DISABILITY COMPENSATION

Claims clinic

What
is Disability Compensation?

 

Veterans who have suffered an injury, illness, or condition that developed during military service, or worsened (beyond natural progression), may be entitled to receive a monthly tax-free payment benefit from the Department of Veterans Affairs known as disability compensation.

Veterans may be eligible for disability compensation if they have a service-connected disability, often referred to as “S/C,” and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.

A service-connected disability does not have to be a combat injury; any injury or illness suffered or aggravated while in uniform can be considered. Veterans with disability ratings of at least 30 percent are eligible for additional allowances for dependents, including spouses, minor children, children between the ages of 18 and 23 who are attending school, children who are permanently incapable of self-support because of a disability arising before age 18, and dependent parents.

The additional amount depends on the disability rating and the number of dependents. The compensation may be offset if you receive military retirement pay, disability severance pay, or separation incentive payments.

You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.

 

Both of these must be true:

 

  • You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and
  • You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training

 

And at least one of these must be true:

 

  • You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or
  • You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a pre-service disability claim), or
  • You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a post-service disability claim)

 

Presumptive conditions

 

For some conditions, VA automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. VA call these presumptive conditions.

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

 

The amount of basic benefits paid ranges from $152.64 up to $3,332.86 per month for a single veteran with no dependents.

 

You may be paid additional amounts in certain instances if:

    • You have very severe disabilities or loss of limb(s)
    • You have a spouse, child(ren), or dependent parent(s)
    • You have a seriously disabled spouse
 

You can apply for disability compensation benefits at any Los Angeles County Veterans Service Office.

 

To find an office near you, please call 877-4-LA VETS (8387) or use our map.

 

When applying, please include the following documents, if available:

 

  • Dependency records (e.g., marriage certificates, children’s birth certificates)
  • Discharge or separation papers (DD214 or equivalent)
  • Medical evidence (doctor and hospital reports)
 

How Can a VSO Assist You With Disability Compensation?

Our dedicated Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) can assist you in gathering evidence, preparing your claim, and advocating for your service-connected disability benefits.

Our VSOs can help ensure you meet the one-year deadline to apply for benefits after submitting your claim, protecting your effective date.


Our VSOs can guide you through the application process, helping you submit all required documentation for your first-time claim or an increase in compensation and ensuring your application is complete for faster processing.


We can assist you in filing a Supplemental Claim, ensuring your new evidence is properly presented and considered for a new review of your case.


For additional information on the Higher-Level Review process or a list of review options that allow VA to consider new evidence and how to file, visit www.va.gov/decision-reviews/.

We’ll help you request a Higher-Level Review, which provides a new review of the decision based on the evidence available at the time of the original ruling. This request must be submitted within one year of the VA’s decision notice. VSOs will guide you through the process to ensure your request is properly handled and explain other review options if you have new evidence.


For additional information on the Higher-Level Review process or a list of review options that allow VA to consider new evidence and how to file, visit www.va.gov/decision-reviews/.

MVA’s Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) can assist you in submitting a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). They will help you list the specific issues for review by a Veterans Law Judge and ensure you meet the 365-day deadline for appeals or 60 days for contested claims. They also guide you through the process to ensure all required information is provided correctly.

 

We can guide you through the process of updating your VA benefits, whether you’re adding a new dependent or removing an existing one, ensuring your benefits are adjusted accordingly.

Our VSOs can help you submit a request for school attendance benefits for your child, ensuring all necessary steps are followed accurately.


We can assist you in requesting military records by guiding you to provide the necessary identifying information. 


We can also guide you in making a request online through the National Personnel Records Center’s (NPRC) website.

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