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Will a Government Shutdown Affect My VA Disability?  When you’re reliant on VA disability benefits for living expenses and medical care, the threat of a government shutdown can be nerve-racking. Here’s what you need to know about whether and how VA disability benefits could be impacted by a government shutdown.  Will a Government Shutdown Happen?  …

How to Get VA Disability for Arthritis Arthritis is a rheumatic condition characterized by inflammation of the joints. This inflammation leads to pain, swelling, and limitation of movement. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 19% of adults in the nation have been diagnosed with arthritis. Still, the condition is significantly …

Can I Get VA Disability Benefits For Flattened Affect? If you are a military veteran with flattened affect, you may be eligible for VA  disability benefits. Flattened affect is a symptom of several medical conditions that may be service-connected. If you suffer from this condition as a veteran, you may be eligible for disability benefits …

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Rates for 2024 Dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) is a monetary benefit payable to some survivors of disabled veterans. Both the deceased veteran and the dependent must meet certain requirements. The veteran must have either died on active duty or in training, died due to a service-connected condition, or have been …

Why Should I Hire a VA Disability Advocate?  If you’re considering filing a VA disability claim or have been denied VA disability benefits, you may be wondering whether you should work with an experienced disability benefits advocate. For most people, it is helpful to hire a VA disability benefits advocate at the very beginning of …

How Can I Speed Up My VA Disability Claim The average VA disability claim takes more than five months to process. Your actions can impact that timeline in two ways. First, the VA offers some limited opportunities to speed up the process somewhat. Second, and just as important, you will want to make sure you …

VA Disability Benefits for Esophageal Cancer Esophageal cancer can be an ordeal and is often fatal. However, early detection and treatment increases survival rates dramatically. A veteran suffering from esophageal cancer can receive VA disability benefits if:  They have a current diagnosis of esophageal cancer, and They can show that the cancer is connected to …

Can the VA Reduce My 100% TDIU Rating?  A classification of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) can make a big difference in the benefits a disabled veteran receives. But, a TDIU classification isn’t necessarily permanent. Here’s what you need to know about when a veteran may qualify for TDIU, why and how the …

Veterans Disability for Tinnitus Tinnitus is one of the most common conditions U.S. veterans receive benefits for. In 2023, it was the single most common service-connected condition among new VA disability recipients. In that year alone, 220,261 veterans started receiving VA disability benefits for tinnitus. Overall, more than ten times that number–2,944,093 veterans–received benefits for …

VA Rating: Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis can be debilitating. Since rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, you might not think of it as a condition that may be service-connected. But, certain toxic exposures are associated with rheumatoid arthritis. If you can establish that your condition is service-connected, you may receive VA disability benefits for rheumatoid …

Learn the Facts: CRDP v. CRSC Most veterans who qualify for both military retired pay and VA disability pay have choices to make. That’s because, in most situations, a veteran cannot receive full benefits from both programs. Concurrent retirement and disability pay (CRDP) and combat-related special compensation (CRSC) are two separate provisions that can increase …

Burn Pits: Presumptive Conditions If you’re a veteran who got sick due to burn pit exposure during your military service, you may have tried unsuccessfully to secure VA disability benefits. For a long time, there were no conditions presumptively service-connected for those exposed to burn pits. Then, there were just three. Now, however, the VA …

Appealing a 70% VA Disability Rating to Secure a 100% Rating When a veteran applies for benefits from VA, the agency will assign a rating based on the severity of the applicant’s disability. The VA will rate a disability from 0% to 100% in 10% increments. Applicants may be paid additional amounts when they have …

Veterans with Sleep Apnea: Why You Should File for Disability Benefits NOW Big changes may be coming in the VA disability rating benefits for sleep apnea, and those changes could significantly reduce the compensation available for some veterans. But, those changes will only impact veterans who haven’t yet been rated when the change takes place. …

VA Ratings for Rhinitis Rhinitis is presumed service-connected for many veterans, including those who were exposed to burn pits and others who served in areas where they were exposed to other fine particles in the air. Of course, establishing a service connection is only part of the VA disability claims process. It’s also up to …

How to Use A Buddy Letter for Your VA Disability Claim If you’re filing a claim for VA disability benefits, you probably know that you’ll need to submit evidence such as proof of your military service and medical records. But, you may not be aware of the full range of opportunities available to help establish …

Filing a VA Claim for Secondary Service Connections Secondary service connections are often overlooked when a veteran is pursuing VA disability benefits. Sometimes, that’s because it isn’t obvious to the veteran that the secondary condition is related to the service-connected condition. But, there are good reasons to educate yourself about what a secondary service connection …