Many Veterans may not be aware of life-changing benefits they’ve earned—and deserve—through military service. This outreach kit includes flyers, social media graphics and suggested corresponding language, radio public service announcements (PSA), newsletter content and a sample blog post to help you spread the word about VA disability compensation benefits. Please share this information broadly with your networks, family and friends.
Flyer for print and digital
VA offers disability compensation—a monthly tax-free payment—to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse.
You may qualify for VA disability compensation for physical and mental health conditions that developed before, during or after service. Some conditions include:
- Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability
- Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease
- Severe hearing loss
- Loss of range of motion (problems moving your body)
- Ulcers
- Cancers or other conditions caused by contact with toxic chemicals or other dangers
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mental or physical health conditions related to military sexual trauma
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
The money that disability compensation pays each month is available for Veterans with a disability rating of 10% or more. You may qualify for hundreds or thousand of dollars per month in compensation (See the 2024 disability compensation rates). Veterans with a disability rating of 10% or more also gain access to free or low-cost health care through VA.
Already have a disability rating? Applying for other ratable disabilities will not put your current disability rating at risk. If you have a rating for hearing loss, filing a new claim for a back condition will not affect it. So, don’t worry and don’t wait to file a claim.
Receiving disability compensation does not take away resources from other Veterans. All Veterans are encouraged to apply for the benefits they’ve earned and deserve!
You can apply for disability benefits at any time, no matter how long it has been since you separated from military service. File a claim today!
Four easy ways to file a claim
Online: VA.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction
By mail: Download, print, fill out, and send VA Form 21-526EZ to Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, P.O. Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444
In person: Bring your application to a VA regional office near you.
Get help: Find an accredited representative who can help you file your claim.
Have questions? 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number.
Choosing VA means getting everything you need in one spot. Learn more about VA disability compensation, eligibility requirements and filing a claim at VA.gov/disability/.
Social media graphics and content (right click and “save as” to download)
What is VA disability compensation?
VA disability compensation is a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. Learn more: VA.gov/disability/.
Disability compensation eligibility, conditions
You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical and mental health conditions that developed before, during, or after service.
- Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability
- Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease
- Severe hearing loss
- Loss of range of motion
- Ulcers
- Cancers or other conditions caused by contact with toxic chemicals, other dangers
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mental or physical health conditions related to military sexual trauma
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
Find out how to apply for the disability benefits you’ve earned: VA.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/.
Disability ratings and compensation, health care
The monthly payment for disability compensation is available for Veterans with a disability rating of 10% or more. You may qualify for up to $4,000+ a month. Veterans with a disability rating of 10% or more also gain access to free or low-cost health care through VA.
Disability rating mythbuster
Already have a disability rating? Applying for other ratable disabilities will not put your current disability rating at risk. If you have a rating for hearing loss, filing a new claim for a back condition will not affect it. So, don’t worry and don’t wait to file a claim.
Compensation available to all eligible Veterans
Receiving disability compensation does not take away resources from other Veterans. All Veterans are encouraged to apply for the benefits they’ve earned and deserve!
Don’t wait, file now
You can apply for disability benefits at any time, no matter how long it has been since you separated from military service. File a claim today!
Radio PSAs
What is VA disability compensation?
Why file? Disability ratings and benefits
Newsletter content
Because of your service, you may be eligible for VA disability compensation. VA offers disability compensation—a monthly tax-free payment—to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse.
Sample blog post
Because of your service, you may be eligible for VA disability compensation—a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse.
You may qualify for VA disability compensation for physical and mental health conditions that developed before, during or after service. Some conditions include:
- Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability
- Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease
- Severe hearing loss
- Loss of range of motion (problems moving your body)
- Ulcers
- Cancers or other conditions caused by contact with toxic chemicals or other dangers
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mental or physical health conditions related to military sexual trauma
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Traumatic brain injury
The monthly payment for disability compensation is available for Veterans who have a disability rating of 10% or more. A rating of 10% or more also gives you access for life to free or low-cost health care through VA.
If you already have a disability rating, applying for other ratable disabilities will not put your current disability rating at risk. If you have a rating for hearing loss, filing a new claim for a back condition will not affect it. So, don’t worry and don’t wait to file a claim.
Receiving disability compensation does not take away resources from other Veterans, and you can apply at any time—no matter how long you have been separated from the military.
All Veterans are encouraged to apply for the benefits they’ve earned and deserve!
You can apply in four easy ways:
- Online: VA.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction
- By mail: Download, print, fill out, and send VA Form 21-526EZ to Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, P.O. Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444
- In person: Bring your application to a VA regional office near you.
- Get help: Find an accredited representative who can help you file your claim.
Choosing VA means getting everything you need in one spot. Learn more about VA disability compensation, eligibility requirements, and filing a claim at VA.gov/disability/. Have questions? 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number.
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The ONLY veterans who get this kind of help are the children of Post 911, Afghanistan and Iraq. Older veterans are ignored and discriminated against.
