VA Disability Compensation Rates

Applying for and in turn getting disability benefits or a pension from the Veteran's Administration is not always and easy process. The System of getting the compensation can be confusing and discouraging, but people must not give up.

People may be eligible for Veteran's Administration benefits if they are a veteran, a veteran's dependent, a surviving spouse, child or parent of a Deceased veteran, an active duty military service member, a member of the Reserve or National Guard Disability Compensation. Veteran's Administration can pay them monthly compensation if they are at least 10% disabled as a result of their military service. Now what actually is a Veteran's Administration Pension for veterans! Pension is in fact a benefit paid to wartime veterans who have very limited or no income, and those people who are age 65 or older, or, if under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled. Veterans who are more seriously disabled by any means may qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits. These are compensation benefits that are paid in addition to the basic pension rate.

Normally, those people may be eligible for Veteran's Administration if they were discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable, and they served at least 90 days of active military service 1 day of which was during a war time period. If people entered active duty after September 7, 1980, generally they must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty (There are exceptions to this rule), and their countable family income is below a yearly limit set by law (The yearly limit on income is set by Congress), and they are age 65 or older, or, they are permanently and totally disabled, not due to their own willful misconduct.

The process for both disability and pension benefits application must be followed by the applicant. In order to receive Veteran's Administration benefits, people must first file an Application for Benefits with the Department of Veteran Affairs. This application can be found online at the website. It is a lengthy process of application, but people should not get intimidated. This information is necessary to confirm their service and their eligibility for benefits. Most of the eligible claimants of Veteran's Administration benefits get rejected or receive reduced benefits at this stage.

Appeal Once people have either been rejected or believe that the disability level was inappropriate, people must also file a Notice of Disagreement. It is at this point that it is important to have an attorney. The Department of Veteran Affairs will send what is called a Statement of the Case that contains the findings of the Department of Veteran Affairs and the reasons for their actions. At this step, using the information provided by them and with information from an individual, an attorney will help to gather addition information people will need to prove their case. At this point people can either request a hearing before the case is sent to the Board of Veteran Appeals or at the Board of Veteran Appeals, or both.

• John Palsson
• 16/02/2009, 2:59 PM
• 0 Comments