Source: https://veteranclaims.net/2009/03/12/soar-faqs-on-veterans-law/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 22:50:44+00:00

Document:
No. In order to be eligible to receive VA benefits a veteran must have been discharged or released from military service under conditions other than dishonorable. 38 U.S.C.A. § 101(2) (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 3.12 (2007).
What is a service-connected disability?
A service-connected disability is a disability that the evidence shows was incurred in, or aggravated during military service. 38 U.S.C.A. § 1110 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 3.303 (2007).
What is the difference between serviceconnected compensation and nonservice-connected pension?
Compensation is paid for serviceconnected disabilities. Pension is paid to, veterans who are disabled because of nonservice-connected causes and service-connected causes if they exist. Compensation is meant to compensate veterans for the loss of their earning capacity as a result of service-connected disability. Pension is designed to provide more income to low income, disabled veterans who served during a period of war.
How can I get my service-connected disability reevaluated by VA?
You can request that VA reevaluate your service-connected disability simply by asking. Make your request via letter to the regional office.
In order to establish service connection for my right knee condition, what sort of evidence do I need to submit to VA?
Establishing service connection for a knee disability will require (1) medical evidence that confirms the current existence of the knee disability being claimed as service connected; (2) medical or, in limited circumstances, lay evidence establishing that during military service, you incurred or aggravated a knee disease or injury; and (3) medical opinion evidence establishing a link between the claimed in-service disease or injury to your knee and the currently diagnosed disability claimed as being service-connected.
What is service-connected disability compensation?
“Compensation” is defined as a “monthly payment made by the Secretary to a veteran because of [a] service-connected disability.” 38 U.S.C.A. § 101(13) (West 2002). The basic premise of paying compensation to disabled veterans for serviceconnected disabilities is that the government assumes responsibility for disabilities contracted by military service members “in the line of duty.” In defining what constitutes the “line of duty,” Congress has generally required only a temporal relationship between duty status and the onset of a condition. See 38 U.S.C.A. § 105 (West 2002).
How does VA assess the severity of service-connected disabilities?
rating is set by Congress in 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114 (West 2002 & Supp. 2008).
For the purposes of disability compensation, every veteran is considered to have been in sound condition when examined and enrolled for military service, except for defects, infirmities, or disorders that are noted at the time of his or her entrance examination, or where clear and unmistakable evidence demonstrates that the injury or disease existed before the veteran’s enrollment into service and was not aggravated by such service. 38 U.S.C.A. § 1111 (West 2002).
What is the presumption of servicenconnection for certain diseases, disabilities,nand conditions?
(West 2002) are considered to a have been incurred in or aggravated by such service notwithstanding the factnthat there is no record or evidence ofnthe disease during the veteran’s periodnof military service if the diseasenbecomes manifest to a degree of 10npercent or more within one year of thendate of separation from such service.
What is considered to be a “clear and unmistakable error” by VA?
38 U.S.C.A. §§ 5109A, 7111 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.105(a), 20.1400-1411 (2007).
A notice of disagreement is a written communication from you to VA that expresses dissatisfaction or disagreement with a decision VA made on your claim and a desire to contest the result of the VA decision. 38 U.S.C.A. § 7105 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.103(f), 19.26(a), 19.26(b), 19.27, 20.200, 20.201, 20.300, 20.302 (2007).
I just received written notice that the VA regional office denied my claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. Can I appeal this decision, and if so, how?
date of written notice to you of the decision (see previous question). 38 U.S.C.A. § 7105 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.103(f), 19.26(a), 19.26(b), 19.27, 20.200, 20.201, 20.300, 20.302 (2007).
After a notice of disagreement is filed, what is the next step in the process?
summary of the case, summarizing the evidence, the governing law, and VA’s reasons for denial of a claim. 38 U.S.C.A. § 7105 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.103(f), 19.26(a), 19.26(b), 19.27, 20.200, 20.201, 20.300, 20.302 (2007).
disability. If I file this claim, what kind of help can I expect to receive from VA?
adequately identifies and authorizes the [VA] to obtain.
on the claim.” 38 U.S.C.A. § 5103(A)(d)(1), (d)(2)(A), (B), (C) (West 2002).
VA has elaborated on the requirements of the statute in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159 (2007).
What does VA consider to be an informal claim?
Under VA regulations, any communication or action by a claimant that indicates intent to apply for one or more VA benefits may be considered by VA to be an informal claim. An informal claim must identify the benefit or benefits being sought. When VA receives an informal claim and no formal claim has been filed, VA will forward the claimant an application form for completion. If VA receives the formal application within one year of the date it sent the form to the claimant, VA will consider the date of claim to be the date it received the informal claim from the claimant. A power of attorney must be in effect at the time a communication is written for such a communication from an attorney, veterans’ service organization, or agent to be accepted by VA as an informal claim.
