Many veterans that receive an 80 percent VA Disability rating should actually be at a 100 percent VA Disability rating. Or you may be eligible for Individual Unemployability benefits. If you want to talk to a law firm for free about your VA Disability rating, please fill out the contact form or call toll-free (866) 232-5777.
About 80 Percent VA Disability Ratings
Veterans that obtain an 80 percent VA Disability rating receive $1,556.13 a month from the Veterans Administration. Eligible disabled veterans may also be able to receive extra monthly compensation for dependent children and parents.
The Veterans Administration is going to review your initial application for VA Disability benefits and give you a rating. All of your mental conditions and physical conditions will be considered that are on your application. The Veterans Administration will decide which impairments are service-connected and their severity. Then the Veterans Administration will give you a rating.
Just know that two 40% ratings do not necessarily equal an 80 percent VA Disability rating. The VA is going to use a complicated math formula to decide your VA Disability rating.
The Difference Between 100 and 80 Percent VA Disability Rating
- Veterans that are eligible for an 100% VA Disability rating will get a minimum of $2,915.55 per month from the Veterans Administration.
- The different between 80% and 100% is $1,359 per month or $16,313.04 a year.
- Many veterans who are receiving an 80 percent VA Disability rating should be receiving an 100 percent VA Disability rating.
80 Percent VA Disability and Individual Unemployability Benefits
Veterans who receive an 80 percent VA Disability rating and have trouble keeping or obtaining meaningful employment may have another avenue. Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) benefits pay the same as an 100% VA Disability rating. Your disabilities do not need to total 100% to receive TDIU benefits.
Eligibility For an 80 Percent VA Disability Rating
Veterans who wish to obtain an 80 percent VA Disability rating are going to have to meet the Veterans Administration’s guidelines on eligibility. If you want to learn about your eligibility for free, talk to our law firm. We can help you find out if you are eligible at no cost. Just call (866) 232-5777 or click here for your free consultation.
A few eligibility requirements:
- You cannot receive VA Disability benefits with a dishonorable discharge.
- Your disabilities are going to have to be related to your time in the service.
- Navy, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Air Force are eligible.
- National Guard members who were activated by the federal government can be eligible.
- You should have medical documentation to show you have these disabilities.
Back Pay After Obtaining an 80 Percent VA Disability Rating
Many veterans who successfully obtain an 80 percent VA Disability rating receive backpay when their claim is approved. Back pay are the benefits you should have been receiving dating back to your effective date.
Our VA Disability lawyers often find that the Veterans Administration gives applicants the wrong effective date – this can be a costly mistake! For example, suppose the VA gives a veteran an effective date dating back only two years when it should be five years – at an 80% VA Disability rating, that veteran is out $56,020.68 in back pay. That is why it is so important to work with a Veterans Disability Benefits lawyer – many veterans won’t even realize the VA made an error.
80 Percent VA Disability Rating Denials and Appeals
If you believe you deserve an 80 percent VA Disability rating and the VA did not give you one, you may want to appeal. The sad truth is many veterans do not get the VA Disability rating that they deserve and are forced to appeal the VA’s bad decision.
The VA Disability Benefit appeal process can be hard to do on your own. We highly suggest you work with a VA Benefits appeal lawyer. You should not just resubmit the same evidence that got you denied in the first place. Woods and Woods often works with experts to help prove to the VA you are entitled to a higher disability rating:
Vocational Experts: Veterans who have trouble working because of service-connected disabilities can benefit from vocational experts. Their reports can help show the VA how your service-connected disabilities inhibit your ability to work.
Psychologists: Reports from psychologists help veterans prove their mental disabilities are related to their time in the service. Our lawyers often hire psychologists to review your records and write reports detailing how your service and mental impairments are related.
Doctors: Hiring a doctor outside the VA to write reports can be critical to a disabled veterans case. Your lawyer at Woods & Woods may work with doctors to help win your claim.
