If you are a veteran that incurred an injury or illness while doing your duty, you may be entitled to receive disability benefits. How much you receive each month depends on several different factors, including:

• Your disability rating (a range of 0 to 100%)
• How many dependents you are responsible for
• How severe your condition is

Other factors might also play a role, but these are the main items that are taken into consideration.

Before being able to get a disability rating, you have to apply for VA disability benefits. To ensure you get the best outcome, you might consider working with a South Carolina VA disability lawyer.

It’s also helpful to know which claims are the most commonly applied for. While these claims are approved more often than not, every case is unique and considered individually. There is no guarantee you’ll get the compensation you’re hoping for, but it’s in your best interest to try.

When it comes to the five types of claims for VA disability benefits, these are some of the most common:

1. Tinnitus

If you have a ringing in your ear, then you suffer from tinnitus. This is a common ailment that impacts soldiers because of the loud weapons that are used in the course of duty. Whether you had ear protection or not, if your ears ring because of your military service, you may be able to receive compensation for it.

2. Hearing Loss

Tied in with ringing in the ears is hearing loss. Again, since you are exposed to loud sounds constantly, this could have a detrimental impact on your hearing.

While this might be a common VA disability claim, it can also be incredibly challenging to prove. There are certain thresholds you have to meet, and you’ll have to go through tests to determine how much your hearing has been impacted.

It may be more challenging to prove the hearing loss is tied into your service, but it’s still worth pursuing if you believe it is.

3. PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an ailment that impacts a lot of soldiers. Finding yourself in high-stress situations that can have a mental and physical impact doesn’t always stay on the battlefield. You can bring these issues home with you, which can have a negative impact on your life.

PTSD is a mental health condition that is created during a highly emotional event, and then it is triggered by things in the everyday world. For example, the sound of fireworks might remind you of gunfire, which can make you feel like you’re back on the battlefield. This can leave you feeling terrified and acting out of normal character.

Other symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, anxiety, depression, anger issues, flashbacks, and suicidal thoughts. All of these can impact your work and personal relationships and make it hard to live day today.

If you are suffering from PTSD, you may be able to get a disability rating and benefits to help ease the burden of the ailment or help pay for treatments.

4. Scars

In the course of your duty, you may be exposed to injuries that leave marks on your body. Believe it or not, but you may be able to get disability compensation for your scars. Working with a lawyer will help you determine if it’s worth your time and effort to fill out the paperwork and see what you can get for these marks.

5. Limited Mobility of Your Knee(s)

 The stress your body goes through for military service can have long-lasting impacts. If you find that you no longer have the ability to move your knee(s) like you used to or that you have other joint conditions, you may be entitled to compensation.

The Treatment You Deserve

 After serving your time to protect this country, if you have been injured in any way during your active duty, you may be entitled to VA disability benefits. The best way to find out for sure is to work with a lawyer and file a claim.

Author:

As a journalist, Leland D. Bengtson dedicated most of his career to law reporting. His greatest satisfaction is to convey legal matters to the public in a language that they can understand. He is active on various platforms and media outlets, writing about common legal issues that people confront with every day. While medical malpractice is his strong suit, Leland covers plenty of other topics, including personal injury cases, family law, and other civil and even criminal legal matters.