When veterans become disabled, they often must simultaneously navigate the process of obtaining disability compensation through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Unfortunately, both of these organizations are experiencing significant backlogs that are making many veterans’ lives much harder than they arguably ought to be.
As a result of its own backlog, the SSA recently announced that it will be streamlining review of veterans’ claims for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits beginning in March of this year. This streamlining process will ultimately save veterans weeks of time waiting for their benefits determination.
Specifically, the SSA will be streamlining claims for those vets who have already been categorized as fully disabled in the eyes of U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. This makes a great deal of sense, given that one federal agency will have already conducted a thorough review before ultimately determining that an individual is fully disabled. The SSA will then use this determination to make its own benefits determination process much quicker and more efficient.
The SSA is predicting that this change in policy could ultimately affect tens of thousands of U.S. veterans over time. It is worth noting that affected veterans should still seek the counsel of experienced SSD attorneys even though they may now be members of a high-priority group in the eyes of the SSA. Ultimately, filing paperwork completely and in a timely fashion is key to ensuring that you get your benefits as quickly as possible. An experienced attorney can help you achieve this goal.