Common Veteran Disabilities and Health Conditions

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) September 21, 2021 – While veterans comprise just over 5 percent of the United States population, their numbers are expected to decrease in the coming decades. According to the most recent information by the United States Census Bureau,[1] the number of veterans decreased by over 8 million between 2000 and 2018. By the year 2040, the Census Bureau estimates that there will be fewer than 13 million veterans.

This is an expected result of the increasing age of veterans and the decreasing number of new service members. Times have certainly changed since World War II, primarily due to the prevalence of technology on the battlefield. However, veterans continue to suffer from certain conditions at a rate beyond what one would expect when compared to non-servicemembers. Indeed, about 30 percent of all veterans suffer from some type of disability.

However, not all veterans’ disabilities are related to their service, which can impact the type of VA benefits they are entitled to. For example, as of the last Census data from 2018, more than 5,000,000 disabled veterans were living in the United States. Most of these disabilities are service-connected, meaning they were a result of the veteran’s service. Only about 1,000,000, or 20 percent, of disabled veterans experience a disability unrelated to their service.

Of those veterans who experienced a service-related disability, there is about an equal distribution in terms of their service-connected disability rating. More specifically, 1.5 million veterans were rated at 70 percent or higher, 1.25 million were rated between 30 to 60 percent, and 1.3 million were rated at 20 percent or below. Not surprisingly, veterans who served exclusively during peace-time experience service-connected disabilities at less than half the rate of those who served during periods of conflict.

Veterans who experience a service-connected disability are entitled to service-connected benefits. A veteran’s service-connected disability rating is an essential factor in the amount of benefits they receive each month. In some cases, veterans with multiple disabilities can combine ratings to obtain a higher monthly benefit amount.

As Florida veterans’ benefits Attorney David Magann explains, “while veterans who suffer a disability or illness related to their service are entitled to service-connected benefits, the VA does not always understand the full impact of a veteran’s injuries. This can lead to a low service-connected disability rating which, in turn, results in a lower monthly benefit amount. However, veterans may ask the VA to reconsider its ruling or appeal ruling on their disability rating. This may lead to a significant increase in monthly benefits.”

Attorney David Magann is a Florida Veterans’ benefits lawyer with extensive experience helping veterans, service members, and their family members obtain the benefits they are entitled to. Attorney Magann also helps veterans deal with the unique legal issues they face after leaving the service. As a proud Marine Corps veteran, attorney Magann has overcome many of those issues himself and takes pride in helping fellow veterans. Attorney Magann handles social security disability, estate planning, veterans’ law and personal injury law out of his Brandon and Tampa offices. He can be reached at http://www.tampaveteranslawyer.com/.

Learn more at http://www.tampaveteranslawyer.com/ David W. Magann, P.A. Main Office: 156 West Robertson Street Brandon, FL 33511 Call: (813) 657-9175 Tampa Office: 18715 N Dale Mabry Hwy Lutz, FL 33548