Is it Easier to get Social Security Disability if you are a Veteran?
Not necessarily. Currently, the social security admininstration makes the claim that cases that have been identified as being connected to veterans will be expedited through the system. However, I have to wonder, as a former disability examiner, how effective that can even be. Why?
1. Records have to be requested and received before a decision can be made on any social security disability case. There's no way around that. That's how you make a disability decision. And, invariably, record gathering is always the largest time-component in case processing.
2. The definition of disability for social security disability is still the same as it has always been. It has not been altered to accomodate veterans. And that definition of disability is very different than the one used by the military/va system where partial awards are granted. In the social security disability system, a claimant must be found to be 100 percent disabled and unable to perform work (either their past work or at some form of other work) at the substantial gainful activity level. In other words, in the SSA system, it is all or nothing.
Considering these two facts, I have to wonder just how much you can expedite a claim that has been submitted for a service member. However, the answer to the question is: no, it is not easier to get social security disability if you are a veteran. However, if you are a veteran who has been given a 100 percent disability rating, you probably do have a very good chance of being awarded social security disability benefits.
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1. Records have to be requested and received before a decision can be made on any social security disability case. There's no way around that. That's how you make a disability decision. And, invariably, record gathering is always the largest time-component in case processing.
2. The definition of disability for social security disability is still the same as it has always been. It has not been altered to accomodate veterans. And that definition of disability is very different than the one used by the military/va system where partial awards are granted. In the social security disability system, a claimant must be found to be 100 percent disabled and unable to perform work (either their past work or at some form of other work) at the substantial gainful activity level. In other words, in the SSA system, it is all or nothing.
Considering these two facts, I have to wonder just how much you can expedite a claim that has been submitted for a service member. However, the answer to the question is: no, it is not easier to get social security disability if you are a veteran. However, if you are a veteran who has been given a 100 percent disability rating, you probably do have a very good chance of being awarded social security disability benefits.
Return to:
Additional Posts
Disability denied
You Should Appeal Your Social Security Disability Denial quickly
Disability denied?
Application for disability
The job of a disability examiner for social security
Social Security Disability Decision Process
On the record disability decision
Disability Decision — The Wait for Social Security
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