benefits through this presumed service connection criteria. Also, cancer is one of the illnesses that don’t necessarily have a time frame where a veteran needs to have shown symptoms.
Can a veteran get disability benefits?
If a veteran is already eligible for VA disability benefits because of a disease, injury, or illness but yet has another, possibly even newer, a disability that stems solely from their original disability, they may be able to gain more benefits. These types of situations are called secondary service connections. These types of connections also cover if you had a preexisting illness or disease before service, but then the disability you gained while in service is aggravating your preexisting disability.
What are the two types of evidence in a VA claim?
The 2 general types of evidence in a VA Claim: Lay evidence, and Medical Evidence. Lay evidence is, at its core, observations and facts that are documented by people without specialized professional knowledge.
What is medical evidence?
Medical evidence is the evidence provided by medical professionals: medical treatment notes, diagnoses, medical evaluations and opinions, etc. Service Medical Records, and post-service medical records are medical evidence.
Why does the BVA decision increase in quality?
BVA Decisions increase in quality, because they have MORE evidence on which to “hang their hat”.
What is lay evidence in VA?
Lay Evidence is the “Magic Bullet” in a VA Disability Claim. If lay evidence is the Magic Bullet in a VA Disability Claim- and I truly believe it has that kind of power – then medical evidence is the rifle which delivers that bullet to its target. Without a rifle, the bullet sits in a magazine, powerless. Without a bullet, the rifle sits in ...
What is medical evidence without a bullet?
So it is with medical and lay evidence. Without lay evidence, medical evidence is devoid of context. Without medical evidence, lay evidence has no real power. Let’s talk about these two types of evidence.
Does the VA fill the void?
Typically, the Veteran or VSO either omits medical evidence or puts the burden on the VA to generate the medical evidence. The VA will fill the void and produce or create the medical evidence (through selective inclusion of health records and poor quality C&P Exams ), resulting in an outcome that the Veteran is not happy with.
What is the VA rating for asthma in 2021?
In 2021, a veteran’s VA Rating for Asthma can be rated at 10%, 30%, 60%, or 100%. So, let’s take a minute to explore the law regarding the symptoms and impairment required to warrant a VA rating for asthma. Many veterans suffer from various heart and lung conditions, to include Asthma.
Do veterans have asthma?
Many veterans suffer from various heart and lung conditions, to include Asthma. In addition, numerous research studies have shown a link between bronchial asthma and obstructive sleep apnea; there is a bidirectional relationship where each disorder adversely influences the other one.
Is asthma a VA disability?
Yes, asthma is a VA disability and can be rated at 10%, 30%, 60%, or 100% depending upon the frequency, severity, and duration of your symptoms. Asthma is a bronchial disorder most commonly rated under CFR 38, Part 4, VA Schedule of Ratings, Diagnostic Code 6602, Asthma, Bronchial.
What is VA topical therapy?
VA defines topical therapy as any treatment applied directly to the skin, regardless of the type of drug. Additionally, veterans may also qualify for Temporary and Total ratings while they are hospitalized or recovering from hospitalization for a skin condition.
When did VA update their body systems?
In August 2018 , VA made updates to all 15 body systems included in the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities to reflect modern medicine more accurately and provide clearer rating decisions. In doing so, VA made changes to how it evaluates conditions related to the skin.
What are the presumptive conditions for Vietnam veterans?
Veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in Vietnam and developed chloracne, or porphyria cutanea tarda, within one year of exposure to a degree of 10 percent disabling are afforded presumptive service connection.
What skin conditions do veterans get?
Below are some of the most common skin conditions affecting veterans: Dermatitis, or eczema — This condition refers to general skin irritation which may cause dry skin, a rash, swelling, ...
Can a lawyer help veterans with skin conditions?
As mentioned above, claims for skin conditions can be difficult and often complicated, as symptoms and conditions may overlap. An accredited representative or lawyer may be able to assist veterans with their appeals for skin conditions, and specifically help veterans avoid the pitfalls of pyramiding.
Can Gulf War veterans get presumptive service connection?
Gulf War veterans with chronic skin conditions, such as dermatitis, or other chronic undiagnosed skin disorders, can be eligible for presumptive service connection at any time if the condition can be rated at 10 percent or higher.
