VA Benefits and Social Security Disability Benefits

Since a Disabled Veteran may qualify for Service Related Benefits and will have likely paid into the Social Security System, he/she may wish to file for both VA benefits as well as Social Security Disability benefits. There are a few things that the Veteran should know and a few things that a Veteran should do prior to filing a Social Security Disability claim. 

Things to do.

1.         Gather your medical records from VA and any other doctors that you have treated with.
2.         Discuss your potential Social Security Disability Claim with an Attorney ASAP. Call Attorney Donald H. Peters and discuss your claim for free at (248) 549-3485. 

Things you should know about Social Security Disability Claims.

First, VA and Social Security Disability use different Attorney fee structures. In a Social Security Disability case, you need no money to hire an Attorney and you are allowed to employ an attorney immediately in a Social Security Disability claim, even before you apply. The SSD Attorney will receive a fee only if you win your claim. The fee will be a small percentage of past due benefits owed to you by the Social Security Administration and that will be paid to the Attorney by the Social Security Administration from your past due benefits. If you lose your claim, there will be no Attorney fee.  

Before you have any contact whatsoever with anybody from the Social Security Administration, you should discuss you claim with an Attorney. You can discuss your claim with Attorney Donald Peters for free at Social Security Professionals. (248) 549-3485

Secondly, in a claim for VA benefits, the Vet may be determined to be 40% disabled and then receive benefits based upon that percentage of disability subject to subsequent upgrades until the Vet eventually receives a 100% disability determination. In a Social Security Disability claim, there are no percentages of disability. Under Social Security, you are either disabled or not disabled. You either receive 100% of your Social Security benefits or you receive nothing at all. 

Third, a Veteran applying for Social Security Disability benefits should know that it has always been very difficult for SSA as well as Attorneys to obtain medical records from the Veteran's Administration Physicians. On the other hand, Veterans are able to obtain their records rather easily and should do so prior to filing a Social Security Disability claim. The Vet should obtain the records and review and discuss the records with an attorney and then submit the records along with the initial application at the local Social Security Office. This could result in a quicker favorable decision.