One of the biggest misconceptions veterans are told about VA disability compensation is that receiving benefits means your life is over or that you can no longer work. The reality is many veterans receive VA disability compensation while still building careers, attending school, raising families, and living productive lives.

Somewhere along the way, thousands of veterans were convinced that filing disability claims meant you needed to be broken, unemployable, weak, or permanently incapable of building a successful future. Others were told that if they became 100% disabled through the VA, they would never be allowed to work again. The truth is many veterans with 100% VA disability ratings are still working, raising families, building businesses, and living productive lives while managing their physical or mental limitations. In fact, there are veterans across the United States currently receiving 100% VA disability compensation while simultaneously owning businesses, working full time jobs, raising families, traveling, attending school, investing, and rebuilding their lives after service.  

The problem is that nobody explains the system correctly and everyone gets out of the military thinking “I won’t file a disability claim because I’m okay”. But are you really okay? Many veterans think exactly that because the military conditioned them to continue operating regardless of pain. VA disability claims are not only for catastrophic injuries. Veterans commonly receive compensation for conditions such as back pain, tinnitus, migraines, anxiety, knee injuries, sleep issues, hearing loss, and other service connected conditions.

Many veterans hear the word “disability” and immediately picture somebody completely unable to function physically. That is not how VA disability compensation works. You are entitled to file a claim for conditions connected to your military service that may not have existed if you had never served. Now, you can also file for physical injuries that happened while you were serving or that happened because of something you did while serving. By doing this you can receive significant compensation for physical and psychological conditions connected to your military service. The first step is identifying the conditions you struggle with and beginning the claims process.

The military places enormous stress on the human body and mind, and the VA rating system exists because those effects are real.

A veteran can have severe migraines, chronic back pain, PTSD, nerve damage, sleep apnea, hearing loss, anxiety, knee deterioration, depression, spinal injuries, or countless other service connected conditions while still pushing themselves to work every day. If you are struggling with depression, substance abuse, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health conditions connected to your service, you are entitled to seek help and file a claim for evaluation. In many cases, the process is more guided and manageable than veterans initially expect.

It’s not a secret that veterans normalize suffering better than almost any group of people on earth. We normalize exhaustion, panic attacks, damaged joints, and sleeping three hours a night. We even normalize emotional numbness and survival instead of living. 

Veterans deserve more than survival after service.

One of the most frustrating realities is how little information service members receive before separation. Young men and women spend years learning military systems, procedures, regulations, weapons platforms, communication systems, and operational structures, yet many leave service with almost no understanding of the benefits they earned.

A shocking number of veterans still believe:
• They cannot file years later
• They needed to deploy to qualify
• They cannot work if they receive compensation
• They needed to be blown up or physically destroyed to deserve benefits
• Mental health conditions are not legitimate claims
• They missed their chance after getting out
• Going to medical makes them weak
• The VA “won’t help anyway”
• Their injuries are “not bad enough”

None of those beliefs are necessarily true. If your military service contributed to long term physical or mental health conditions, you deserve to understand the benefits available to you.

The military has a culture of minimizing pain and you and I both understand this very well. You can probably remember multiple situations where you were in pain and still expected to continue functioning for the mission like nothing happened. What was the term they used to say to us?… Oh thats right, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” No, my friend, pain is pain and it should be evaluated by a professional.

The VA rating system is designed to evaluate how service connected conditions affect your life and long term health. Some conditions are rated at 10%. Others may be rated significantly higher depending on severity and how they impact daily functioning. VA disability ratings are calculated using a combined ratings system rather than simple addition, which is why percentages may not add up the way many veterans expect. The most important thing to know is that when you are 100% disabled in the eyes of the VA, they are not automatically saying you are incapable of building a career or improving your life, in fact they encourage you to get out there.

A veteran may have:
• A back condition
• Nerve pain
• Knee problems
• Tinnitus
• PTSD or anxiety
• Migraines
• Sleep apnea
• Shoulder injuries
• Hearing loss

And each of these conditions will be combined in a specific way to form your total disability rating.

Another major misconception is that mental health claims are somehow “less legitimate” than physical injuries. That’s not true either. Psychological damage from military service is real. Hypervigilance is real. Panic attacks are real. Nightmares are real. Emotional detachment is real. Depression is real. Survivor’s guilt is real. Many veterans return to civilian life physically intact while privately fighting battles in their head that nobody around them can see. Some become emotionally disconnected from family members. Others lose motivation completely. Some cannot sit in crowded restaurants anymore without scanning exits and monitoring everyone around them. 

I know when I walk into a room the first thing I do is scan it. My mind immediately begins preparing for the worst case scenario. I think to myself “What if an active shooter comes in here? What will I do? Is that man acting weird? Does that woman need help?” But I’m also thinking “I’m ready for anything”. Even when I get a knock on the door and I wasn’t expecting anyone. Within the first few seconds I am wondering “Is someone here to hurt me or my family? What do I have here to protect myself?” And the whole time it’s just an Amazon package getting dropped off at my front door. This is what I am talking about.

I don’t consider myself weak for constantly being in flight or fight mode, and you shouldn’t either. I consider myself vigilant, conditioned, prepared. Maybe you became the person your younger self would have run to for protection. If you’re in fight or flight mode everyday, know that your nervous system has adapted to prolonged stress and has prioritized your overall survival even in the most basic environments. You are stronger than most, remember that.

