VA Disability Guide

If you've been disabled, even partially, as a result of military service, you should be able to file a disability claim with the Veterans' Administration (VA). The VA has precise rules about what type of injuries constitute a service-related disability and what level disability can be assigned for those injuries. Most veterans file claims when they detach from their service, whether it be by discharge, resignation or retirement, but a claim for service-related disability can be filed any time.

At Time of Discharge

• Make two copies of your service medical record to take with you when you separate. Send one copy to the VA with your initial claim and keep the other for your records. Meet with a VA representative before you separate. He'll go over your medical record with you to highlight conditions you'll want the VA to look at with regards to your disability. He'll also show you how to file your initial claim, with which you'll send one of the copies you made of your service medical record.

Find Someone to Help and Represent You

• Get someone who knows the VA system to represent you, such as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Your representative should be someone familiar with how the VA does things and be willing to go to your hearings, either with or without you. Sometimes, your VA center will be fairly far away, and you may not be able to get there for a claim review. For those occasions, it's especially important that you have someone representing you. The DAV will do that for you if you don't have anyone else.

After Your Discharge

• File a disability claim even long after you separate for any service-related disability you become aware of, which you failed to claim when you were discharged. The VA's disability instruction states that they'll provide "the appropriate application form" for anyone that wants one. Either go to the nearest VA office to get the forms in person or call the VA customer service line at [phone] and ask them to mail them to you. If you'd rather not do either one of those things, you can go to the VA website to request forms (see the Reference section).

Correspond Promptly

• Answer any claim-related correspondence from the VA promptly. They usually give you 60 days to respond, but the sooner you write back, the sooner they can finish their evaluation. If you're not good at writing letters, ask your representative to help you.

The Evaluation Process

• For more information on how the process works, download VAOPGCPREC 4-2001 from the VA website. If you're wondering as to what compensation and benefits you might be entitled, click on the benefits tab on the VA website homepage. Be patient, whatever happens. The process can take years in some cases, even when there's an obvious disability, but eventually, the VA does make a decision. If the decision is favorable and retroactive, you'll get your money retroactively as well.