VA disability compensation provides veterans dealing with disabilities from their active duty service with several benefits. The benefits range from monetary compensation to sponsored advanced medical procedures. However, three main eligibility requirements exist for qualifying for disability compensation from Veterans Affairs.



To qualify for VA personal disability, you must prove your veteran status, current disability, and your disability’s relationship with your time in service. Although it sounds simple, these three components are crucial to your application’s success. Visit this website to learn more about securing a VA disability award by ensuring you meet all three requirements.
So, what are the requirements to qualify for VA disability?

Active Duty Service

The first requirement to qualify for VA disability is proving your veteran status. Showing that you served active military duty will make it easier to convince the board your disability is a direct result of your service. You are eligible to seek benefits through the VA for permanent injuries or illness if you served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Participating in active or inactive duty training also makes you eligible for compensation for any service-connected disability.

You must fill out several forms, provide supporting medical records, and highlight your recovery journey. In VA Form 21-526EZ, you must state exactly when you served on active duty. It’d also help to mention any periods of active or inactive duty for training if it resulted in your injury or disease.

Prove the Injury is Service-Connected

The dozens of injuries qualify veterans for VA disabilities, but you must prove it is service-connected. It’d help to find a lawyer to help you establish a clear connection between your disability and your active service time. These injuries range from tinnitus because of exposure to gunfire or losing a limb from an IED explosion.

It is the most complex section of VA disability eligibility, as you need to show the current disability while tracing your medical situation from your active duty days. The VA adjudicators will prove or disapprove your claim using the medical evidence presented. They can also schedule C&P exams to help establish a disability rating and how it affects your life.
Veterans also qualify for VA disability for injuries that existed before their active service but became worse because of that service. For some disabilities, the burden of proof is not as heavy. They include any illness from being a prisoner of war, chronic illnesses manifesting within a year after service, and complications from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Discharge under Honorable Conditions

Another qualification that disqualifies many veterans with service-connected disabilities is that they must be discharged under honorable conditions. If you receive a dishonorable discharge, you are not eligible for VA disability compensation. Luckily, there are several approaches to qualifying in this situation.

You can apply for a discharge upgrade and become eligible for VA benefits if it goes through. To build a strong case, you must prove the discharge was connected to the following:

• Mental health conditions like PTSD
• Sexual military trauma
• Traumatic brain injury

The VA can also review your record and conclude your service was “honorable for VA purposes,” but it can take up to a year. You’ll need to provide enough evidence to support your case. You can also simultaneously ask for the VA Character of discharge while waiting for a discharge upgrade from the DoD.

Having an experienced VA disability attorney will help your case significantly. They’ll ensure you meet all the thresholds to qualify for VA disability benefits before submitting your application. Not adequately meeting all three criteria will lead to automatic disqualification, even if you have a service-connected disability.