Military
personnel are vulnerable to both physical and mental health threats upon
entering service. For their protection, the government has created the VA
benefits program to augment the veterans’ reduced earnings as a result of
acquired injuries. But to ensure that the right benefit is awarded, they would
need a disability benefits attorney to represent them. Below are the different
types of claims for service-connected disabilities.
Pre-service disabilities
The veteran
enters service with a pre-existing condition. If an event, say accident or bad
working conditions, during the service aggravates it, the veteran is entitled
to VA benefits. For example, the veteran has a skin disease that worsened because
of exposure to harmful chemicals in the base.
In-service disabilities
These are
disabilities caused by an injury or disease during active service, such as
amputated legs due to a bomb explosion in an ambush. Injuries or diseases
caused by the veteran’s misbehavior (like those stemming from drug addiction
and alcoholism) are exceptions.
Post-service disabilities
These
are disabilities considered to be service-related even if they only manifest
after service. Examples would be peptic ulcers,
arthritis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, side effects of exposure to toxic
substances while in service, and even Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PSTD).
Secondary service disabilities
Ailments
directly connected to a primary disability but have nothing to do with active
service. For example, a soldier has to take a medication for tuberculosis
(service-connected), which has the side effect of hearing loss (secondary).
0 comments:
Post a Comment