VA Attorneys Indianapolis

VA Attorneys Indianapolis

To ensure that your own claim is not denied due to a filing error or missed deadline, please contact experienced VA attorneys Indianapolis today.

Under federal law, former servicemen and women who suffer from disabilities that can be directly linked to their military service are often able to collect a monthly disability payment from the federal government. Before veterans can begin collecting this benefit, however, they must be able to provide evidence demonstrating that:

• They suffer from a disability that is at least 10% disabling; or
• They have been diagnosed with at least two service-related disabilities with ratings of 0%. 

Although the amount of a person’s disability payment depends on a number of factors, in most cases, the more severe a disability is, the higher that veteran’s payment will be. In fact, veterans who suffer from disabilities that are at least 30% disabling can also recover additional compensation to assist them in supporting their children and spouses, while veterans with injuries or illnesses that are rated as 50% or more disabling can expect to receive free treatment from the VA in addition to their monthly payment. 

Veterans who suffer from total and permanent service-connected disabilities as a result of the loss of both lower limbs, the loss of one lower and one upper limb, or blindness in both eyes could also be eligible for grants to help them purchase or adapt their home to their specific needs. 

What Types of Injuries are Compensable?

Veterans suffering from a wide range of injuries and illnesses can qualify for disability benefits, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
• Tinnitus or hearing loss;
• Blindness;
• Loss of a limb; and
• Paralysis.

However, disability benefits are not limited to veterans who suffer from physical disabilities, but can be collected by former service members who suffer from mental injuries, such as:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
• Anxiety;
• Depression;
• Mood disorders; and
• Eating disorders. 

Regardless of whether a person is suffering from a physical or mental injury, the amount that he or she will be able to recover in benefits will depend on how disabling the VA rates that injury on a scale of one to 100%.

Service in Specific Wars

In most cases, veterans who wish to collect disability benefits must demonstrate proof of a service-connected injury or illness. However, this is not always true, as veterans who can establish that they served in a specific war will automatically qualify for disability payments. Veterans who served in the Vietnam War between 1962 and 1975, for example, are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange, which is a dangerous herbicide that has been linked to a number of deadly diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, soft tissue sarcoma, Hodgkin’s disease, respiratory cancers, and multiple myeloma. 

Similarly, veterans who served in the Gulf War can automatically collect disability benefits if they can prove that their symptoms appeared during the Gulf War itself or before December 2011. Finally, Prisoners of War who suffer from anxiety, heart disease, stroke, hypertensive vascular disease, or residuals of frostbite automatically qualify for disability benefits. 

VA Attorneys Indianapolis

As a VA accredited attorney, James R. Comerford is uniquely equipped to help Indiana veterans obtain disability benefits that will enable them to successfully transition to civilian life. If you need help filing your own claim, or filing a Form 9 appeal, please contact The Comerford Law Office, LLC today.