Social Security benefits can apply to many people, especially for individuals who have served their country, such as veterans. When you are seeking Social Security Disability, it is important to understand how veteran benefits can affect specific types of disability benefits, as well as your eligibility to receive these compensations.
When you are applying for disability benefits as a U.S. veteran, there are specific circumstances that may affect you. Social Security Disability benefits are all unique depending on the specific conditions you have gone through as a citizen. Also, when you are a military veteran, you can receive special disability benefits for veterans if you meet specific guidelines.
How Do I Qualify for VA Benefits?
To be eligible for disability benefits as a U.S. veteran, or to understand how veteran's benefits affect Social Security Disability benefits, you must have a service-related disability. In addition you must have been discharged from the U.S. military under anything besides dishonorable conditions.
This means that if you have been injured due to a loss you suffered from service, you can typically receive Social Security Disability benefits from the government, so long as your condition meets the criteria as being disabled.
How do veterans benefits vary for my circumstances?
When you have severe injuries or disabilities, or if you have a disabled spouse or dependents, you may be eligible for extra Social Security Disability benefits as a U.S. veteran. This may also apply if you have children or parents who are dependent on you.
It is important to consider your specific circumstances to determine how much you may be able to receive in terms of Social Security Disability. For example, if you have two children, you'll be able to receive more than someone who has one child, or if you have one child and a dependent parent, you'll likely be under the same consideration.
Your individual circumstances will play a large part in determining how Social Security Disability will apply to your situation and how much you will receive each month. The severity of your own disability will also play a part in this, but finding a local Veterans Administration to consult with and determine specific amounts you can receive is your best option.
How Do I Receive Veteran Benefits for Social Security?
If you are certain that you qualify for the various Social Security Disability benefits available to veterans seeking SSD, you can apply specifically for a veteran disability package. This is done by filling out the VA form for compensation and pension.
You can also apply directly at the veteran's disability site. It is helpful to provide medical documents and doctors' records to prove that you have whatever reports are necessary for your specific disability.
Typically, you can receive anywhere from $100-$3,000 per month depending on the severity of your disability and how many dependents are in your household. There are specific veteran disability rates, which vary for compensation, all of which can be investigated.
By consulting someone locally at your VA office, you can usually get a list of specific types of compensation for the severity of your disability, as well as what SSD benefits you could receive.
It is usually determined how much you will receive depending on how many people are in your household, as well as the severity of your injury or disability is.
For example, limbs that are lost will be a higher compensation, than smaller injuries. Mental disabilities can be quite significant such as in the case of post traumatic stress disorder. These of will require extensive documentation from a doctor and medical records to prove their severity.
However, mental injuries and consequences of battle are quite common, are beginning to receive more attention from the SSA. If you are seeking Social Security Disability for veterans, it is important to document any medical injuries you have for your local VA when you apply.
Are there any other ways to receive veteran's benefits if I am not a veteran?
Actually, there is a way to receive veteran benefits for Social Security Disability if you are a child, spouse, or dependent of a veteran who has been killed. If you have any relation to a veteran or are active in the service of the military, you can typically be eligible for at least some special veteran benefits.
You may have to take a test to determine what kind of disability you have. This means that you will have to go through a specific process to determine where you received the disability, so that it can be traced back to your service.
If you did not get your disability directly from service time, it is unlikely that you will be eligible for Social Security Disability, specifically for veterans.
Next Steps to Take
Today, there is a way to hire an attorney to represent you if you are a veteran coming before a VA board. In the past, this was not allowed, but has recently been instated, allowing veterans to seek lawyer representation in the case of SSD for veterans.
Be sure that before you seek out an attorney, you have a solid enough case to present before a court that could be considered fair with respect to your disability and its origin. Some people have been known to abuse this tactic, which is why it is important to be honest and up front about the full severity of disabilities received from military service.
Ultimately, it is quite possible to receive veteran benefits if you are someone who has served your country and are seeking Social Security Disability, or if you are the relative of someone who has lost their life in battle.
In addition, you can receive some compensation if you have a spouse who is a veteran or even in active duty. It is important to find out details about social security disability from a local Veterans Administration, which is a good place to start your quest for Social Security Disability benefits.
Additional Resources
- Do You Get Extra Money from Social Security Disability for Being a Veteran?
- Is it Possible to Receive VA Disability and Social Security Disability at the Same Time?
- Disability Benefits and the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) Program
- Applying For Disability Benefits With COPD
- How To Apply For Disability Benefits With PTSD