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This is the most difficult VA Benefit to navigate. You can go to the VA website and apply on your own. The site doesn’t give you a clue as to requirements or what qualifies. Worse, presumptives aren’t mentioned (those are the medical issues that are automatically awarded). Regardless of how you apply, you can expect a wait of several months to get a decision.  What are the requirements? Your illness or injury must be service connected.  Obviously, if you hit an IED and lost an arm or leg, or had a traumatic brain injury during your service, you are going to get benefits. If you are retired military, there is a pretty good chance that something happened during your service that would qualify you for some disability benefits (and you probably were given support on discharge for applying for these benefits). 

However, if you served 2, 3 or 4 years and got out (especially if this was years ago), it may be tough to prove that your military service is connected to your disease or injury. All applications for disability will require that you be seen by a VA Disability Doctor (VA Healthcare Doctors are not allowed to help or support your application). My experience is that this will occur down in the Colorado Springs clinic, but it can be somewhere else here in Colorado.  Let’s start with the presumptives that I know of: Parkinson’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes, but only if you served in the Vietnam War or the First Gulf War and Fibromyalgia from chemical burning more recently.  Cancer is common, also.

Why? Agent Orange and burned chemicals.  If you qualify here, the minimum award is 30% disability and you get FREE healthcare for that specific diagnosis – including mileage back and forth form the Denver VA hospital or the Colorado Springs clinic. Additionally, you get a monthly stipend for life, and if you are married, your spouse will receive some financial benefits now and after you are gone.  

So, if the VA website isn’t much help, where can you go? Let’s look at what can happen if you do apply without experienced help. There is no way to know what qualifies and what doesn’t. It isn’t obvious. But let’s say that you truly think you have a claim. You submit online, and for whatever reason, they decline your application. You can appeal.  A decision should come within 120 days to 1 year.  That's down from 6 to 8 years. Yes, years.  Things are getting better. 

Where can you go for help? First, don’t waste your money on a lawyer. They will take a big chunk of your award and won’t do anything that the groups I’m going to mention can do for free. My favorite is the El Paso County Veterans Services office at 5850 Championship View, Suite 130, Colorado Springs, Colorado (across from the East Costco). Phone: 719-520-7750. This is paid for by the Colorado State Government. It is totally FREE and staffed by veterans trained to help YOU.  Next, virtually all American Legions and VFWs have trained support people that will help you navigate this process. They really know what they are doing and they are located in many cities and neighborhoods. Membership is not required.  

What if you or a loved one is suffering PTSD or other mental issues and needs emergency help? The VA pays for walk in counseling officers right here in Colorado Springs. The address is 602 South Nevada Avenue in Colorado Springs. Phone: 719-471-9992. No appointment is necessary. You fill out a 1 page form and within minutes you see a counselor. Individual, couple and group counseling is offered until you believe you have resolved your issues. Months, years, decades, it doesn’t matter, and they are always FREE. VA Health Service acceptance or a disability rating is not required.  

Once you are awarded a disability rating, what are the benefits? Rating is in 10% increments, starting at 0% (yes, you can be approved and receive 0% rating) and going to 100%. Each approved injury or disease is separately rated and then totaled for your final benefit rating (this is VA addition, so 20 + 40 might end up being 50). However, once you hit 100%, that’s the cap. 

However, the VA offers Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).  This is a tax-free benefit paid in addition to the regular VA Disability Compensation, to a veteran who, as  a result of military service, incurred the loss or loss of use of specific organs or extremities.  The VA has a strange list of compensation amounts, but it is approximately $1000 more than the 100% benefit amount.

Besides the monthly benefit check, which starts at about $100 for a 10% rating (if you have a spouse, you get a little extra), there are some “secret” plateaus that you want to keep an eye on. First is 30%, where you get free healthcare, including meds, for life, for the specific injury or disease that you were given the disability for. The VA will also give you mileage to get back and forth from the VA Clinic, VA Hospital and any outside VA Health Care appointments (no one tells you that one, but they must be approved by the VA first). Blood draws and imaging do not qualify for mileage (go figure), but they are free.  

At 50%, all your healthcare is free, regardless of whether it is disability connected or not. And, if you ever wondered how Veterans got their Colorado DV license plates (which are free for life), this is it.  At 70%, you are eligible for free Veterans Home care. In Colorado, this runs from $7500 to $10,000 per month for non-disability rated Veterans. Additionally, you or your spouse gets to keep the benefit money that you were already receiving. Your spouse can also come (space available), but they have to pay, but at least they don’t lose the checks. Veterans Homes may also admit you for free if you have a disability rating under 70%, but will take all of your disability payment, with the exception of $90 for your personal use.  

At 100%, your benefit check doubles from the 90% amount, or to about $3200 per month, and the VA will give you a free $10,000 life insurance policy. Not a lot of money, but it probably will help your surviving family. Like everything else, you have to apply for the life insurance. 

There are many other Veteran benefits offered, regardless of disability rating. Any of the support groups that I mentioned can explain those to you, and numerous additional benefits are listed on this website.