I had to battle for 30+ years and finally am being paid at the 100% P&T level. I should have been given the 100% to begin with but because women still aren’t considered real veterans I’ve had to fight. I still am not treated like a real veteran. I have no idea if I should believe this page or not, I keep getting told that if I file a new claim I can lose everything I finally got. I want to have my case readjudicated from the date I left the service. What was claimed by the service branch was my disability is considered PTSD but none of the providers in the service ever recognized that and I was denied disability. I fought for 5 years and finally got a disability discharge for a completely unrelated reason to being “asked to leave” the service. I deserve to have my case readjudicated from my date of discharge.
I got hurt in the service,my back.im still taking meds.for the pain every day.i got hurt in Okinawa.i went to the hospital for it there.this happen in the last of 1966.the V.A.still refuse to pay me for it.it has caused depression,on top of it.lwas never able to keep study work.
I appreciate your newsletter and getting info out to veterans but I respectively disagree. I have been helping my Vietnam dad navigate through different programs. He is very fortunate to receive but him and my mom both feel that something away. All the Va different systems have not been updated and several places it says the VA can decrease or take away. The pact Act stuff seem to just be a political ploy. Even two of Va housing grants says only 165 veterans receive and are missing limbs or are blind. I honestly would love a round table discussion with our government or state representatives to discuss. All of the different systems are antiquated or if new the aren’t necessarily age helpful. My dad is 75 and does great with some but everything has definitely been overwhelming. I know DAV can help but membership is not free. Then we recently received an update on his claim . It says he is able to get 40000 life insurance which I’m sincerely grateful and helping my dad to apply it is asking for 400.00 to get started but then it mention he may qualify for vouchers that would lower but. Va government red tape and confusion with new employees is not helping our veterans. It’s only making it worst and weighs heavily on my dad and mom. She may get to get added now for medicine
When I filed addition claims, they went back and review a previous claim and said they made a mistake and lowered my percentage on that claim. I got hurt on active duty but no LOD was done by my unit and I did not seek further medical treatment after being seen when the injuries happened. I can not afford to go the Dr. every time something hurts. I just deal with it and live with the pain.
Thank you for this information!
The graphics will not download as jpeg or png files, but only as webpages.
This entire page is a lie. I filed for disability for several reasons, one of which was a knee injury I sustained in active duty that was operated on in an Army Medical Center. While I had sprained it as a teenager, I never had it operated on. I made it through basic training just fine yet the VA denied my claim due to a “preexisting condition.” I spent years in armored vehicles in the desert, developing arthritis in my lumbar spine at age 29. Ultimatelty needing L4-L5 spinal fusion in 2014. The VA denied that claim too. There are so many of us suffering and yet you deny our claims. Unless we get lawyers, you neglect us.
Don’t give up. Contact your Senator if you have to. They can actutually open an inquiry (well, their secretaries will) and see why you haven’t been approved. Also, ALLSUP Law firm is very good at getting results. No payment up front, they only take a portion when you ge tpaid, but there is a cap on how much they can collect so it’s not a bad deal. Worked well for my husband. They work with you over the phone.
Totally agree with your entire comment. I’m 55 trying to help my parents and over and over again because the Va system is definitely broken then put it with the broken healthcare system and you have utter chaos. I see 15,000 new employees great!! Do they know the 5 different systems ? No but do they answer the phone yes but no answers and transferred 10 different call representatives. When I read the above article I saw red!!! Discouraged Veteran daughter so much so I loss my temper with an outside vendor and she started asking me if I needed to call the veteran crisis line. You can imagine how angry and upset I was because anyone anywhere or any state would be just as frustrated with all the systems, passwords, applications, time that it takes to be seen by a doctor or even have to go through 6 different physicals I think called ACE ir iDI. My dad was boots on the ground presumptive . It is like the Va or government do not know the definition. It makes me terribly sad that we treat other countries people better than our own military just to gain political votes!!
I recently inquired about filing for an increase to an already awarded service disability, was told by Service officer that that would allow VA to open up my other disability claim settled already for review
I have seen VA documents that state that when applying for a new disability that ALL existing disabilities are subject to being evaluated ergo subject to possible decreased rating, increased or stay as is – but in the info above it says the exact opposite – has this policy changed?
thank you i do have a back problem
If I am already rated having a SCD of 100% and I reopen my claim to add an additional related disability that was not previously included, will my compensation increase as well?
No. Once at 100% that is all you can get. It does document service connected disabilities though so you can treatment if needed.
Very informative articles. Will try to download the articles so I can print them out.
Outstanding informational kit!
Good to hear attitudes have changed. Will never forget being shocked in 2007 when I retired and went to the Minneapolis VA for my eval. The sinus doc told me “You realize my job is to rule you out of the system, not in, right?”
Sure eough, he did. fortunately, I won my appeal on the chronic sinusitus I’d had since Desert Storm.
The news letter needs to publish what various ratings of disability qualify the veteran for. I just received a 100% rating but, other than the monthly paymnet and back pay, don’t know what all I qualify for.
[Editor: Your claim decision letter actually has more information on it, including what other benefits you qualify for based on your 100% rating. Some of them are time sensitive, based on the date on award. You can also learn more, here: https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/derivative_sc.asp ]
definely in need of disability compensation
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