The military changes people, sometimes positively, and sometimes destructively. My time spent in the Marine Corps was very rewarding, I don’t have many complaints. Most of my trauma comes from my childhood, from my parents, so you may not find yourself to be as on edge as I describe myself to be but if you struggle with similar issues, know that you can receive compensation for it. One of the worst things a veteran can do is spend years pretending nothing is wrong because someone else “had it worse.” There will always be somebody who suffered differently. That does not invalidate your own experience or injuries.

Compensation exists because service comes with consequences and if you’re facing them they should be helping you. There are veterans right now working through debilitating pain because they believe they are not “disabled enough.” They genuinely think their conditions do not matter because they became so accustomed to suffering after service. I am sorry if you are part of that group of individuals, but you’re a part of this unit now, so you’re done living in the dark after service.

Now that you understand what VA disability really is, let’s talk about the process of beginning your claim. Don’t panic, I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s really not and we’re here for you if you need any help.

My recommendation is to do what many other veterans also did, which is work with a VA Disability Law Firm that understands the system inside and out. ‘The Next Mission: You’ works closely with Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia in Boca Raton, FL.

From what we have experienced with them is that there is no upfront cost to working with them. If you don’t want to go this route and you feel you can do it all on your own, then that’s fantastic too. However, let me be the one to tell you that 100% ratings are typically reserved for veterans with severe or multiple service connected conditions. If you go through this entire process alone, you might struggle to maximize your rating without experienced guidance. In some cases, experienced representation may help veterans better navigate complicated claims or appeals.

If you choose to contact Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia, let them know that “The Next Mission: You” sent you. We work with this law firm frequently and they are passionate about taking care of our veterans. They’ll set up everything for you, all you need to do is tell them the conditions that you struggle with.

Now, for those who want to give it a go on their own, let me explain what to do. First, you’re going to visit the good ol’ VA website and click on the VA Disability Claim Form 21-526EZ.

When you get to this page, you’re going to sign in and start your application. You should already have a VA account, but if you don’t, enroll in one, or email valentinavescova@thenextmissionyou.com if you need assistance. You are going to need a VA account for the rest of your life, so definitely make it now if you haven’t before. 

Fill out Form 21-526EZ to the best of your abilities. If you find yourself getting discouraged throughout this process, hop into the veteran chat room on our website and we will do our best to guide you in the right direction.

This form should take you roughly 30 minutes. Take a minute to get into your calmest environment, put all distractions aside, and give this time to yourself. You deserve to do this for your future. They’re going to ask you about any existing or pre-existing medical conditions you have developed and you should list everything you can think of, ringing in the ears, depressive episodes, maybe anxiety. They actually pull your medical records from your service and any VA Hospitals that you have visited. Don’t worry if you’ve never gone to medical or if you’ve never been checked out for the condition you’re writing down because a medical examiner is going to evaluate you in a few weeks, and if he sees that you’re struggling with something service connected, he’s going to write that down.

When you’re done with the form, keep an eye out for letters in the mail. The VA is going to send you around town to a few doctors to confirm your medical conditions. They’ll send you to specialists in your area, so if you wrote down that you have some mental health concerns like PTSD or anxiety, you’re probably going to be sent to a doctor that specializes in that exact sector of health. This process seems like a lot, I know, it can feel that way. The key is taking the process one step at a time so it does not feel overwhelming. Over the course of the next few months your claim will go through all the necessary channels in order to get approved. Yes, it could take months. That’s why it’s good to start all of this now and get the ball rolling.

Now that you know how to submit a claim, let’s talk about the different levels of disability and what the benefits are for each one.

10% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive a little over $170 per month tax free.

20% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive a little over $340 per month tax free.

30% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $530+ per month tax free and can begin receiving additional compensation for dependents such as a spouse or children.

40% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $760+ per month tax free.

50% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $1,100+ per month tax free along with significantly expanded VA healthcare benefits.

60% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $1,400+ per month tax free.

70% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $1,700+ per month tax free and may qualify for additional programs and support depending on their conditions.

80% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $2,000+ per month tax free.

90% Disability Rating

• Veterans receive roughly $2,400-$2,700+ per month tax free depending on dependents and conditions.

100% Disability Rating

• At 100%, veterans can receive roughly $4,000+ per month tax free with dependents along with major benefits that may include:
  • Full VA healthcare
  • Dental coverage
  • Property tax exemptions depending on the state
  • Student loan discharge eligibility
  • Educational benefits for dependents
  • Commissary and exchange privileges
  • Additional state specific veteran benefits

And yes, because this misconception still exists among many veterans, those with 100% disability ratings can still work, own businesses, travel, go to school, and build successful lives unless they are specifically classified under certain unemployability programs like TDIU.

And if you have a family, a wife, husband, dependents, or children, the amount of compensation you receive can increase significantly.

At the end of the day, the purpose of this article is not to convince you to apply for disability. It was to educate you on benefits that were specifically created for veterans who sacrificed their physical or mental wellbeing during service to this country. Far too many veterans spend years struggling financially, emotionally, and physically because nobody ever explained the process correctly. They convince themselves they are “fine” while quietly dealing with conditions that affect every aspect of their lives.

That stops now.

If you served and you are struggling with physical pain, mental health conditions, sleep issues, anxiety, PTSD, hearing loss, depression, migraines, nerve pain, or any condition connected to your service, you deserve to at least explore your options, and remember something important, filing a disability claim does not make you weak. Asking for help does not make you weak. Taking care of yourself after years of taking care of everyone else does not make you weak.

The strongest thing a veteran can do is finally stop pretending nothing hurts.

The mission continues, but this time it’s personal.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical, or financial advice.