Disability Ratings and Compensation
In order for a Veteran to receive disability compensation, they first have to establish that they have a disability and that it is connected to their military service. Once an eligible condition is identified, the level of disability given will range from 0% to 100%, depending on how much it interferes with their normal life functions.
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Keep in mind - while someone may think their disability rating would be 0%, it may in fact be 100%!
VA disability compensation (pay) offers 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. A service member/Veteran may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. Based on an individuals disability rating, they also qualify for various benefits. For example, if a person has a service connected disability rating of 50%, they qualify for: no cost health care and prescription medications; travel allowance for scheduled appointments for care at a VA medical facility or authorized health care facility; waiver of VA funding fee for a home loan; additional compensation for eligible dependents (which may include aid and attendance for eligible spouses) and more. Also, because benefit rates change, it is important to keep up with the changes.
Disability ratings can be viewed online.
Having an understanding of VA disability ratings and compensation can be beneficial because this will have an effect on you/your family in a multitude of ways, the biggest, income.
DAV has developed a VA Compensation Calculator which is an easy to use disability calculator that will help provide an estimate of what a Veterans monthly and annually compensation may be. Not only is compensation determined by disability but additional factors as well (such as having dependents or a person's marital status).
Some Additional Information About Disability Ratings and Benefits
An individual is able to receive various benefits based on their individual disability rating. The higher the rating, the more benefits an individual will qualify for.