13 Apr 2023
VA Disability for Migraines: Everything You Need to Know

VA Disability for Migraines: Everything You Need to Know

Apply For TDIU, VA Benefits, VA Disability Compensation
If you’ve ever had a migraine, you know how disabling they can be. The VA offers disability compensation for migraine conditions connected to a veteran’s service. We’ll walk you through what a migraine is, the available ratings, and how to get compensation for a migraine condition.  More About Migraines Migraines differ from headaches — they are neurological events that include some or all of the following symptoms:  Moderate to intense head pain in various parts of the head  Throbbing, pounding, or pulsing sensation Worsening pain upon movement Nausea or vomiting Sensitivity to light and sound Interference with daily life Symptoms…
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16 Mar 2023
Is COPD a VA Disability?

Is COPD a VA Disability?

Service Connection, VA Benefits, VA Disability Claims
Nearly 1.25 million veterans had COPD in 2020. If you or someone you know is a veteran diagnosed with COPD, you may wonder if it can be a VA service-connected disability.  The answer is yes. This article will cover what COPD is, the basics of service connection for COPD, and how VA rates it.  What Is COPD? COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and describes multiple conditions that cause breathing problems in the patient. It “obstructs” the flow of air through the patient’s lungs. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two most common conditions that fall under COPD.  COPD…
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06 Mar 2023
Is Sleep Apnea a VA Disability?

Is Sleep Apnea a VA Disability?

PTSD, VA Benefits, VA Disability Claims, VA Disability Compensation
For service members, the stresses of training, combat, and reintegration into civilian life can disrupt sleep patterns. Insomnia and nightmares may be the most common service-related sleep disruption, but sleep apnea also affects millions of veterans. Yes, it is a disability that can entitle a veteran to compensation.  Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops and starts while the individual is asleep. It may lead to snoring or gasping for air during sleep, drowsiness, dry mouth, and/or headaches during waking hours.  Service-related sleep apnea could be connected to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Though research is still being conducted on…
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14 Feb 2023

Eligibility for PTSD-Related DIC Benefits

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, PTSD Disability, VA Benefits, VA Disability Attorney, veteran suicide
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a specific kind of brain injury that affects about 15% of veterans who served in the Middle East— specifically, operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror suffer greatly from the effects of loneliness, isolation, combat, explosions, and various other symptoms of PTSD.  Like other brain injuries, PTSD is a severe condition that requires extensive treatment and care.  A study in the New York Times found that suicide rates among post-9/11 veterans were four times as high as the number of deaths in combat.…
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17 Jan 2023

Lawmakers Cry Foul Over VA Accessibility Issues

VA Benefits, Veterans Disability Attorney, Veterans Disability Lawyer
Lawmakers Cry Foul Over VA Accessibility Issues This is an update on VA Accessibility. Following an 11-month investigation, the United States Senate Special Commission on Aging said the VA has not made technology accessible to older adults, veterans, and disabled persons. The report says the government has not met the requirements for accessibility set forth by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires the federal government to develop accessibility guidelines for its electronic equipment. Through the investigation, senators uncovered problems throughout the federal government, including with the VA's websites. Their report says federal departments and agencies often…
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12 Jan 2023

How Does the PACT Act Affect TDIU Benefits

Apply For TDIU, Individual Unemployability (IU), TDIU, Unemployability, VA Benefits
How Does the PACT Act Affect TDIU Benefits? The Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins Act (PACT Act) significantly expanded the number of illnesses presumed to be related to service through toxic exposure, mostly associated with burn pits and Agent Orange. However, the PACT Act did not significantly alter the VA’s disability rating system, meaning it is still difficult for veterans to receive 100% disability even when they deserve it. Therefore, to obtain 100% disability benefits, many disabled veterans struggling with toxic exposure illnesses still apply for a VA total disability due to individual unemployability” (TDIU) rating. Thanks to…
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03 Jan 2023

Breaking Down an Agent Orange Illness Claim

Agent Orange, VA appeals Attorney, VA Benefits, VA Disability Attorney, VA Disability Claims, Veterans' Appeals
Breaking Down an Agent Orange Illness Claim Does an Agent Orange illness trouble you? Agent Orange may be one of the most well-known herbicides, and not for a good reason. This defoliant was widely used throughout the 1960s, mainly in Vietnam. It contained a contaminant called dioxin, and now both Agent Orange and dioxin are known to be linked with cancer and several other serious illnesses, including diabetes and birth defects. Both Vietnamese and Americans stationed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War were exposed to Agent Orange and many have developed the illnesses mentioned. Before Agent Orange was studied extensively,…
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29 Dec 2022

The Five and Five of VA Disability PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, PTSD Disability, Traumatic Brain Injury, VA Benefits, VA Disability Compensation, Veterans Disability Attorney
The Five and Five of VA Disability PTSD Despite the research being done to understand post-traumatic stress disorder better, many people may still be surprised to learn that PTSD is a physical brain injury in addition to a psychological disorder. Compensation and pension examiners may not be specialists or well-versed in new PTSD research. That’s especially true if they do not focus on these injuries in their everyday practices.  Many times, examination results and corresponding medical opinions don’t reflect the severity of the injury veterans with PTSD experience. So, in many cases, a VA disability attorney must overcome a subtle…
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27 Dec 2022

VA Disability Benefits for Arthritis in the Hands

VA appeals Attorney, VA Benefits, VA Disability Claims, VA Disability Compensation, Veterans Disability, Veterans Disability Attorney, Veterans Disability Lawyer
Obtaining VA Disability Benefits for Arthritis in the Hands According to the VA and CDC, arthritis affects one in five Americans and is the nation’s leading cause of disability. Over 100 conditions fall under the umbrella of arthritis, including arthritis in the hands, osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint diseases. The percentage of Americans with arthritis is expected to increase to one in four or around 25% by 2040. Not surprisingly, the prevalence of arthritis is higher among veterans than the general population: one in 3 veterans has arthritis. Military service takes a significant toll on a veteran’s body. Many veterans begin…
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22 Dec 2022

PACT Act Claims

VA appeals Attorney, VA Benefits, VA Disability Claims, VA Disability Compensation, Veterans Disability, Veterans Disability Attorney, Veterans Disability Lawyer
Officials Say They are Ready for PACT Act Claims A large veterans advocacy organization says the VA will be ready to process PACT Act claims beginning in 2023, and the organization will be ready to help. “In my mind, there's no more important way to do that than to compensate them, compensate veterans for whatever type of suffering they may have endured because of their service,” Amvets National Executive Director Joe Chenelly remarked in a Veterans Day celebration. “A ton of veterans who we knew were qualified for these new benefits and care have been coming to us, and we…
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