By Larry Dandridge
According to the many letters of praise and the many positive phone calls, emails, and text messages received by this writer, The Island News has published a great deal of helpful and informative information on veterans’ benefits in the past two-and-a-half years.
The most common topic about which this columnist has received questions is the VA benefit, Service-Connected Disability Compensation.
Many veterans ask me how long it takes for the Veterans Administration (VA) to process a Service-Connected Disability Compensation claim. As of August 2023, the average number of days it takes the VA to make a Service-Connected Disability Compensation claim decision is 96 days.
The time it takes for the VA to review a veterans claim depends on:
- The type of claim the veteran filed.
- How many injuries or disabilities the veteran claimed and how complex they are.
- How long it will take the VA to collect the evidence they need to decide your claim.
Many veterans also call me and ask me, “How do I file a claim for Service-Connected Disability?”
The answer to that question is complex and usually requires me to talk with the veteran on the phone for about 20 minutes. I then send the veteran an email with copies of past articles I have written, recommending the veteran read the appropriate webpages at www.va.,gov and a strong recommendation for the veteran to make an appointment with his or her local Veterans Service Officer.
If you want to become knowledgeable in VA Disabilit Claims, it would help to read the information at the following VA websites and stories from the archives of The Island News and use a VSO to help you understand this valuable benefit and file for the benefit if you are eligible.
Helpful Island News articles
- How to file a VA disability claim (Part 1 of 2), August 16, 2023, https://yourislandnews.com/how-to-file-a-va-disability-claim/.
- How to file a VA disability claim (Part 2 of 2), August 23, 2023, https://yourislandnews.com/how-to-file-a-va-disability-claim-2/.
- Suggestions for Veterans filing a Service-Connected Disability compensation claim Part 1 of 2, September 13, 2023, https://yourislandnews.com/suggestions-for-veterans-filing-a-service-connected-disability-compensation-claim/
- Service-connected disability claims (suggestions) (Part 2 of 2), September 20, 2023, https://yourislandnews.com/service-connected-disability-claims/.
- You can search for other helpful articles on veterans’ benefits in the archives of The Island News at www.yourislandnews.com.
- Veterans should want to live, work, and retire in SC, June 1, 2022,
https://yourislandnews.com/veterans-should-want-to-live-work-retire-in-sc/. Read about S.C. Complete Property Tax Homestead Exemption for Permanently and Totally Disabled Veterans, Prisoners of War, and Medal of Honor Recipients at https://dor.sc.gov/tax/exempt-property. SC provides free hunting/fishing licenses to Veterans who are totally disabled. Read more at https://www.dnr.sc.gov.
- S.C. Military (and Disabled Veterans) License Plates, January 25, 2023, https://yourislandnews.com/sc-military-license-plates/
Helpful VA and SC sites
- How to file a VA Disability Claim (for service-connected disability compensation), https://bit.ly/3wYGMRJ.
- How to file a VA Disability Claim video (for service-connected disability compensation), https://bit.ly/45lZEck.
- Eligibility for VA disability benefits, https://bit.ly/3GxrxTG.
- Types of VA Disability (Compensation) Claims and when to file, https://bit.ly/3m6K3M9.
- File for (Service-connected) Disability Compensation with VA Form 21-526EZ online, https://bit.ly/3RrzmPi.
- Fully Developed (Service-connected) Claims Program, https://bit.ly/3CTtFV0.
- Standard (Service-connected) Disability Claims (how to file), https://bit.ly/3RYBnoX.
- Pre-Discharge (Service-connected) Disability Claim, https://bit.ly/3vmbvaa.
- File a Pre-Discharge (Service-connected) Claim while overseas, https://bit.ly/45yC37G.
- Evidence needed for your(Service-connected) Disability Claim, https://bit.ly/3w6YGAN.
- File additional forms for your (Service-connected) Disability Claim, https://bit.ly/3XgpDxU.
- Separation (self) health assessment for Service Members, (For filing service-connected disability claims through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge [BDD] Program), https://bit.ly/3QvpV2U.
- Request your VA medical records online, https://bit.ly/3kCgBgH.
- Request your military service records (Including DD214, Official Military Personnel File, Medical Records, Dental Records, and Other Records), https://bit.ly/41ydmaU.
- Reconstruct military records destroyed in National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) fire (Needed for service-connected disability compensation claims), https://bit.ly/3PApt3e.
- How to get copies of my military health records, https://bit.ly/3S53MtI. You should keep copies of your medical documentation, records, and health care history information for your own reference.
- Work with an accredited representative (to help you file a service-connected disability compensation claim), https://bit.ly/3enmCdG.
- Find a VA-accredited representative near you, https://bit.ly/3QnCk5M.
- The VA (Service-connected disability compensation) claim process after you file your claim, https://bit.ly/3H5ClKq.
- What your claim status means, https://bit.ly/48ZGkUN.
- Sign in or create an account with Login.gov or ID.me, https://bit.ly/3tLFvPn.
- Get help from a VA-accredited representative (VSO, Attorney, or Claims Agent), https://bit.ly/3enmCdG. VSOs are free and attorneys and claims agents may not be free (and probably are not free).
- How to find and manage a VA-accedited (local) representative through eBenifits (Go to eBenefits search engine), https://bit.ly/3eXpwpO.
- Search the VA Office Of The General Counsel’s list to find VA-recognized organizations and VA-accredited individuals by name, city, state, or zip code using the search engine, https://bit.ly/3QnCk5M.
- Find a Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) regional office and the VSOs co-located at that office. Use the search engine, https://bit.ly/492Zmtp.
- Find S.C. County Veterans Service Officers (VSOs), https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL. There are other VSOs working for their local Veteran Service Organizations (AMVETS, American Legion, DAV, VFW, etc.) Chapters in S.C. For example, the Beaufort DAV Chapter, VSO Michael Vergantino, can be reached at 843-301-2543 and mlv1030@gmail.com.
- Fins Georgia Veteras Service Officers (VSOs), https://bit.ly/3enmCdG.
- S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs, https://scdva.sc.gov.
- For additional questions, call the VA at 1-800-827-1000, or if you have hearing loss, call Teletypewriter (TTY) at711. Better yet, call your VSO.
The bottom line
Filing a claim for military service-connected disability is a complicated undertaking. Veterans should use a VA-accredited representative to help them understand their VA (Federal) benefits and state Veterans’ benefits. VSO services are free, while VA-accredited attorneys and Claims Agents can and do charge for their services. There are times, when a veteran may want to use a VA-accredited attorney to help them file complicated appeals. If there is a subject you want me to write about, just let me know.
Disclaimer
The above list of articles and web pages is not a complete list of everything published about service-connected disability compensation and benefits.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
