Maximizing Your 80 Percent Disability VA Health Benefits: Tips and Strategies
Have you been diagnosed with a disability while serving in the military? Perhaps you’re struggling to figure out how to best utilize your VA benefits. You’re not alone. Many veterans find the system complex and confusing, making it difficult to fully maximize their 80 percent disability VA health benefits.
Fortunately, there are a few tips and strategies you can use to make the most of your benefits, and this article will explore some of them.
Understanding Your Benefits
Before diving into the tips, it’s essential to have a good understanding of your benefits. Your VA benefits may include disability compensation, health care, and other services.
Disability compensation refers to financial compensation provided to veterans who have a disability or illnesses caused or made worse by military service. The amount of compensation will depend on your disability rating assigned by the VA.
Health care benefits include medical treatments, preventive care, and prescription medications for the medical conditions. This healthcare is free of cost without any co-payments and sometimes it is entitled to few other veterans and their family members.
Once you have a grasp of what’s included in your benefits, you can use the following tips to maximize them fully.
1. Get an Accredited Representative
Navigating the VA system can be challenging even for the most experienced veterans. One way to get the help you need and maximize your benefits is by working with an accredited representative. Accredited representatives can help you understand the benefits available to you, file VA claims, and appeal denied claims.
These representatives can be found either through veterans organizations or law firms specialized in veteran’s compensation. They work as a guide for you through the legal nuances of claiming your benefits.
2. Keep Accurate Records of Medical Treatment
Keeping accurate records of all of your medical treatments, including records from non-VA facilities, is crucial. These records will help the VA accurately assess your disability, leading to a higher potential rating and resulting in greater compensation.
In case of emergencies or for medical ailments that require immediate attention, keeping records and informing the VA will help you get an earlier response. Else veterans might perform self-diagnosis and worsen their condition.
3. Understand the Appeals Process
Sometimes your VA benefits may get rejected. If your VA benefits request is denied, rather than assuming you don’t qualify for benefits, you should appeal the decision. Appeals can take time and effort, but it’s worth the trouble to stick with it.
Only 15% of all initial requests receive approval, while the rest are rejected. It’s tougher to claim benefits because they are subject to legal examination. You need to have a clear understanding of what evidence you need, and how to file an appeal.
The appeals process involves filing a Notice of Disagreement and, if required, a formal hearing, and forwarding statements written by experienced individuals or witnesses.
4. Seek Help from a Lawyer
Disability benefits are one of the significant reasons why veterans feel inclined to hire a lawyer who specialized in obtaining veterans’ compensation benefits. This is because claiming compensation is very challenging, even with accredited representatives or client service teams from veterans’ organizations.
If you have a complex case, a veterans’ disability lawyer could help during the appeals process. They can guide you through the legal procedure during the hearing or supplement evidence. This helps veteran’s needs get compensated by the government.
In Conclusion
Navigating the VA system can be confusing and overwhelming, especially when you’re dealing with a disabling condition. Fortunately, there are ways you can maximize your VA benefits to help ensure you receive the compensation you need and deserve.
By following the tips mentioned above, such as working with an accredited representative, keeping accurate records of your medical treatments, appealing a denied claim, and seeking professional legal assistance when necessary, you’ll be empowered to make the most out of your VA benefits and receive the benefits that you are entitled to as a disabled veteran.
