Military Disability Benefits Explained

 

If you were injured while serving in the US Military you may be eligible for military disability benefits.  If you were injured and became disabled while serving your country or an existing injury was made worse, or if you contracted a disease or an existing one was aggravated during your service, you may be compensated by the Veterans Administration through monthly benefits.

Even if you have particular disabilities or situations which came about after you were released from active duty and if these disabilities or situations are evaluated at 30% or more then you can receive benefits for our dependent family members.  Your VA benefits are awarded based upon the severity of your condition.  However, if you are serving on active duty and on a full-time basis you cannot receive VA compensation.

You may want to see if you are qualified for any of the following:  Military disability benefits, clothing allowance, burial benefits, prosthetics, Medical Care for Dependents and Survivors, Dependents Education Assistance Program, Priority Inpatient and Outpatient Medical Care, preference for employment with the federal government, and many other benefits are available for qualified military members as well.

If you think that you may be eligible for military compensation, you should apply within one year of being released from active duty.  If you do file within on e year, compensation will be figured from the date of your separation from the military.  Otherwise the date of eligibility will be declared as the day that you applied for compensation. 

When you go to apply for disability compensation form the Veterans Administration you will submit a Veteran’s Application for Compensation or Pension.  It will be VA FORM 21-526.  Along with the form, if you want to save time, submit your military records at the same time.  It will take longer if the VA has to send for your records.  Make sure to submit all Medical Records, Dependency Documents, and Military Discharge Forms.  If you don’t, the VA will spend time tracking down the information that they need on their own.

There are some benefits which can affect your Military Disability Benefits.  Military Retired Pay can affect your disability benefits.  If you do get military retired benefits then your disability benefits will be adjusted accordingly.  Disability Benefits are not taxable so it would be to your advantage to give up the retirement pay in exchange.

Disability Severance Pay cannot be drawn because both disability severance pay and military disability for the same problem isn’t allowed.  You will not be able to draw VA Compensation until the full sum of the  military severance pay has been retrieved.

If you are actively involved in the National Guard or Selected Reserve, for each day that you attend a drill period you lose one day of VA Compensation pay.

You cannot receive any VA Compensation while you are receiving Special Separation Benefits – only after the total sum of Special Separation Benefits is retrieved.

With Voluntary Separation Incentive, each time that you receive a Military Benefits Payment and equal amount is taken from the Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay.