When Veterans apply for disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), he/she is assigned an effective date, which marks the beginning of their eligibility to receive disability benefits. The effective date will depend on the benefit the Veteran...

If you or a loved one experienced an illness or injury during military service that still impacts you today, you might be entitled to compensation from the Veterans Administration. However, the VA has different requirements for different conditions. The process...

The independent medical examination (IME) is a medical evaluation performed by a medical professional on a patient they have never treated. The goal is for the medical professional to assess the patient’s condition, as well as the patient’s past treatment,...

Laws involving the rights and benefits of disabled service members are constantly updating, and many have been added in the last five to ten years. Many of these Acts were either expansions to existing laws or new additions to the...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), a critical tax-free benefit, to disabled veterans who have sustained severe injuries or disabilities due to their military service. The purpose of SMC is to assist these heroes in...

Utilized for surprise attacks, seizing strategic objectives, allocating equipment, and even assisting in natural disasters, paratroopers are crucial for military operations. Being a military member comes with inherent risks, and a paratrooper's role is no exception. Unfortunately, parachute jumps are...

During wartime in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Southwest Asia, the US military burned trash created by bases in vast amounts. These burn pits included solid waste plastics, medical waste, rubber, and potentially dangerous materials. Being around the smoke and fumes of...

Veterans can now temporarily qualify for a 100% disability rating for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the basis of alcohol and drug abuse. To determine an appropriate amount of disability compensation per month, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) assigns...

Contaminated drinking water at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina put thousands of servicemembers working and living there from the 1950s to the 1980s at risk of serious health conditions. Specifically, everyone who resided at the camp...

Veterans who suffered an injury or illness during their active-duty service may be eligible for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free benefit. The amount you may be eligible for varies...