Since there is a lot of misinformation about the VA Disability Process many veterans aren’t aware of how certain aspects work. For instance, many Veterans assume that VA disability works just like Social Security Disability.
Social Security Disability is a program in place for individuals who can’t work because of their disabilities.
VA Disability Compensation allows Veterans to work while still receiving the benefit, which means yes, you can work and collect VA disability. If someone asks Can I work while on disability? The answer should be YES!!!
Let’s examine how this works in more detail today.
First, a program like social security disability is one in which you are either granted or denied. So in other words, you either get it or you don’t. There’s not really a gray area with social security.
This contrasts with VA Disability, which is granted to Veterans on a scale from 0% to 100%. So, you can be granted VA Disability and not be compensated. This would be a 0% rating. Veterans are paid different amounts depending upon how high they are rated.
A rating of 10% might be $133.00, while a Veteran being paid at 100% might receive over $3,000 per month. There is some discrepancy on the amount a Veteran receives after he or she reaches 30% because they can file for dependents.
One of the biggest differences between social security and VA disability is the amount you can work after you are approved.
In VA disability, a Veteran can be paid at 100% and still work full time. While some individuals receiving, social security can still work, it’s only for very short periods of time for a set amount of money.
On VA disability, however, you can make as much money as you’d like and still receive benefits. There is, of course, an exception.
Any Veteran pursuing VA disability compensation will tell you that it’s not an easy accomplishment. Further, getting rated at 100% the traditional way, which we refer to as a scheduler, is even more difficult.
In reality, to be paid at 100% in a traditional sense, you have to be paid between 190% and 230%. That is very difficult. So, many Veterans pursue 100% compensation via a different route, individual unemployability.
Individual Unemployability, or IU, is a program in place to compensate Veterans at the 100% rating, even though they are not actually rated at 100%. The way it works is based upon ratings.
If a Vet is rated at 60% or more for a single condition, they may be eligible for IU if their disabilities keep them from working.
Further, a Veteran rated on multiple conditions at a total of 70% or more may be able to receive IU as long as one of the conditions is rated at 40%.
However, receiving IU, over-scheduler rain means that you can’t work. In all honesty, you can’t work full time on IU at all. You may go to school, but working is out of the question.
We know how confusing this VA appeals process can be. This why so many people turn to the attorneys at Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law. Our team is focused on VA Disability, and we know how to get results.
To learn more about the services we offer, or to learn how to become a client and have a question about VA Disability, call us and talk to our VA disability lawyers. If you can’t talk now, fill out this form so that we may call you at a better time.