How can I get Federal Disability Benefits?
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. You 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. Find out how to apply for and manage the Veterans disability benefits you’ve earned.
a. Eligibility: You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.
(1) Both of these must be true:
- You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and
- You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training
(2) At least one of these must be true:
- You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or
- You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a pre-service disability claim), or
- You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a post-service disability claim)
b. Common Forms Required (Others may be needed)
c. Additional Information
You can find more information on Federal disability benefits through U.S. Veterans Affairs.