Did you wait till you were out to get your disability rating? If so, how long before you made your first claim?

I ETSed in 1996 and filed my first claim for Tinnitus this year, 2023. The claim was successful, I just finished filing an additional claim for sinusitis which I will hear back on the C&P exam in the next 30 days. I plan to file for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to sinusitis after the sinusitis comes back as service connected.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden through lies avoided serving the u.S. military during the Vietnam War with both of them continuing be liars on their alleged academic success and both are perverts who are human garbage - overall most military veterans wait after leaving their respective branch of the military as per my ongoing discussions including attending Vet To Vet International. a lot of our fellow military veterans at the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center at North Hills, California just North of Los Angeles due to the ongoing hypocrisies and contradictions of the unelected Democrats and Republicans with the elected get rejected a lot to the points that employees to include medical personnel are not supportive regarding Compensation & Pension. - 3:53 pm Pacific DayLight Savings Time on Tuesday, 19 September 2023

Hi,
I was given a 30% disability rating when I retired in 2010. Not one person explained to me how to go about getting my VA benefits. I moved to Nevada in 2011 and struggled financially for about two years. However during that time, I applied online to increase my rating. I found an organization called the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). They were wonderful. They jumped right in to help me get the proper disability rating and did all the paperwork. Once they knew I needed help, they were there for me all the way through and helped expedite my paperwork. I finally started to receive the money that was due plus back pay from my retirement date.
Long story short, my advice to you is to find an organization like the DAV or VFW immediately upon discharge or retirement. They will help simplify the whole process.

I was in the VA while on active duty. Army gave me a 50% retirement and VA started me at 30% in 1982. I didn't need disability insurance until 2014. Spoke with a person at a War veteran Home they took down my info and filed on it for me. Was equal to 100% in about three months.

The last station I went to during physical exam was service officers for different veterans organizations. That was in 2001, I went thru American Legion and had my rating 6 months after ritering. I recommend using service officers from any veterans organization as they know all the procedures.

Yes, because that's the way it was done 22 years ago. Don't wait now. IF you have issues with anything be sure you attempt to get it treated at least 2-3 times before getting out or get copies of the service connected injury report. Your leg, knee, back pain, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, it all adds up so be sure to write down a list of everything. Make a list/note to self on your phone. If thing get worse you can get re-evaluated down the road. I started with 10%, now at 80%. Once over 50% you get your retirement or other pay PLUS VA Disability.

The key to having the VA grant disability is-as others have stated-get it clearly stated in your medical records and keep a copy. If possible have a competent VSO help prepare your claim. This means going to sick call EACH time you have a problem. If the problem persists, keep going until they find a cause. One co-worker kept going until the Army took an x-ray of his neck. The doctor wondered how he was still standing. Another popped his back doing situps in Germany. The initial sick call report was clear but the VA said no until I had him get with a VSO and submit all the follow up sick call reports for back pain. Don't ignore thinking outside the box. A Marine was run over by a truck. No medical records but she was able to get the Marines who were present at the time to sign detailed sworn statements about the accident and follow up or lack thereof. I was a 9/11 first responder on active duty. The CDC 9/11 program found ailments linked to 9/11 and approved them. The VA accepted their medical evidence as being proven and service connected. Bottom line-if you think you have a medical condition, get it treated while on active duty. Be persistent if necessary until you get all your conditions documented as often as they occur. If the VA says no, get with a VSO and appeal. Most service members do incur health problems especially if you serve for a career. There is no shame in having Uncle Sam take care of conditions legitimately caused through military service.

I didn’t know about VA disability until 20 years after I got out and even then I didn’t know how it worked until I met a guy in my church who served, he told me about it and how it worked. I just started mine about a year ago and I’m currently at 40%. I have a couple more claims to refile for my wrists and, now the PACT act is in place I’m currently waiting on my appointment.

When to initiating the claim is not important as a service member go over his/her record to ensure that all the injuries and illness are recorded and are on file. That's what is important. However, it is better to have all the claim done before one leaves the service. It is, afterall, part of the out-processing procedure. If I recalled correctly, a service member must visit on-base VA representative and mark of their to-do lists (Out-Processing Checklist). This is where you can and should input on the questionnaire of all the injuries, surgeries, and illness while on duty or deployment. Even if it's 0% rating, it is still a precursor to later claim. The reason behind this is because when we get older, all those injuries and illness will come and haunt us. Trust me, I am living through it now. For example, fracture C and L spine can and will give you more pain the older one gets. Exposing to toxic fume, especially, burning vehicles, dead bodies, burning pit, etc., can lead to pulmonary problems like asthma or sleep apnea later.

HOWEVER, if an individual could not even complete a basic training and AIT, that person is not even a prior service member. Furthermore, all service members have six months probation, Uncle Sam can release an individual without any liability to US. It's in UCMJ.

I got out in 74 and filled for disability in 2010. Took 3 years and a dro review but I got my disability. Never too late