Know Your Benefits: SSD for Veterans with A Critical Disability

i 3 Table Of Contents

Know Your Benefits: SSD for Veterans with A Critical Disability

Some veterans may qualify for both veterans disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits (SSD). If you’ve looked into SSD, you may know that the application and appeals process is slow. Typically, it takes about five months to receive a determination on your SSD application, and sometimes longer. If you’re denied, the appeal process could take two years or more. 

Fortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a quicker path to a decision in cases they consider a critical disability.

What is a Critical Disability Case? 

Once a case is designated critical, the SSA will determine whether it is possible to make a determination on the record (OTR). If it’s not possible to render an OTR determination, the application receives priority scheduling to move the case forward more quickly. If a critical case is scheduled for hearing and an earlier date becomes available, the applicant will be offered the opportunity to move the hearing to the earlier slot. Any decisions and other post-hearing actions will also be expedited. 

Find Out if You Qualify for Critical Case Designation

If you’ve already received a determination of permanent and total disability from the VA, you will qualify for expedited processing. The same is true if your disability is the result of an illness or injury you sustained on active duty after October 1, 2001. 

Depending on your disability and other circumstances, your case may be deemed critical even if you don’t qualify under the veteran-specific criteria. But, it’s important to ensure that you provide the SSA with the appropriate documentation to show that your case should be designated critical. 

To learn more about how you may be able to get your SSD claim expedited and what will be required to qualify you for critical case designation, call Veterans Help Group today at (855) 855-8992, or contact us here now for a FREE consultation.

Read More About This Topic

More Articles

The Importance of Documentation: Gathering Evidence for a PTSD VA Disability Claim

The Importance of Documentation: Gathering Evidence for a PTSD VA Disability Claim Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the most common reasons veterans receive VA disability benefits. In 2022, 1,343,669 veterans were receiving benefits for service-connected PTSD....

How to Win Your PTSD Claim

How to Win Your PTSD Claim - Donnel Beckles, Managing VA Advocate, Veterans Help Group Donnel Beckles is a top Veterans Advocate, and a member of the National Organization for Veterans Advocates. Donnel is accredited to practice...

PTSD and Veterans: Understanding the 100% Disability Rating Requirements

PTSD and Veterans: Understanding the 100% Disability Rating Requirements Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among veterans, and many veterans receive veterans disability benefits for the condition. However, most are rated less than 100% disabled. The standard...

What Causes PTSD to be Triggered in Veterans?

In the past 15 years, the estimated number of veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD currently numbers more than 500,000. As many as 60,000 of these veterans are Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Estimates show more than 20% to 30% of veterans...

FREE CASE EVALUATION 

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Hidden
Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.