Can a veteran receive disability for undiagnosed pain?
Before this decision, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims had held that veterans had to have a diagnosed disability explaining the source of their pain in order to receive VA disability benefits. However, VA can now award disability compensation for a veteran’s undiagnosed pain if it is linked to an in-service event, injury, or symptom.
How to reduce VA wait time for claims?
That is time Veterans spend waiting to hear about decisions. If that evidence is provided to VA up front, we can reduce wait time. If you have the ability to get your medical provider to fill out the DBQ form, you should. Doing so essentially means that VA only has to gather federal records.
What makes pain eligible for VA service connection?
VA can now award service connection for pain that lacks a specific diagnosis, as long as that pain is connected to an event that occurred or symptom that appeared while the veteran was on active duty.
Who is cat Trombley at Veterans Benefits Administration?
Cat Trombley is a communications specialist with the Veterans Benefits Administration. Prior to working for VA, she was an assistant director with one of the Veteran Service Organizations and represented Veterans before the Board of Veteran Appeals. She is also an Air Force Veteran.
How does VA disability affect military retirement pay?
VA disability rating of 40% or lower. Military retirees who choose to receive VA disability compensation will have their military retirement pay offset by the amount of compensation they receive from the VA.
Before this decision, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims had held that veterans had to have a diagnosed disability explaining the source of their pain in order to receive VA disability benefits. However, VA can now award disability compensation for a veteran’s undiagnosed pain if it is linked to an in-service event, injury, or symptom.
When is the effective date for VA back pay?
On March 1, 2015, the claimant sees the second VA examiner, who determines that his back disability has increased to a 50% disability level, but only recently, at or near the time of the second examination. Here, the effective date would be determined by date of the increase of disability, March 1, 2015, not the date of the claim, January 1, 2010.
VA can now award service connection for pain that lacks a specific diagnosis, as long as that pain is connected to an event that occurred or symptom that appeared while the veteran was on active duty.