Who is eligible to receive a nonservice-connected pension from VA?
Veterans with low income and who are permanently and totally disabled, or are age 65 or older, may be eligible to receive monetary support from the VA if they have 90 days or more of active military service, at least one day of which was during a period of war. The veteran’s discharge must have been under conditions other than dishonorable and the disability must be for reasons other than the veteran’s own willful misconduct. Payments are made by VA to bring the veteran’s total annual income, including other retirement or Social Security income, to a level set by Congress. Certain unreimbursed medical expenses may help to reduce a veteran’s countable income for VA purposes.
I am the spouse of a deceased veteran. Am I eligible to receive any benefits from VA?
There are a number of VA benefits that you may be eligible to receive. VA provides pensions to low-income surviving spouses and to unmarried children of deceased veterans with wartime service. To receive this death pension from VA, you must not have remarried.
Your spouse must have been discharged or released from active service under conditions other than dishonorable and must have had 90 days or more of active military service, at least one day of which was during a period of war, or a service-connected disability justifying discharge.
disability or a condition directly related to a service-connected disability. DIC may also be paid to a surviving spouse of a veteran who was totally disabled from service-connected conditions at the time of death, even though the veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not cause the veteran’s death. The surviving spouse can qualify for DIC if the veteran was (1) continuously rated totally disabled for a period of 10 years or more immediately preceding death; (2) continuously rated totally disabled from the date of military discharge and for at least five years immediately preceding death; or (3) a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999, and who was continuously rated totally disabled for a period of at least one year immediately preceding death.
Generally, what does it take to present a successful claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to VA?
(3) the existence of a causal link—established by medical evidence— between the veteran’s current PTSD symptoms and the veteran’s claimed in-service stressors.
With regard to the second criterion— credible supporting evidence for the veteran’s claimed in-service stressors— the evidence necessary to establish that the claimed stressors actually occurred varies depending on whether it can be determined that the veteran “engaged in combat with the enemy.” 38 U.S.C.A. § 1154(b) (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(d) (2007).
If VA determines through the receipt of military citations or other supportive evidence that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy, and the veteran’s claimed stressors are related to that combat, the veteran’s lay testimony regarding the reported stressors must be accepted by VA as conclusive evidence as to their actual occurrence and no further development or corroborating evidence will be necessary. Service department evidence showing that the veteran engaged in combat or that the veteran was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, or similar citation will be accepted, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, as conclusive evidence of the claimed in-service stressor. 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(2007).
While I was in the military service, I was sexually assaulted, but I did not report the assault to the military authorities. Last month, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and the psychiatrist says it was caused by my in-service sexual assault. Is there any way I can establish service connection for PTSD when my in-service sexual assault is not recorded in my service records?
The BVA denied my claim for service connection for a back disability in 1989. Other than filing new and material evidence to reopen the claim, are there other procedures I can follow to get VA to take another look at my claim?
• upon allegation that an allowance of benefits by the Board has been materially influenced by false or fraudulent evidence submitted by or on behalf of the appellant. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1000 (2007).
You should be aware, however, that if the BVA does not grant your motion for reconsideration, you will not be able to appeal the denial to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. You should also know that the BVA infrequently grants motions for reconsideration.
Second, you can consider filing a motion with the BVA asserting that the Board’s decision of 1989 is the product of “clear and unmistakable error” (CUE). The Board has regulations that govern its consideration of a claim that a Board decision contains CUE. These regulations are 38 C.F.R. §§ 20.1401-1411 (2007). It is not easy to persuade the BVA that it committed CUE in one of its decisions; however, if the Board rules against you, an appeal to the Veterans Court would be available to you.
When will VA reopen a disallowed claim?
VA must reopen a finally disallowed claim when “new and material evidence is presented or secured.” 38 U.S.C.A. §§ 5108, 7104(b), 7105(c) (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 3.156(a) (2007). “New evidence” is evidence “not previously submitted to [VA] decisionmakers…[that] is neither cumulative nor redundant.” § 3.156(a). New evidence is considered “material” if it “bears directly and substantially upon the specific matter under consideration” and “by itself or in connection with evidence previously assembled is so significant that it must be considered in order to decide the merits of the claim.” § 3.156(a).
VA denied my claim for service connection for hearing loss in 2001. If I file a new claim, will VA have the duty to assist me in developing my claim by obtaining an expert medical opinion?
under the regulation, VA will not provide you with an examination or medical opinion until you successfully reopen your disallowed claim with new and material evidence.

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