The Two Types of Veteran’s Benefits Compensation
There are two distinct types of compensation that Veterans can receive from the Veterans Benefits Administration: Disability Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Both types of benefits provide monetary compensation on a tax-free basis; however, the two types of benefits are applied for and received on different bases.
Disability Compensation
Disability compensation is paid to Veterans with disabilities that are the result of a disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. The benefit amount received is based on the degree of severity of a Veteran’s disability or disabilities on a scale of 10 to 100 percent. Each disability claimed receives its own specific rating depending on the severity of the condition. A Veteran with multiple disabilities will receive compensation based on a formula that combines the Veteran’s individual disabilities to calculate a combined rating on a scale of 10 to 100 percent. Compensation may also be paid for disabilities that are considered to be related to the Veteran’s disabilities that occurred in active service. This allows Veterans to receive benefits for conditions that are related to the disabilities that occurred in service even if the related condition does not occur until the Veteran is out of the service.
Non-Service Connected (NSC) Pension
Non-service connected (NSC) pension provides supplemental income to Veterans and their families. However, in order to be eligible the Veteran must have served during a wartime period. A list of currently recognized wartime periods can be found online at the link pasted below. In order to be eligible for NSC pension a Veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty service, with at least one day during a wartime period. If a Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally they must have served for at least 24 months or for the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty, with at least one day during a wartime period. Additionally, the Veteran must be 65 or older, permanently disabled, receiving skilled nursing care in a nursing home, receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or receiving supplemental security income to be eligible.
List of Wartime Periods: http://www.benefits.va.gov/PENSION/wartimeperiod.asp
For more information on the different types of Veteran’s Benefits call the experienced veteran’s disability attorneys at Gardberg & Kemmerly, P.C. serve veterans throughout the Gulf Coast area, including, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Contact us today at 251-343-1111 for a free case evaluation.