How Effective Will New Veterans’ Social Security Disability Policies Be?

Veterans who aren’t able to work because of injuries or illnesses suffered in the line of duty may be entitled to a number of federal benefits, including veterans’ disability and Social Security Disability (SSD). But getting both types of benefits can be difficult due to a lack of coordination between the two agencies.

To address this problem, the Social Security Administration recently announced they would be offering expedited benefits processing on claims filed by veterans who receive a 100 percent disability rating from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. While this may sound like progress, the veterans Social Security Disability policy change may only benefit a very small percentage of veterans.

Data collected during the 2012 American Community Survey found less than one-quarter of veterans received a disability rating higher than 70 percent. Totals were even lower as the disability rating rose. An average of less than 10 percent of American veterans had a disability rating higher than 90 percent during 2012. This means only a handful of wounded veterans will see a change to the processing of their SSD claims.

This is why it is so important to have an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer by your side through each step of the SSD claims process. At Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin, our attorneys know how to navigate the Social Security system to get you the compensation you deserve. Give us a call anytime to talk about your claim.