If you are working on your VA disability application, you might be wondering what kind of benefits are included under the VA Disability program. Applying for Veterans Disability is a very unique process because every person’s situation and injuries are not the same. There are many kinds of assistance that you might be entitled to when you apply for your VA benefits but you will need to be able to provide medical and supporting documentation to access them.
If you are not sure about how to apply for the full range of benefits that you need to be secure financially and medically, you need to secure a skilled Veterans Benefits lawyer. You will find that there are many steps and stages to the process of applying for this kind of disability and it can be much easier to navigate this process with a skilled legal team on your side. Getting the maximum benefit that you are entitled to is important since this is the support that you will live on for the rest of your life.
If you want to learn more about the kinds of benefits that are included in VA disability, you need to read on for more information.
What Are the Types of VA Disability?
The VA disability program provides support of various kinds for those who were heart or fell ill while serving in the military. There are varying levels of care and support that are offered related to the unique needs of each veteran. Some of the disability benefits might be monetary, while others are related to the medical care of live-in caregivers. There are various unique situations that might also receive different benefit structures, such as a veteran who is not able to self-advocate or who requires round-the-clock advanced care.
Disability Compensation
This component of the VA benefits offerings gives veterans access to tax-free monetary support. This is paid monthly and it is rated on a scale of 10% to 100% based on the degree of injury that a veteran has suffered. Compensation of this kind can also be awarded based on secondary injuries that might arise after the original medical condition which caused the cessation of military service. These compensation benefits are meant to replace the working income that might have been lost related to the injury or illness that happened as a result of service in the military. This is often the main component of the VA support that a veteran is receiving after they are discharged due to injury or illness.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
This is another tax-free monetary benefit that is paid to a surviving spouse or child in most cases. Parents DIC is an income-based benefit that helps parents who were financially dependent on spouses that passed away while serving in the military. This is a more complex benefit to seek in some cases and usually does require that a lawyer be involved to help secure the correct benefit amount. Many people who have survived a spouse who died in the service do not even know that this benefit is available to them and require expert advice about how to apply for this necessary support.
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
SMC is tax-free and it is paid to veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses and parents. This benefit is for special circumstances that might require the aid of someone who lives in the house or provides unique care related to the loss of a limb or other more serious injury. When this benefit is being accessed by a surviving spouse or child, it is referred to as aid and attendance. This benefit is always paid based on the unique need of the case, so proper documentation and information must be supplied when the claim is placed to ensure the correct benefit amount is paid each month.
Claims Based on Special Circumstances
There is an allowance for special cases that are extreme and might require extended live-in care, full-time support of someone’s daily needs, and other more involved care. This kind of application might have to be done on behalf of the veteran if they are not able to advocate for their own needs or are in a condition like a coma. Securing a skilled Veterans Disability lawyer is key to making sure that this kind of claim is processed promptly and properly.
If you are submitting this kind of claim on behalf of a veteran who cannot advocate for themselves, your lawyer can also help you to follow the correct procedure to be allowed to make medical determinations on behalf of this person while they are in need. These claims can be quite complex and take some time to determine a benefit for, so having a legal team working hard on the documentation is important.
Working With a Skilled Veterans Benefits Lawyer is Important
If you are working through the VA Benefits claims process, you are probably aware of how complex this kind of documentation and application process can be. Having a skilled legal team on your side assisting you with the application process can make all the difference between getting the right amount of compensation or not. You and your family will likely depend on your monthly compensation award from your veteran’s benefits to help support you, so it is important that you secure the right amount of money and support for your needs each month.
Working with a skilled and experienced legal team can take the burden of the work off of your shoulders and can eliminate the risk of incorrect documentation, missing application steps, and issues with missing medical information that might cause your monthly benefits to be reduced incorrectly. The process of reopening a current Veterans benefit claim for adjustments to diagnosis codes and other information is often best handled by an experienced lawyer as well.
Contact us today at POAG Disability Law and get the support and guidance that you need to secure the right amount of compensation for your and your family’s needs.
