Veterans Disability Benefits Blog

24 May

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How to Spot Predatory Claims Agents and Protect Your Disability Benefits

Veteran evaluating Trajector Medical for disability claim assistance

When it comes to tackling the adventure of filing a disability claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), veterans have a number of options. If you have a knack for deciphering fine print and embarking on epic quests to track down paperwork scattered across various military and medical offices, you can file it yourself. If that’s not your forte and you prefer a companion on this journey, you can call upon a registered Veterans Service Organization (VSO) for assistance. They’ll do it for free, but you might end up waiting a long time, and you may not get the personalized attention...

25 April

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New Study Finds Alarming Cancer Rates Among Air Force Veterans. What’s Being Done About It?

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Service-Connected Exposure

An alarming new Department of Defense study revealed that Air Force service members and veterans have higher cancer rates than their peers in other branches of the military. Of the over 900,000 service members who were surveyed between 1992 to 2017, aircrew service members had much higher cancer rates over the same 24 year period. The study found elevated cancer rates for air crews and ground crews alike. Pilots faced an 87% higher rate of melanoma, a type of skin cancer; a 39% higher rate of thyroid cancer; and a 24% higher rate of all types of cancer. Ground crews faced a...

09 March

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Don’t Miss Out on These Sweet Tax Breaks for Veterans in 2023!

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Getting Started

A dessert enthusiast demonstrating how tax benefits work for veterans

Tax breaks are one of the more overlooked slices of the veteran’s benefits pie. Sure, it may not be the star of the show, but that slice of pie (or cake, if you prefer) can be pretty darn tasty and filling, and it's included with your meal! Likewise, tax breaks may not be the most glamorous of benefits, but they can help veterans save money and reduce their tax liability. Plus, who doesn't love saving money on taxes? So, let's give tax breaks the credit they deserve and not overlook this tasty slice of the veterans’ benefits pie. We start with an...

03 February

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Can You Receive VA Disability and Military Retirement Pay at the Same Time?

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Getting Started

Retired veteran teaching grandson how to fish

Wondering if it's possible to receive VA disability and military retirement pay without sacrificing one for the other? The answer is yes, it is possible, but only under certain conditions. Retired veterans who have a disability rating of 50% or higher, or qualify for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC), are eligible to receive both benefits in full. Veterans who have a disability rating lower than 50% will have their retirement pay reduced by the amount of their VA compensation, dollar for dollar, unless they qualify for CRSC. We think this is an important topic that doesn't get enough attention. We've brought together...

03 January

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Everything You Need To Know About How The VA Determines Your Burn Pit Disability Rating

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Burn Pit Exposure

Mid adult female soldier works on her VA disability claim

Not too long ago, veterans seeking disability benefits for burn pit exposure had a hard time getting their claims approved. From 2007 to 2020, the VA denied 78% of disability claims by veterans who claimed that burn pit exposure was the cause of their illnesses.1 Some veterans didn't even get a chance to apply for disability benefits, their illnesses progressed so rapidly. According to Burn Pits 360, Frederick Slape (SFC, Army) was 42 years old when he retired in August 2012 after 20 years of military service. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer due to exposure to burn pits during...

21 November

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How Does VA Backpay Work? A Simple Guide

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Getting Started

Veterans group leader discussing VA backpay

If you are a veteran who was injured or disabled while serving our country, you may be entitled to retroactive benefits. These benefits are paid in a lump sum and can be used to help you cover the costs of your medical treatment and daily living expenses. In this article, we will explain how VA backpay works and how you can receive the benefits you deserve. Backlog = Backpay In the simplest sense, backpay is the amount you receive in retroactive pay due to the VA's backlog. It's no secret that the VA takes a long time to process disability claims. At...

13 October

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2023 VA Pay Increase Is Biggest in 30 Years

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in News

Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are set to see their monthly VA pay increase by 8.7% in 2023. To put that in dollars, for every $1,000 a veteran currently receives in benefits payments, they will see an additional $87 in 2023. The average veteran receiving disability compensation from the VA would see their monthly disability payments increase by around $136. Spouses and family members receiving survivor benefits will see the same increase in their monthly payments. Here at the Rep for Vets, we have long felt that VA payments are not keeping up with the increasing cost of living. Before 2022,...

23 September

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Three Ways to Get Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Compensation

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Camp Lejeune

For many survivors of Camp Lejeune water contamination, the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act brought about mixed emotions, some bitter, some sweet. Some veterans and family members exposed to cancer-causing toxins in the water at Lejeune have been waiting as long as 60 years for justice. This Camp Lejeune veteran writing on Reddit couldn't have said it any better: My entire family has incurable Lejeune Blood Cancer, including myself. The Act not only allows my family to sue, it also lowers the standard of proof, in these cases, to "Possible" that these toxic contaminants caused these cancers in question....

08 August

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PACT Act Unlocks Courts for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Survivors

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Camp Lejeune

If you google "Camp Lejeune", you'll find a lot of articles on Camp Lejeune Water Contamination. That's an unfortunate reality. Camp Lejeune has a special place in U.S. military history. The North Carolina base trained Marines in amphibious operations who later deployed to the Pacific Islands to defeat Axis forces in World War II. Camp Lejeune-trained Marines have played an outsize role in every major war since, as well as humanitarian and peacekeeping missions around the world. But Camp Lejeune has a dark chapter in its history that has only recently come to light. What Happened at Camp Lejeune? Between the 1950s...

08 August

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Latest News on Agent Orange Compensation: PACT Act Edition

Posted by The Rep for Vets

in Agent Orange

This article on Agent Orange Compensation is one in a series exploring the benefits created by the Honoring Our PACT Act, the biggest VA veterans benefits bill in U.S. history. The bill promises to: Add 23 presumptive medical conditions connected to exposure to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan Extend the presumption of Agent Orange exposure to locations beyond Vietnam and her waters Allow Camp Lejeune survivors and family members to file lawsuits for damages Add 3 new qualifying radiation-risk activities for veterans exposed to radiation Expand healthcare eligibility and screening for toxic exposures for all veterans Not all Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange have...

Veterans Disability Benefits Blog

How to Spot Predatory Claims Agents and Protect Your Disability Benefits

New Study Finds Alarming Cancer Rates Among Air Force Veterans. What’s Being Done About It?

Don’t Miss Out on These Sweet Tax Breaks for Veterans in 2023!

Everything You Need To Know About How The VA Determines Your Burn Pit Disability Rating

How Does VA Backpay Work? A Simple Guide

2023 VA Pay Increase Is Biggest in 30 Years

Three Ways to Get Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Compensation

PACT Act Unlocks Courts for Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Survivors

Latest News on Agent Orange Compensation: PACT Act Edition

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