Every day, military veterans around the country make enormous sacrifices to safeguard our liberties. Unfortunately, many of these veterans come home with injuries that affect their ability to work and live normal lives. In some cases, these injuries are so severe that veterans qualify for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. But how many veterans receive this benefit?

In the most recent year, 3.9 million veterans (19.5%) received disability compensation payments, 1.5 million veterans (7.3%) sewed military retirement benefits, and more than 600,000 veterans collected pension payments.

We’ll take a closer look at how many veterans receive disability compensation and what kinds of disabilities they have. We’ll also discuss the benefits of receiving disability compensation and how it can help improve the lives of veterans. Stay tuned!

What Percentage of Veterans Have a Disability?

14% of all veterans, or 540,000 people, who served during other service periods reported a disability in August 2021. The labor force participation rate (35.4 percent) of disabled veterans was lower than that of their non-disabled counterparts (41.2 percent). The overall unemployment rate for disabled veterans (8.2 percent) was about the same as that for non-disabled veterans (7.9 percent).

Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more had an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent, while those with a 20-29 percent disability rating had an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent. Veterans with a 10-19 percent disability rating had an unemployment rate of 8.0 percent, and those with less than a 10 percent disability rating had an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent in August 2021.

The percentage of veterans who have a disability varies by military service period. For example, 14% of Vietnam-era veterans and 12% of Gulf War-era II veterans have a service-connected disability, compared to 25% of Gulf War-era I veterans, 31% of World War II veterans, and 41% of Korean War veterans. Veterans who served in the military recently are less likely to suffer a service-connected impairment than older veterans. Veterans of the Vietnam era later served in an all-volunteer force; those who served during World War II or the Korean War were drafted into military service.

Veterans with impairments may confront particular employment problems. Some employers are hesitant to hire individuals with disabilities because they may require accommodations such as modified work schedules or assistive technology. In addition, many disabled veterans receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which may discourage employers from hiring them because they fear the benefits will be withdrawn if the veteran can work. Veterans with disabilities may also have difficulty competing for jobs because of their disability-related symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, or anxiety.

Veterans’ Disability Compensation

The monthly Disability Compensation payment for a veteran is determined by the severity of the disability and the number of dependents. With the continuously rising cost of living, Social Security benefits are also subject to annual increases, called Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs). Veterans who are unable to work due to disabilities may be eligible for Veteran’s Pension benefits as well.

The pension is needs-based, and the amount of the benefit is determined by the Veterans Affairs office. Veterans who have become completely disabled may be eligible for Veterans Disability Compensation benefits, which are tax-free monetary benefits granted to veterans who have become disabled as a result of their military service. Veterans can receive both Veterans Pension and Veterans Disability Compensation benefits, but the total amount cannot exceed the maximum allowable amount.

What Percentage of VA Disability Claims are Approved?

According to Veterans Affairs, about 35.75% of disability claims are approved. The acceptance rate, however, can vary depending on the type of claim and other circumstances. The Veterans Benefits Administration has a team of over 3,000 people who work to ensure that all claims are processed as quickly and accurately as possible. If a veteran is dissatisfied with the initial ruling, he or she may file an appeal.

How Hard is it to Get a 100 VA Disability Rating?

You will need more than one service-connected disability to qualify for a 100% VA disability rating. The majority of veterans who are given a 100% rating have at least two disabling conditions. Many times, these medical conditions are a result of another underlying service-related injury. Veterans with just one service-connected disability may be given a 100% rating if their disability is so severe that it prevents them from working. Veterans with a 100% VA disability rating are eligible for the most benefits offered by the VA. 

These benefits can include:

• A monthly tax-free monetary benefit
• Medical expenses are fully covered.
• Medical treatment at Veterans Affairs facilities
• The possibility to buy a property with no down payment using a VA loan
• The ability to obtain education and training advantages
• A priority for job counseling, placement, and retraining services through the Veterans Administration
• A waiver of the Veterans Administration home loan funding fee
• Special automobile-adapted equipment grants
• Specially adapted housing grants
• An annual clothing allowance for those with a service-connected disability that causes permanent disfigurement or bodily malfunction

Veterans who have a 100% VA disability rating are also eligible for additional benefits, such as dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) and special monthly compensation (SMC). DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit granted to veterans’ surviving spouses and dependent children who died as a result of service-related injuries. SMC is a tax-free monetary benefit provided to veterans with certain service-connected impairments or who are chronically bedridden or severely disabled.

Veterans can contact the Veterans Benefits Administration to learn more about the benefits they may be eligible for and to start the application process. Veterans can also visit the Veterans Affairs website to learn more about the disability claims process.

The Veterans Affairs (VA) disability rating system is intended to recompense veterans who have long-term disabilities caused or exacerbated by their military service. The VA rates impairments on a scale of 0 to 100%, with increments of ten. A veteran with a disability that prevents him from working may be eligible for benefits if he has a VA disability rating of 30 percent or higher.

Veterans with ratings of 40 percent or higher are considered to have severe disabilities. Veterans with severe disabilities may be entitled to additional benefits, such as greater pay and access to medical care and vocational rehabilitation assistance.

Why Are so Many Veterans On Disability?

The fewer restrictions and more lenient laws surrounding disability claims have caused a surge in applications by veterans. Currently, disabled veterans’ claims can be put through for problems such as diabetes and sleep apnea, which would not have been allowed in the past when disability payments were only given if a serviceman lost a limb. Understanding the VA regulations for disability determination, compensation assignment, and work restrictions can be difficult.

Veterans of the Vietnam War submitted far fewer disability claims (21 percent) than those who participated in the 1990s Gulf War. There are nearly as many handicapped veterans’ claims from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars as there are from the Vietnam War, despite the fact that 58,000 fewer military personnel perished in the earlier conflict. This rise can be attributed to a number of factors. First, more soldiers are surviving thanks to advances in medical care. In previous wars, many servicemen died from injuries that would be survivable today. Also, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has become more lenient in recent years in what conditions they will consider disabling.

For example, the VBA now gives disability benefits for such ailments as diabetes and sleep apnea, conditions that were not considered disabling in the past. In addition, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides free health care to all veterans, regardless of whether their service was related to combat or not. 

This means that more veterans are seeking treatment for problems that may have gone untreated in the past. The Veterans Benefits Administration has been working to improve the claims process in recent years, but the increase in applications has overwhelmed the system. Veterans who seek disability compensation should expect a decision within five months. Some veterans have been waiting for over a year to find out if they would be eligible for benefits.

The Veterans Benefits Administration is currently working on ways to improve the claims process and reduce the amount of time that veterans have to wait for a decision. In the meantime, there are a few things that you can do to help speed up the process:

• File your claim online: Veterans who file their claims online tend to get decisions faster than those who file paper claims.
• Complete your application thoroughly: Veterans who complete their applications thoroughly are less likely to have their claims delayed or denied.
• Submit supporting documentation: Veterans who submit supporting documentation, such as medical records, with their claims, are more likely to have their claims approved.

If you are a veteran who is considering filing for disability benefits, it is important to understand the process and what you can do to help ensure a timely decision. Veterans who need help completing their applications or submitting supporting documentation can contact a Veterans Service Officer for assistance.