SSA and Disability Benefits for Wounded Veterans

Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 26 Jun 2012 - Updated: 10 Mar 2022

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

In addition to disability benefits offered by the VA wounded service-members could also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.

Overview

In addition to the benefits available to service-members through the Veterans' Administration, all service-members who become disabled after October 1, 2001, while on active duty military service are eligible to receive expedited processing of Social Security disability benefit claims.

Types of Benefits Available

If qualified, injured service-members can receive benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. SSDI benefits are available if a service member has worked long enough and has paid Social Security taxes on their paychecks.

SSI benefits are also available to service-members, but these funds are apportioned based upon demonstrated financial need.

What Is a "Disability"?

In order to qualify for benefits, the service-member must be "disabled" according to regulations set forth by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The SSA considers a person disabled if:

• No substantive employment can be held because of a diagnosed medical condition.
• The medical condition must have persisted, or be expected to persist, for over a year.
• If the medical condition has not persisted over a year, it must be expected to cause death.

Effect of Pay on Eligibility

Eligibility for benefits is controlled by the type of work that the service-member does.

Service-members who are currently on active duty and receiving pay are still eligible to receive benefits. However, service-members who do substantial for-profit work are generally not eligible.

How to Apply for Benefits

Service-members may apply for benefits any time while on active duty or after discharge. In addition to information about the applicant's age, employment history and proof of citizenship, each applicant must submit information about the disability and applicable medical records that will prove the existence of a health condition.

It is important for the service-member to let the SSA know about all medical conditions, physical and mental, and to provide the names of all treating physicians and medical facilities, as well as medical records. The SSA will consider the impact of all medical conditions and impairments on the applicant's ability to work.

Although the SSA is notorious for having a long backlog of applicants for disability benefits, service-members receive expedited processing and generally get awarded benefits sooner than non-military applicants.

Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.