A gentleman called me on the phone sounding really unsure about whether he should apply for Social Security benefits. He served in the Gulf War and had a bomb explode right beside him while he was performing a field safety check. The hospital was able to remove most of the shrapnel from his arms, legs, and face. However, the pain in his legs is so bad that sitting and standing is almost unbearable. I explained that he had nothing to be ashamed of and many people who have worked their whole lives apply for disability benefits. Still sounding unsure, he felt that since he had served his country and endured the injuries of war, there was not a logical reason why he could not hold down a job. Besides, his friends had told him, it could be months, or years, before he even got disability benefits and he could not have his family suffer financially for that long.
Again, I told him he had nothing to be ashamed of if he wanted to apply for benefits. He had provided a great service to his country. As such, if he was not able to work that was what disability was for. As a Gulf War Veteran, Social Security would expedite his claim. Under Wounded Warriors, any militaryVeteran that served and was injured after October 1, 2001, regardless of where they were stationed, is entitled to expedited processing of their disability claim. It is very important that the claimant states somewhere on the application, or during the initial process, that they served during this period. I also explained that expedited treatment did not guarantee him an approval but it would definitely speed up the processing of his claim.
Let the office of Jan Dils, Attorney At Law help you avoid the delays of the Social Security process. Whether you are unsure of whether or not you should apply, or want to try to get your claim the expedited treatment it deserves under Wounded Warriors, call us at 1-877-526-3457.
Our Office handles Social Security Claims in addition to VA Disability Claims. Many Veterans have questions about both types of Disability. This post was written by Special Guest Blogger, and Intake Specialist at Jan Dils Attorneys at Law, Elizebeth Dues. To learn more about the Social Security process, check out our Social Security blog.