Researchers at Boston University have completed a study looking at the interplay between PTSD and substance abuse. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and external psychological markers like substance abuse predict early death in veterans. The study authors, who focused on veterans with PTSD, found a high risk of premature death beginning at the cellular level. “Our […]
Before the VA changed the PACT Act process, the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act required veterans who wanted to file claims for compensation for a presumptive illness to wait a couple of years for the legislation to go into effect. Burn pit and other victims would have to wait up to a year before […]
Are you concerned about lost VA Benefits? In October 2022, the Supreme Court will consider an obscure rule that, in many cases, sharply limits VA back pay in disability cases. The case is Arellano v. McDonough and involves a veteran diagnosed with PTSD in 1981 but did not apply for VA disability benefits until 2011. […]
What are the basic TDIU Requirements? The basic VA disability rating scheme is pretty straightforward: the VA will compensate disabled veterans at a rate based on their level of disability. A ratings-based compensation means a veteran for whom the VA will pay an 80% disability rating more each month than a veteran for whom the […]
This confusion is understandable since both workers’ compensation and VA disability are meant to replace lost wages and pay medical bills, albeit in different ways. But to answer this question, yes, you can get VA disability and workers’ compensation benefits, sometimes for the same injury or illness. Benefits have declined in both cases in recent […]
One of the nation’s largest fertility clinics is partnering with the Veterans Administration to conduct a study about combat and infertility among veterans. Researchers plan to test sperm collected from 1,000 veterans of the Global War on Terror to look for commonalities in fertility issues among the population. They believe burn pit exposure during service, […]
The government offers benefits, including unemployment benefits, to residents and their families in times of need. Veterans may qualify for disability benefits from the Veterans Administration and unemployment benefits from the federal or state government simultaneously because the types of benefits serve different purposes. The biggest difference between unemployment and disability benefits is that unemployment […]
In the past, survivors of disabled veterans who passed away were presumptively entitled to survivor benefits, called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, or DIC. Then, the law changed, establishing requirements which must be met before DIC claims can be granted. Now, because of the complexity of DIC claims, the initial denial rate is around 75%. Occasionally, […]
If you’re a disabled veteran, you may be wondering if you can receive social security disability insurance, SSDI and VA disability benefits at the same time. The answer is yes. SSDI and VA disability are two separate federal programs, although there is some overlap. For example, an SSDI award could make it easier to obtain […]
Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD, is the most common mental illness in the United States. It affects over seven million Americans, along with an untold number of friends, family members, and coworkers of these victims. Frequently, MDD co-occurs with other conditions, many of which are physical. Because of their military experiences, veterans suffer from MDD […]
