How to Request Original VA Disability Awards

By Terry Smith

If you're disabled due to your military service, even partially, you should file a claim with the Veterans' Administration (VA) as soon as possible. The VA will evaluate whether you have a service-related disability in accordance with its rules covering what type of award to assign, if any, for your injuries. Usually, veterans file VA disability claims when they leave military service, but you can actually file a claim for service-related disabilities any time you become aware of them after you leave the service.

Meet with a VA counselor prior to your separation. The counselor will go over your medical history and highlight conditions you'll want the VA to consider when they rate your disability. Your counselor will also show you where to send your initial claim.

Make two copies of your service medical record when you leave the service. One of these you'll send to the VA with your initial claim. Keep the other for your own records in case you ever need to refile.

Consult an organization such as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) that can help you work within the VA system and get them to represent you. The VA is likely to have hearings on your case at some point, and these may be difficult for you to attend if your VA center is far from where you live. Your representative can attend for you, saving you the trouble of taking time off work or other necessary activities to drive there. It's important you have a representative for those occasions and an organization like the DAV can help you with this if you have no one else.

File a claim for a service-related disability even if you failed to claim it when you were discharged. If you become aware of a disability at a later date, even long after you've separated, the VA's disability claims instruction requires them to provide "the appropriate application form" for anyone who needs one. Get the necessary forms at the nearest VA office, call the VA customer service hotline at 1-800-827-1000 to have the forms mailed to you, or go to the VA website at http://www.va.gov/ to download or request them.

Be sure you answer claim-related VA inquiries as soon as possible. You'll have a year to respond to their initial finding and 60 days to respond to subsequent inquiries, but the sooner you respond, the faster they can complete your case and give you your award.

Patience is a must no matter how long the process takes, because it can take a long time, years in some cases, even when you have an obvious service-related disability. If the VA decides in your favor, you'll receive your pay and benefits retroactive to the date of your disability.

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