Compensation

You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service. This is commonly referred to as “Service – Connected Disability.”

Eligibility

You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements:

1. You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and
2. You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training

And at least one of these must be true:

1. You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an inservice disability claim), or
2. You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a preservice disability claim), or
3. You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a postservice disability claim)

Presumed Disabilities

• A chronic (long-lasting) illness that appears within one year after discharge, or
• An illness caused by contact with contaminants (toxic chemicals) or other hazardous materials, or
• An illness caused by your time spent as a prisoner of war (POW)

You may also be able to get VA disability benefits for:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression
• Anxiety

Additional Resources

• Delta Dental VADIP 2023 Fact Sheet
• PACT Act Information