The Social Security Administration, this February, announced the agency’s new initiative to expedite disability claims for veterans who have received 100 percent (Permanent and Total) disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Under this new initiative, Social Security is supposed to treat these veteran’s Social Security disability applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions, similar to how the agency hands the Wounded Warrior claims.
Under the Wounded Warrior provision, military service members receive expedited processing of disability claims. This applies to military service members who become disabled while they are on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurred.
“Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country and it is only right that we ensure they have timely access to the disability benefits they may be eligible for and deserve,” said Carolyn Colvin, acting commissioner for the Social Security Administration. “Social Security worked with Veterans Affairs to identify those veterans with disabilities who have a high probability of also meeting our definition of disability. I am proud of our collaboration and happy to announce this new service for American’s vets,” Colvin said.
In order to receive the expedited service, veterans just inform Social Security about their VA disability compensation rating of 100 percent Permanent and Total and show proof of their VA disability rating along with their VA notification letter.
Although this new program will help ensure that military with VA disability ratings received expedited processing, it is important to remember that expedited processing does not necessarily guarantee the these claims will be medically approved for Social Security disability benefits. For more information about this new program click here.
