We Have The Answers To Common Questions Regarding Social Security And Veterans’ Disability Benefits

Every case is unique. However, for some Social Security disability applicants, the time that it takes to get Social Security disability benefits may seem exceedingly long. Even if your application is approved on the first try (and most are initially denied) the wait can be several months long.

The Official Wait Time

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine the date on which your disability began. You only become eligible for benefits in the sixth full month following that date. The first five months are considered a waiting period and, even if your application was to be approved during that time, you would not be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.

Of course, in some cases, the waiting time for Social Security disability benefits can be much longer. Your benefits may be delayed, for example, if your initial application for benefits is denied. Two-thirds of Social Security disability applicants have their initial applications denied. You have the right to appeal the denial; however, it could take over a year to finish the process and to get the Social Security disability benefits you deserve.

Now Is the Time to Help Speed Things Along

The more you know about how to complete your paperwork and how to successfully apply for benefits, the more likely you are to secure disability benefits sooner.

Additionally, there is a group of 100 different diseases and conditions on the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances list. If you are suffering from one of these illnesses, your application for benefits can be fast-tracked.

Our board-certified disability lawyers are committed to helping our clients get the benefits they deserve as quickly as possible. We will do our best to shorten your wait time so that you can start receiving the benefits you need. For more information about how we may help you, please start a live chat with us now or call us directly to schedule an initial consultation.

Homeless man

Even if you don’t have a permanent address or a place to call your own, you can still qualify for veterans’ disability benefits. Homelessness should not prevent you from recovering veterans’ disability benefits if you qualify for such benefits.

How Many Veterans Are Homeless?

Since 2010, the number of homeless veterans in the United States has been cut in half according to information from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Yet in Texas alone there were an estimated 2,393 homeless veterans in 2016—putting Texas among the top five states in the country with homeless veterans.

Many homeless veterans suffer significant disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), brain injuries, amputations, and other injuries that prevent them from earning a living wage and supporting themselves. If you suffer one of these disabilities—or any other that is connected to your time in the service—you may qualify for veterans’ disability benefits.

There Are Programs to Help

Homeless veterans are eligible for all of the same veterans’ assistance programs as other veterans—including disability benefits if they so qualify. To find out if you qualify for veterans’ disability benefits, you must fill out a complete application with the VA. While the process may seem overwhelming, an attorney can help you through it so that you get the benefits you deserve.

In addition to veterans’ disability benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers homeless veterans and veterans in danger of becoming homeless a number of programs and resources to help keep them sheltered and off the streets. These homeless veteran programs involve different types of assistance, including job training and placement, substance abuse programs, general health care, and mental health counseling.

If you are a homeless veteran seeking disability benefits, you should know that we are here to help. Please contact our experienced attorneys directly via this website or by phone to set up an initial, no-obligation consultation and to make sure you are getting all of the benefits you have earned.

Yes. Your housing status has no impact on your Social Security disability eligibility. Whether you are currently living in a homeless shelter, living with a friend or relative, or living on the streets, you are absolutely still eligible to collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits if you qualify.

You Are Not Alone

A significant percentage of the homeless population is disabled. Having a disability may make it difficult or impossible to work and, without an income, it can be difficult to have consistent housing. The Social Security disability benefits system is in place to help you if you can’t work because of a disability and if you cannot afford basic needs like shelter, food, and clothing.

Don’t Let Your Homelessness Prevent You From Applying for Benefits

Sadly, being homeless often serves as a barrier to successfully apply for disability benefits. Faced with long waiting periods, a trying application process, limited access to medical care, and other stumbling blocks, many homeless or sheltered people do not receive the benefits they so desperately need.

However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) must consider your application and, if you meet the Social Security disability eligibility requirements, the SSA must approve your application. Then, the SSA should work with you to determine how best to get your benefits to you if you qualify.

The first step is to file a complete application with the SSA online or at your local office. The SSA may also be able to provide you with information about local housing resources and support.

Our board-certified Social Security disability lawyers believe that everyone—regardless of their housing status—has the right to apply for Social Security disability benefits. If you are disabled and homeless, we encourage you to contact us via this website or by phone for more information. We will work hard to make sure that your rights are protected and that you get the benefits you deserve.

If you have served in southwest Asia military operations at any time from August 2, 1990 to the present and you suffer from an undiagnosed or chronic medical condition, you may be eligible for veterans’ disability benefits.

What Conditions Are Included?

Presumptive diseases for Gulf War veterans are sometimes referred to as Gulf War Syndrome or Gulf War illness.

They include symptoms of undiagnosed illnesses such as:

• Abnormal weight loss
• Fatigue
• Cardiovascular disease
• Muscle and joint pain
• Headaches
• Menstrual disorders
• Neurological and psychological problems
• Skin conditions
• Respiratory disorders
• Sleep disturbances

Other presumptive diseases for Gulf War veterans include diagnosable gastrointestinal disorders such as:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Functional dyspepsia
• Functional vomiting
• Functional constipation
• Functional bloating
• Functional abdominal pain syndrome
• Functional dysphagia

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are also considered presumptive diseases for Gulf War veterans. Other conditions may also qualify you for benefits.

