This blog recently discussed concerns related to brain injuries in veterans and the importance of disability protections for our veterans. It is important for veterans and their families to understand that if they are disabled due to an injury or illness they may be eligible for veterans’ benefits through the VA.
Veterans may have disability benefits they earned as a result of their service and other benefits may be available to surviving family members of veterans. Circumstances including a service-connected disability; Total Disability Individual Unemployability; non-service connected pension; Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for surviving spouses, children and dependent parents for a service-relaetd death; and re-opening a claim for service-connected or increased disability ratings may all qualify for benefits so it is important for veterans to be familiar with these options.
Approximately 70 million individuals may be eligible for disability benefits for veterans and other services through the VA because they are veterans or surviving family members of veterans. This number represents approximately a quarter of the nation’s population. Because such a large number of individuals may qualify for these important benefits, it is important for them to understand what they are and how to pursue them when needed.
Veterans seeking disability benefits should understand how to qualify for benefits, how to apply for benefits and appeals options if they have been denied benefits. It is important that veterans and their families are taken care of and understanding the benefits available to them, and how to obtain those benefits, is an important part of that.