Who exactly is eligible for VA Disability Benefits?
It depends on the claimant’s relationship to the Veteran (self, surviving spouse or dependent child) and the type of Disability Benefit under consideration. Service Connected Compensation (Veterans) – This benefit is for Veterans whose disability is a direct result of injuries or disease (physical or mental) that occurred as a direct result of their active duty military service. It may also be awarded when a pre-existing medical condition was aggravated by active duty service. Veterans may have served at any time, wartime or peacetime but cannot have received a less than honorable discharge. There is no requirement for minimum service. The major issue is that the disability must be proven to be a direct result of an event that occurred while serving active duty. The event does not have to necessarily be related to an event “in the line of duty.” “In the line of duty” covers a wide range of possible events. Larger awards are made for married Veterans and Veterans with dependent children
