This past Monday, our nation celebrated Veteran’s Day. A Chicago celebration of their service and sacrifice included a tribute at Soldier Field.
It’s an excellent time to note that active military personnel receive expedited service when applying for Social Security Disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration says any member of the military who became disabled while on active duty at any time since Oct. 1, 2001, is eligible for the expedited processing of their claim. The SSA says it doesn’t matter where the disability took place, so that non-combat injuries or illnesses get the same expedited treatment as injuries and illnesses sustained in combat.
The spouses of military personnel, as well as dependent children, can also be eligible for monthly benefits.
The Social Security Administration has made it clear to active duty personnel that they should not allow their current receipt of military pay to deter them from applying for Social Security Disability benefits.
Those who are getting treatment at a military medical facility or are relegated to limited duty will have their work and applications evaluated for benefits eligibility.
Even though the SSA promises an expedited review of claims filed by military personnel, it also cautions them that even expedited claims take time.
A number of factors are at play in SSA’s decision-making: the nature of the disability, how quickly medical records are gathered and whether a medical examination is needed to buttress the claim.
Of course, just because a claim is expedited does not guarantee approval. In many cases, the SSA denies initial claims, only to approve them after an appeal has been made with the aid of an experienced SSDI attorney.
Source: mySA.com, “Benefits expedited for disabled service members,” Nov. 13, 2013
Tags: benefits, Social Security Disability, SSDI