If you are a veteran in South Carolina who needs assistance obtaining VA disability benefits, turn to an advocacy group that has the right experience and resources to help you. Our team fights for veterans and helps them seek all the benefits they are entitled to.
A news release from United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stated that there were 408,747 veterans living in South Carolina. According to the release, 69,539 veterans were receiving disability compensation or pension payments at the time.
VA expenditures in South Carolina totaled $1.7 billion, including $1 billion in compensation and pensions, $75 million in readjustment benefits, $589 million in medical and construction programs, and $20 million in insurance and indemnities.
If you live in South Carolina and need help securing the full VA disability benefits you deserve, you should contact an advocacy group with the knowledge and experience to fight for your rights.
Our advocacy group is here to help you get the benefits you deserve. Call us now or fill out an online form to schedule your free consultation today.
Types of South Carolina VA Disability Claims
The VA identifies five types of claims:
- Pre-Discharge Claims — Servicemembers can file claims for disability compensation when they are within 180 days of separation or retirement from active duty or full-time National Guard duty.
- Pre-Service Disability Claims — A servicemember who entered military service with a disability may have the disability worsened by service. This is known as aggravation, and compensation is paid based only on the level of aggravation. A person seeking a pre-service disability claim must have an increased disability rating as the result of their service.
- In-Service Disability Claims — Injuries, diseases, or disabilities incurred while the servicemember was in the line of duty are considered in these types of claims.
- Post-Service Disability Claims — Some disabilities may be service-related but may not become apparent until after service has concluded, such as PTSD.
- Claims Based on Special Circumstances — In some instances, disabilities may be connected to service but also other events, such as surgical outcomes.
In general, VA classifies claims into four types:
- An original claim is the first claim filed for VA benefits.
- A reopened claim is a final decision not to grant benefits, with the decision being more than one year old and yet to be appealed. The case cannot be reopened unless VA receives new evidence.
- A new claim is a claim that involves new evidence that is independent of any evidence submitted for an earlier claim.
- A secondary claim addresses disabilities caused or worsened by other service-related conditions.
Retaining an advocacy group may help ensure that your claim is handled correctly throughout the entire process. Many people inadvertently make filing errors that either delay their claims or result in outright denials.
Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
South Carolina VA Disability Benefits
VA has multiple disability compensation programs. The main kinds of tax-free disability benefits include:
- Disability Compensation — Benefits paid to veterans with disabilities caused by diseases or injuries incurred or aggravated during active military service. Benefit amounts are determined based on the degree of the veteran’s disability on a scale from 10 percent to 100 percent.
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) — Benefits paid to surviving spouses, children, or parents of service members killed on active duty, active duty training, or inactive duty training, as well as survivors of veterans who died from service-connected disabilities.
- Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) — A higher rate of compensation for special circumstances, such as the need for assistance with a specific disability or the loss of use of a hand or leg.
VA has several other disability compensation programs that compensate veterans and their families for a variety of other circumstances, including automobile allowances, unemployability, hospitalization, birth defects, and clothing allowances.
In some cases, veterans may be entitled to Individual Unemployability or Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). This VA disability compensation program covers veterans at a 100 percent rate even when their service-connected disabilities are not rated at the total level.
According to VA, to be eligible, you must be a veteran with “at least one service-connected disability rated at least at 60 percent or two or more service-connected disabilities at least one disability rateable at 40 percent or more with a combined rating of 70 percent or more.”
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What Is at Stake With Your VA Disability Claim or Appeal?
When you seek disability benefits from VA, you do so for several reasons. The ability to secure fair disability benefits may have a massive effect on your quality of life.
Securing the benefits you deserve may:
- Protect you from financial harm: Without fair benefits, you may have to pay out of pocket for medical care. Because a disability may prevent you from working full-time, the effect of costly medical care may put you under great financial strain.
- Allow you to focus on treatment and recovery: Too often, disabled veterans feel forced to work because they don’t have adequate medical benefits. Yet, as you work to pay for medical treatment, your disability may become progressively worse. When you receive fair VA benefits for your medical care, you may not have to work in a way that worsens your condition.
- Preserve your quality of life: If you’re disabled, then you already face a significant challenge to your quality of life. By getting the disability benefits you deserve, you may experience less stress and greater quality of life.
It is difficult to state just how important a VA disability appeal is. Understanding what is at stake, accepting help with the decision review process can be beneficial. An advocate who specializes in VA disability benefit claims will be a useful resource.
Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
How Our South Carolina VA Disability Advocates Can Help
VA disability claims can be incredibly challenging for many applicants because of their inexperience in applying for benefits. Failure to understand guidelines and types of medical evidence required can result in a delay or outright denial of benefits.
Some veterans may struggle to prove that their physical disability warrants a higher disability rating. In other cases, mental disabilities may be incredibly difficult to prove. A knowledgeable advocate will put together the most compelling evidence that demonstrates and proves the extent of your disabilities.
Depending on the type of disability claim filed, VA disability ratings may be increased, decreased, or completely severed. An advocate will review your case and determine the most appropriate approach for your claim or appeal.
Our advocates work for contingency fees. We proudly serve veterans by requiring no upfront or out-of-pocket payment. If we secure VA disability benefits for you, then we receive a fee. If we don’t obtain the benefits that you deserve, then you owe us nothing.
Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
Contact Us Now for Help With Your VA Disability Claim in South Carolina
Are you a veteran in South Carolina who needs help appealing a VA disability decision? Make sure that you seek assistance as soon as possible.
Our advocacy group’s VA disability advocates represent veterans in communities all over South Carolina.
We’re here to fight for the benefits you need. Complete a FREE consultation call us or fill out a contact form on our site.
Call 1-888-373-4722 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
