VA Compensation for Schizoaffective Disorder Everything You Need To Know
If you are a veteran with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, you may be eligible to receive VA disability benefits. As a VA disability recipient, you will be eligible for monthly compensation and other perks.
For a free consultation, call (888) 373-4722.
Military Service and Schizoaffective Disorder
Military life often subjects people to experiences that leave a lasting imprint. Many of these experiences are traumatic, resulting in mental health issues that affect a veteran’s ability to work and function.
One mental ailment relatively common among veterans is schizoaffective disorder. This condition includes symptoms of both schizophrenia and mood disorders. The two main types of schizoaffective disorder are:
- Bipolar type: Combines the effects of schizophrenia with both manic and depressive episodes.
- Depressive type: Combines the effects of schizophrenia and depressive episodes only.
Many things can cause a veteran to develop a schizoaffective disorder, including combat. But even if you never served in combat, you may still be eligible to receive VA disability benefits for schizoaffective disorder.
How to Build a Compelling Claim for VA Disability for Schizoaffective Disorder
In order to receive VA disability benefits for schizoaffective disorder, your appeal needs to prove three things:
You Have a Diagnosis
If you received a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, you meet the diagnosis requirement.
Your advocate can examine your medical records and extract evidence to show VA that you have a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.
A Specific Traumatic Event Occurred During Your Military Service or Your Schizoaffective Symptoms Began During Your Service.
You suffered a specific traumatic event during your military service or your symptoms first started while you were in the service. Often times, people that first start to experience mental health symptoms do not recognize what is happening. An advocate can help you dissect your military service, and through a review of your military records, determine if there is evidence to support that your condition began while you were serving. This may be in the form of performance deteriorations and not only medical records.
Your Condition Is Related to Your Service
The evidence must demonstrate a medical link between your service and your diagnosis.
If as part of your schizoaffective disorder, you began to experience psychoses (to a compensable degree of 10% or more) while you were in the service or within one year of your service discharge and your schizoaffective disorder still includes psychoses (again to a compensable degree of 10% or more), you may not need to provide the VA with a nexus opinion. This is because 38 CFR § 3.309 & 38 CFR § 3.307 establish a presumption of service connection for psychoses if you meet the service requirements.
Trust a Veterans Disability Advocate to Help You Recover the Full Benefits You Deserve
Once approved for disability, your monthly compensation rate is based on your disability rating. This rating, between 0 and 100% and assigned by VA, indicates the severity of your disability. The rating criteria VA uses for schizoaffective disorder is as follows:
The higher your disability rating, the higher your monthly compensation. As of 2019, the monthly compensation for each of these ratings (for a single veteran with no dependents) is:
- 10% disability rating: $142.29 per month
- 30% disability rating: $435.69 per month
- 50% disability rating: $893.43 per month
- 70% disability rating: $1,426.17 per month
- 100% disability rating: $3,106.04 per month
Your disability advocate builds your claim to paint a clear picture of your disability and exactly how your condition impacts your ability to work and carry out daily living activities. This helps you receive the highest possible disability rating, which equates to the largest monthly benefit.
Contingency Fees in Veterans Disability Appeals
Many veterans hesitate to hire an advocate to help with their VA disability claim because they worry about having to pay a fee or retainer up front. Most disability advocates work on a contingency basis, meaning you do not pay fees until you get approved for VA disability.*
For a free case evaluation, call (888) 373-4722.
Call (888) 373-4722 Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Your disability advocate’s job is to get you the benefits you deserve for the sacrifices you have made for our country. For a free case evaluation, call (888) 373-4722.
