You may qualify for VA disability benefits if you suffer from a disability that was caused while you were in the Armed Forces. The Veterans Administration considers some medical condition more serious and may award you Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), which can result in you receiving a significantly higher monthly disability payment.
When Are Veterans Eligible for Special Monthly Compensation?
Special Monthly Compensation is a benefit that certain Veterans, their spouses, surviving spouses, and parents may qualify for. It is paid to Veterans who have special circumstances, such as the need for personal care at home, due to the nature of their disability. Here are situations when a Veteran may qualify for these benefits:
- Aid and attendance. A Veteran who needs daily supervision by a family member, home nurse, or home personal aide because his disability is so serious may qualify for these benefits.
- Loss of use. If a Veteran has the loss of use of a body part and it is severe enough, he may be entitled to SMC. The use of the body part must be no better than if it was amputated and the Veteran used a prosthesis.
- Permanently bedridden. A Veteran who cannot get out of his bed due to his service-connected disability can qualify for SMC benefits.
- Blindness. If the Veteran suffers from vision loss, and it meets the VA’s definition of blindness, the VA may consider their condition debilitating enough to pay them Special Monthly Compensation.
- Homebound. Veterans qualify for these payments if their disability is so severe that they cannot leave their homes and will not be able to for the rest of their lives. An individual may also be considered homebound if they cannot leave a hospital or other care facility.
Some disabilities that can qualify a person for SMC include:
- Loss of a foot or hand or use of this body part
- Paralysis or immobility of a joint
- Blindness in one or both eyes
- Deafness in both ears
- Loss or loss of the use of a reproductive organ
- Inability to communicate with others through the use of speech
- Loss of or loss of use of the buttocks
- Loss of tissue in one or both breasts because of radiation treatment or a mastectomy
If you qualify for SMC benefits, the VA is supposed to automatically pay you the additional monthly payment you are entitled to. However, this does not always happen..
Let our experienced VA disability legal team help you file your application and ensure that you and your family receive all the disability payments you deserve. Call our Roswell office to schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can help you.
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