How to Prove Eligibility

To qualify for benefits because of an undiagnosable illness, a gastrointestinal illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia you need to prove that:

• The condition began during active duty or prior to the end of 2021. If your illness or disability did not begin during active duty, it must be at least 10 percent disabling.
• There is no other cause for your illness or disability than your service in southwest Asia.
• Your illness or disability has existed for six months or longer.

You must provide evidence of your service in the Gulf region and medical evidence of your diagnosis and treatment. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may request an examination if there is no medical evidence of treatment for your disability or illness.

You may apply for benefits online or in person at your local VA office. You have the right to consult with an experienced veterans’ disability lawyer prior to applying, or after, to make sure that your rights and benefits are protected. If we can help you during this time, please do not hesitate to contact us through this website or by phone.

In any given year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that:

• 11-20% of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom Veterans suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• 12% of Gulf War Veterans suffer PTSD.

Additionally, an estimated 30% of Vietnam War Veterans have suffered PTSD in their lifetimes and PTSD is a significant risk for other veterans serving in various missions around the world. It is a common and often debilitating condition that may be directly linked to military experience.

And You May Be Eligible for Veterans’ Disability Benefits Because of It

Depending on the severity of the condition, veterans suffering from PTSD can face serious everyday hurdles, from sleep disturbances and night terrors to fear of leaving the house and panic attacks. To qualify for veterans’ disability benefits, former servicemen and women must prove that there is a direct connection between their post-traumatic stress disorder and their military service. This can be done by providing:

• A diagnosis of PTSD
• A statement describing the stress or traumatic event that occurred during active duty
• A medical opinion from a VA psychologist or psychiatrist saying that the stress or traumatic event was sufficient to cause PTSD

Active Duty Doesn’t Always Mean Combat

Even if you have not experienced combat, you could still have suffered considerable trauma during service and have documented evidence of that stressor. For example, you could have faced the following stressors during active duty but outside of actual combat:

• Ongoing fear of enemy activity
• Fear of terrorist activity
• The serious injury or death of someone close to you
• Sexual assault
• Witnessing a plane crash, ship sinking, explosion, or other catastrophe

If you have combat or non-combat related PTSD, speak to a VA disability claim attorney about your case today for more information.

You Will Need to Stand Up for Your Rights

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a serious condition that is commonly suffered by veterans and is recognized by the VA. However, in order to recover disability benefits for your PTSD you will need to submit an application that supports your request.

You do not have to do this alone.

Our experienced veterans’ disability lawyers would be pleased to help you get the benefits you deserve. Please call us today or contact us through this website for more information.

In Vietnam and the Korean demilitarized zone, the United States military used Agent Orange, a powerful herbicide and defoliant, to clear thick jungle and expose the enemy. Unfortunately, some of those in uniform who were exposed to the chemical subsequently suffered from a range of serious illnesses and conditions that have been linked to Agent Orange.

Who Was Exposed to Agent Orange?

The Department of Veterans Affairs assumes that the following people were exposed to Agent Orange:

• Anyone who served in Vietnam from January 9, 1962 – May 7, 1975. This includes veterans who made brief visits to land or who served on ships in Vietnam’s inland waterways.
• Anyone who served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone from April 1, 1968 – August 31, 1971.

If you can prove that you served in these locations during these times and that you were not dishonorably discharged, you do not have to prove that you were exposed to Agent Orange in order to get veterans’ disability benefits for a disease that may develop because of Agent Orange exposure.

You may also recover veterans disability benefits if you can prove that you were exposed to Agent Orange and you served:

• On or near military bases in Thailand during the Vietnam Era
• Where herbicides were tested and stored outside of Vietnam
• As a crew member on a C-123 plane after the Vietnam War
• On a Department of Defense project to test, store, or dispose of herbicides

To file a successful Agent Orange-related disability claim, a veteran must prove where and when he served, he must provide a medical diagnosis of a disease that is linked to Agent Orange exposure, and he must prove that the disease occurred after the exposure.

What Illnesses Are Associated With Agent Orange?

The VA recognizes that the following diseases are related to Agent Orange exposure:

• AL Amyloidosis
• Chloracne
• Chronic B-Cell leukemia
• Type 2 diabetes
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Ischemic heart disease
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Parkinson’s disease
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Porphyria cutanea tarda
• Prostate cancer
• Respiratory cancers
• Soft tissue sarcoma

A medical diagnosis is required before veterans’ disability benefits will be awarded.

How to Get the Veterans’ Disability Benefits You Deserve

If you believe your illness or disease is linked to your exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam or elsewhere, it is important to speak with a veterans’ disability attorney regarding your case. While a connection between your service and your illness may be presumed, your disability benefits are not automatic. Please contact us today via this website or by phone for more information about how to protect your rights and fair recovery of benefits.

If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and believe that your condition was caused by or made worse by your service in the military, you could be eligible for veterans’ disability benefits. In fiscal year 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), diabetes was the 9^th most common disability among all veterans’ disability recipients. In that year, 431,166 veterans received benefits because of their type 2 diabetes.

