You served your country and protected the freedoms of the citizens of the United States of America, but your sacrifice had a price, and now you have returned home with a disability. Unfortunately, this can make working after you return from duty impossible. However, our country’s Social Security system has you covered, and your wait for processing might be shorter than you expected.
How Can Soldiers And Veterans With Disabilities Claim Benefits?
Both the VA and Social Security have disability programs to help support veterans and wounded warriors, but qualifications for these Social Security programs are different from the qualifications used by Veteran Affairs. If wounded warriors and veterans are to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, they must have a medical condition or conditions that prevent them from doing substantial work. These conditions must also last—or be expected to last—for at least a year, and if not the condition must be terminal. This means that not everyone who qualifies for benefits from the VA will qualify for benefits from Social Security, but there are benefits to applying, especially if you have been rated 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) by the VA.
Do Veterans Have To Wait In Line For Social Security Benefits?
Veterans rated 100 percent P&T may receive expedited application processing when applying for Social Security Disability benefits. When you are applying, be sure that you mention your 100 percent P&T status and have your VA Notification letter handy for verification. You will still have to wait as the Social Security Administration considers your type of disability, the medical evidence available, and whether or not you will need a medical examination to confirm your claims. However, processing at the application level and during any appeals will be accelerated.
This is just another way the government tries to give back to those men and women who serve our country but don’t forget that just because the process has been expedited doesn’t mean you won’t need to meet SSA requirements. To make sure your application meets fewer snags during processing, you should consult a disability attorney at the beginning of your Social Security Disability benefits application.
This message was brought to you by the Tulsa disability attorneys at Troutman & Troutman—Proud to serve Oklahoma and the people who keep our entire country safe.
