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Social Security Disability Benefits For Veterans

Veterans seeking disability compensation should strongly consider filing for Social Security disability benefits.

There are obvious reasons and benefits to applying for SSDI: 

1) Social Security disability benefits and veterans disability compensation stack. That means if a veteran is getting $3,000 a month for their disability related to service and $3,000 a month through Social Security disability, they are entitled to $6,000 a month.

2) Social Security disability approval can help a veteran win their veterans’ disability claim for TDIU or increase the veterans’ ratings. Evidence created during a Social Security disability is relevant and material to a veterans’ disability claim.   

3) Social Security disability benefits claims take a much shorter time to get adjudicated than veterans’ disability claims. In the past Social Security was much slower in adjudicating claims but due to recent improvements, some claimants can get approved as early as 3 months after filing. Even if a claim needs to go to a hearing on the Social Security disability matter those claims generally take 12-24 months to resolve the case completely. 

To get SSD benefits, a veteran must have paid into the system. 

Generally, if the veteran paid taxes consistently 5 out of the last 10 years, that veteran should meet the earnings requirement to receive SSD benefits. 

Next, the veteran must have medical problems that will keep the veteran from working on a full-time basis for a period of 12 months or longer in total. If the veteran is under the age of 50, the veteran needs to show they cannot do any work full-time in the national economy because of their medical conditions on a regular and continuing basis. 

When a veteran reaches the age of 50, it gets easier to meet the required SSD criteria.

Between ages 50-54, the veteran must show they cannot do any comparable work to the jobs they have performed in the last 15 years.  If the veteran cannot perform their past work, they only need to prove that the most they can handle in terms of employment is a simple sit-down job to get approved for disability.   

When a veteran reaches age 55, it becomes even easier to get approved for SSD benefits.   

Between the ages of 55 and retirement age, if the veteran shows they cannot do the same type of work they did in the last 15 years, then all they have to show Social Security is they cannot do any physically demanding work defined as lifting 25 -50 pounds of materials throughout the workday.   That means that the veteran can be able to do a simple sit-down job or a light-duty job where they have to stand and walk all day every day and still be adjudicated disabled!

Veterans disability benefits are mandated by law to compensate veterans for medical disabilities that are caused by or related to military service. Social Security disability benefits are payable to those who have paid into the system.   

If you are a veteran with medical issues who finds they can no longer work at all or if you are above age 50 and can longer do the work you have always done because of your medical conditions, you should talk with one of our disability experts about filing for Social Security disability benefits and veterans’ disability compensation. It is your right to do so. It is your money you are seeking to collect. Click here to contact us for a FREE consultation.