Frequently Asked Questions – Veterans Benefits

Who qualifies as a Veteran for VA disability?

Under federal law, a Veteran is any person who served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. (Discharges marked “General” and “Under Honorable Conditions” also qualify.)

Who qualifies for Veterans Benefits and Pension?

To qualify for Veterans Compensation, the Veteran must meet three parameters:

• He or she must have a current medically diagnosed disability.
• The Veteran must have had a precipitating disease, injury, or event while serving in the military.
• The current disability must be related to the precipitating disease, injury, or event from the Veteran’s service time.

Claims are most often denied for failure to meet the third parameter. It is also significant to note that, if you have a condition that is service-connected and that service-connected condition causes another condition to develop, this means the second condition qualifies as well. Substandard care at a VA hospital that causes an injury is also considered service-connected.

For example, if you presently suffer from PTSD that was diagnosed by your psychiatrist as a result of an experience you had while serving in the military and can prove this, you may be eligible for Veterans compensation based on a determination made on your percentage of disability. Of course, it can be very difficult sometimes to show that your present disability was caused by your time in the service. This is especially true when the disease, injury, or event is hard to prove or is different from the current medical condition, but caused the present disability.

Are any additional benefits available for Veterans with more severe disabilities?

If you are found eligible for pension, you may also be entitled to Aid and Attendance or Housebound Benefits. This is for Veterans who are more seriously disabled, and these benefits are in addition to pension.

Aid and Attendance can be granted to a Veteran when he or she is eligible for pension and meets any of the following conditions:

• The Veteran requires the aid of another to perform personal functions of living,
• The Veteran is bedridden,
• The Veteran resides in a nursing home due to mental or physical disability, or
• The Veteran is blind.

Housebound benefits are also paid in addition to monthly pension. Veterans are eligible for these benefits if they qualify for pension and one of the following:

• The Veteran suffers from 100% single permanent disability and is permanently and substantially confined to an immediate area, or
• The Veteran has 100% single permanent disability and another disability evaluated at 60% or more.

If you have a question about Veterans benefits or the application process, contact Jan Dils Attorneys at Law at 877.526.3457 for an expert consultation. We have an experienced team of disability attorneys, and one of our representatives will be happy to answer your questions. If you’d prefer to contact us online, fill out this form and we will respond to you shortly.