How Medics Can Obtain VA Disability Benefits – Everything You Need to Know
Medics face a unique set of circumstances when filing a disability claim. A knowledgeable VA disability benefits lawyer can help them take the steps necessary to ensure their claims are successful.
Medics can suffer from many medical conditions due to their time in the military. Some examples include PTSD, hearing loss and musculoskeletal issues.
Medical evidence
Veterans who are suffering from PTSD, hearing loss, or musculoskeletal disorders due to their service may be eligible for disability benefits. However, a successful claim for these conditions requires substantial medical evidence. Fortunately, medics have a variety of ways to gather robust evidence for their claims and boost their chances of approval.
Getting medical records from the VA and private healthcare providers is important. This can help establish the severity of a disabling condition and link it to military service. Personal medical evidence also helps document a claimant’s prognosis over time.
Obtaining buddy statements from co-workers or others who knew the veteran during service is also helpful. These statements can detail how a disability affects a person’s life and work. Finally, it’s essential to obtain nexus letters from healthcare professionals who have treated the veteran for their claimed conditions. This can strengthen a claim by providing the VA with a more thorough explanation of how the disabilities are related to service.
Service records
The type of evidence you need varies by the issue or benefit you’re filing for. Generally, you need private medical evidence that documents the existence of your disability and its severity. Medics transitioning from military service to civilian life may seek guidance on how to get VA disability benefits as a medic, navigating the application process to secure compensation for service-related injuries or illnesses incurred during their time in the armed forces.
Personal medical evidence can come from your family doctor or a specialist you’ve consulted. The VA is required to waive normal record fees when you submit evidence for a disability claim.
Medics and corpsmen often have unique experiences in the military and may find it difficult to prove that their injuries and disabilities are service-connected. To help with this, many vets use buddy statements, which are letters from friends, family members, or fellow Veterans who can attest to the extent of your disability.
Depending on your eligibility criteria, you can receive both disability compensation and a pension payment. Pension payments are based on your level of disability and the costs of your medical care. Unlike the disability compensation program, your income doesn’t affect your pension amount.
Buddy statements
Unlike nexus letters, buddy statements can be written by anyone over 18. They often come from family members and friends who knew you before and after your military service. They focus on your personality traits before and after your injury and describe how your disability has negatively impacted your daily life and relationships.
These statements can also add another layer of credibility to your claim if you have gaps in your medical documentation. For example, if an injury or event went unrecorded in the military or medical records were destroyed, buddies can provide credible statements to fill those gaps in your claims process. They can also help the VA establish that your condition is service-connected and aggravated by your military experience. Often, these types of statements are notarized to give them more weight.
Appeals
Medics have many medical issues that make it difficult to work in the civilian world, such as PTSD, hearing loss from long-term exposure to gunfire and explosions, depression, and musculoskeletal conditions. Unfortunately, the VA has a high rate of denied disability claims for these conditions.
Thankfully, multiple options are available for appealing a decision from the VA. Medics should consider hiring a VA-accredited disability attorney to help them choose the best appeals process.
If you disagree with the rating decision, you have one year to file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). This option includes an opportunity for a personal hearing before a Decision Review Officer from the regional office. Alternatively, you can submit a Form 9 substantive appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) and avoid the DRO process altogether. However, this option will take longer to complete. It is important to submit private evidence as early in the appeals process as possible to improve your chances of success.
