Social Security and Citizenship

Citizenship status and SSDI eligibility You do not need US citizenship or permanent residency to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”). However, you must work in The United States legally. In addition, you must have a social security number and...

Evidence in Social Security Disability

Much has been made of Social Security’s new rules that were put in place in the beginning of 2015. The rules were implemented after notice and comment procedures. The general goal of these rules were to provide clarity that was previously lacking in terms of what...

Discharged due to Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders are often the deathknell of VA compensation claims and so its important to know if it has been correctly diagnosed. Often it has not. Most veterans also know that when they are released from active duty they receive a DD214, a Certificate of...

Winning on Gulf War Syndrome

We have previously written on how the VA has implemented new rules on Gulf War syndrome seemingly rewriting the rules in favor of veterans.  However there are still many potential pitfalls for the complicated rules relating to gulf war syndrome.  The rules apply to...

Overview of TDIU Benefits

What is TDIU? Under Total Disability Individual Unemployability or TDIU, the VA pays 100% compensation to veterans who are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment either permanently or temporarily as a result of service-connected disabilities, even if...

Proposed Amendments in Military Sexual Assault Rules

The media and even Congress has recently criticized the military justice system when it comes to military sexual assault situations that has impacted many Veterans lives.  Reported stories include how the senate has proposed that military commanders would no longer...

Gulf War Open Burn Pit Registry

There was a recent briefing on November 201, 2013 that explained some of the key aspects for Gulf War Veterans and the Open Burn Pit Registry.  At the beginning of this year, a new law was passed, P.L. 112-260 section 201 that requires the VA to build up a registry of...

Proving Disability and Past Work?

Many disability claimants wonder what they ultimately need to prove in order to win their disability case.  For many claimants, especially those that may have had simple type sedentary (primarily sitting) work they will need to show that they cannot continue to do...