How They Qualified

There is more than one way to qualify for veterans’ disability benefits if you have type 2 diabetes. Specifically, you may qualify for benefits if:

• You can prove that your diabetes was caused by your active duty in the military or by a condition that you suffered because of your active duty in the military.
• You served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975. If you set foot on soil in Vietnam, the Department of Veterans Affairs presumes that you were exposed to Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide used during the Vietnam War that medical professionals have connected to a variety of illnesses, including type 2 diabetes. Vietnam veterans who can prove that they were not dishonorably discharged and that they have type 2 diabetes may qualify for disability compensation.

When you apply for benefits, it is important to describe all of the conditions associated with your type 2 diabetes. For example, you should make sure that information about all related conditions is included with your applications, including:

• Vision problems
• Heart problems
• Stomach, gallbladder, or kidney problems
• Any other health impairments

Don’t assume that you will get benefits simply because you are a veteran with type 2 diabetes. Instead, make sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs has all of the information it needs to make the right decision on your claim. For help doing that, please contact us today via this website or by phone to learn more about your rights.

Survivor’s guilt is a common and understandable response when your fellow servicemembers have been badly hurt or killed. You may experience feelings of self-blame, unworthiness, loneliness, and depression. You may have difficulty sleeping, you may be angry, you may withdraw from others, you may have difficulty concentrating, and you may have other problems that interfere with your daily activities and your ability to do your job.

All of these feelings are normal and can be processed with the help of therapy and other treatments.

But First You Need to Seek Help

You may be suffering not only from survivor’s guilt, but also from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health issues arising from your military service. You should talk to a doctor about all of your symptoms.

And You Should Find Out If Veterans’ Disability Benefits May Be an Option for You

You may be eligible for veterans’ disability benefits if you suffered an injury or illness during your service or if a previous condition was made worse by your service. In order to get veterans’ disability benefits you must apply by completing VA Form 21-526, Veterans Application for Compensation and/or Pension. When you complete this form, you should be prepared to provide information about your condition, about your service, and about your discharge. You may be asked to submit to an examination with a doctor at a VA hospital before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) makes a determination about your eligibility and about your benefits.

It saves you time and stress to get your application right the first time. If you have medical conditions like PTSD or survivor’s guilt and would like to apply for veterans’ disability benefits, we can help. Our experienced lawyers will work hard to get your application approved. Please contact our veterans’ disability attorneys via this website or by phone to set up a confidential meeting at your convenience. We look forward to helping you during this difficult time.

All disabled veterans do not get the same compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Even veterans who served in the same unit and who suffer the same type of disability may recover different amounts of veterans’ disability benefits.

The specific amount of compensation that you receive from the VA for your service related disabilities partially depends on your disability rating—a number that ranges from zero percent to one hundred percent. Disability ratings are made in 10% increments. Thus, you may be considered 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% disabled. Those with a 0% disability rating are not considered disabled, while those with a 100% disability rating are considered the most disabled.

How Is the Disability Percentage Determined?

Your disability rating is usually determined through a medical examination conducted through the VA. During this exam, a medical professional associated with the VA will evaluate your mental and physical health while following a number of specific guidelines to determine your disability rating.

If you have more than one disability connected with your military service, those disabilities will be rated individually and then combined using a chart (not just added together). If you have a disability that seems to fall between two different disability ratings, the VA will choose the higher disability rating. As is the case with a single disability, your disability rating for multiple disabilities must be an increment of 10.

Make Sure Your Disability Rating Is Right

It is vital that your disabilities are rated correctly if you would like to receive fair compensation for your sacrifices. If you believe that you did not receive a fair disability rating or that you deserve more VA disability compensation, speak to our Texas disability attorneys today about your case. We will review your case with you and, if appropriate, advocate for your right to recover additional benefits. To learn more, please contact us any time—via this website or by phone—to schedule a confidential consultation.

In your initial application for Social Security disability benefits, you have to prove that you have worked for a significant amount of time in jobs with Social Security coverage. You must also prove that you have a disability that prevents you from working, and that this disability will last for at least one year (or is expected to be fatal).

How Will You Prove This?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is not going to take your word for it. Instead, you must present evidence that supports your claim.

To complete the Social Security disability benefits application process, you will need the following information:

• Your Social Security number, as well as Social Security numbers for your spouse and dependent children.
• Your birth certificate.
• Proof of United States citizenship, or proof of lawful alien status if you were not born in the United States.
• Your tax information from last year.
• Military discharge information, if applicable.
• Contact information for a doctor or other professional who is familiar with your disability.
• Contact information for any medical professionals, hospitals, or doctors’ offices that have treated you.
• A list of your medications and the doctors who prescribed them.
• A list of medical tests, test results, and the person who ordered the tests.
• A summary of your job history, including your last five employers in the last 15 years.
• Any information on past workers’ compensation claims filed.

Other information may also be required by Form SSA-16 and the Adult Disability Report that accompanies that form.

In order to get the benefits that you deserve, your application must provide the SSA with the evidence that it needs to find in your favor.

If your initial SSDI benefits application has been rejected or if you have other questions or concerns with your case, contact a board-certified disability lawyer today for assistance. We will fight hard to get you the fair Social Security disability benefits that you deserve.