Army veterans with mental or physical conditions caused by military service may be eligible for Army disability benefits. Some Army veterans are receiving more than $3,831.30 a month from the VA, providing a safety net for them and their families.
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In this blog, we describe what Army VA disability is, who is eligible for an Army disability rating, and common service-related conditions among Army veterans.
In this article about Army disability ratings:
What is VA disability?
VA disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free benefit paid to eligible veterans of all branches of the military who have service-connected physical or mental disabilities. A condition, injury, or disease is considered service connected if it began or was made worse during active-duty service.
Veterans with one or more service-connected conditions can apply for disability benefits through the VA. The application process includes collecting and submitting evidence including medical records, discharge papers, and lay statements that helps prove your condition is a result of military service. You may also be asked to attend a compensation and pension (C&P) exam, which is a medical examination that assesses your level of disability and whether your disability is related to your time in service.
Once the VA has gathered all the necessary information, they will issue a rating decision. Your rating, expressed as a percentage, is a representation of how much your disability negatively impacts your overall health and ability to function.
Veterans with service-connected conditions receive VA disability payments if their condition is rated at least 10% disabling. Compensation ranges from $175.51 to $3,831.30. In certain circumstances, such as when a veteran loses a hand or a leg or has a disability that requires the aid and attendance of another person, Army veterans may be eligible for an even higher rate of compensation.
“I highly recommend this company. They were able to get my husband the disability rating the VA kept denying.”
L.C., an Army veteran’s spouse in California
From a Google review for Woods & Woods
VA disability in the Army
52% of disabled veterans served in the Army. This statistic isn’t surprising, considering the majority of veterans served in the Army. However, the fact that so many veterans have a service-connected condition, or develop one later, shows that it’s possible to earn Army disability benefits that can help ease financial strain after discharge.
A study of 108,119 soldiers discharged from the Army with a permanent disability between 1981 and 2005 shows musculoskeletal injury and disease to be the leading cause of disability, accounting for 72% of cases overall.
Musculoskeletal conditions among Army veterans
Since musculoskeletal conditions make up the majority of Army disabilities, let’s talk about why they are so prevalent.
Musculoskeletal injury occurs among both combat and non-combat veterans. While combat injuries are often more severe, non-combat related musculoskeletal injuries occur six times more often.
In fact, microtrauma from military training and overuse leads to almost 70% of all musculoskeletal injuries including stress fractures, shin splints, tendonitis, bursitis, plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral syndrome (runner’s knee), and back pain.
The VA rates service-connected musculoskeletal conditions under the Schedule of Ratings for the musculoskeletal system. Ratings for these conditions can range from 10% to 100% depending on the severity.
Sleep apnea Army disability
In addition to musculoskeletal conditions, service-connected sleep disorders are prevalent among Army veterans.
The most common sleep disorder among veterans is obstructive sleep apnea, a breathing disorder which causes you to repeatedly stop breathing during sleep. One study reported 87,404 diagnoses of sleep apnea among active-duty soldiers from 2014 through 2019.
Civilian sleep schedules can be predictable and regular. For those in the Army, however, sleep is often interrupted from travel, time zone changes, long watches, sleep interruptions, and constant schedule changes. For those involved in combat, traumatic experiences can have a physiological effect that can greatly affect sleep.
If service connected, it’s possible to start getting sleep apnea Army disability compensation. The VA rates sleep apnea using diagnostic code 6847 for sleep apnea syndromes. Ratings for sleep apnea can be as high as 100% or as low as 0%. The most common sleep apnea ratings given are 30% and 50%.
Army disability pay chart
Regardless of which branch you served in during service, disability pay is rated the same.
The disability pay chart for veterans without dependents is below.
| VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|
| 100% | $3,831.30 |
| 90% | $2,2297.96 |
| 80% | $2,044.89 |
| 70% | $1,759.19 |
| 60% | $1,395.93 |
| 50% | $1,102.04 |
| 40% | $774.16 |
| 30% | $537.42 |
| 20% | $346.95 |
| 10% | $175.51 |
| 0% | None |
Army disability calculator
On average, veterans getting disability payments are service connected for at least six conditions. Therefore, it’s important to know how to estimate your combined rating. VA math can be confusing. Fortunately, by using our free Army disability calculator, you can easily compute your combined VA rating.
Our VA disability calculator can be used to estimate a disability rating for any disabled veteran regardless of which branch of the military you served in.
TDIU for Army veterans
Imagine having neck and back pain so severe that you’re unable to sit or stand comfortably behind a desk. Maybe sleep apnea has drained your energy and you can no longer stay awake at work, or you find yourself making mistakes or missing work altogether.
If this sounds like you, you may be eligible for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
A veteran can be awarded TDIU benefits if they can’t maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected conditions.
TDIU pays at the same level as a 100% disability rating, even when the veteran’s combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- One service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more.
“From the day we contacted [Woods and Woods], they made us feel so comfortable. They treated us like we mattered and we were not just clients but family.”
L.B., a Navy veteran and wife in Florida
Get Your TDIU Pay Chart
Download and print this free pay chart of TDIU monthly payments. We know what it takes to win Total Disability because of Individual Unemployability. This chart details the monthly payment that veterans get when they win IU for their VA disability claim.
How Woods and Woods can help
Our TDIU lawyers have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.
Talk to Us About Your Claim:
(812) 426-7200
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Veterans with one or more service-connected mental or physical conditions can apply for disability benefits through the VA. An Army VA disability rating, expressed as a percentage, is a representation of how much your disability decreases your overall health and directly correlates to how much monetary compensation you receive every month.
Army veterans with a service-connected disability rated at least 10% will receive monthly tax-free compensation from the VA. Army disability pay is the same amount as any other branch of service.
Neil Woods
VA disability attorney
Woods & Woods
Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
