Veterans who have service-connected medical conditions can apply for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The benefits that a veteran can receive will depend on how the VA rates the veteran’s condition. Some veterans may qualify for a 100 percent disability rating from the VA. But what benefits and services can a veteran qualify for when they receive a 100 percent rating?
Monthly Compensation and Financial Benefits
Veterans with a 100 percent disability rating will receive the maximum monthly financial payment offered by the VA to veterans with service-connected disabilities. A 100 percent disabled veteran’s monthly payments will also depend on the size of their household, including whether they live with a spouse, dependent parent, or dependent children. The VA also applies cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to its disability benefits, raising monthly payments each year by the same percentage that the Social Security Administration increases retirement and disability benefits.
100-percent disabled veterans may also qualify for additional financial benefits, such as special monthly compensation, depending on the nature of their disability.
Healthcare and Medical Benefits
Veterans with a 100 percent disability rating qualify in Priority Group 1 under the VA’s healthcare system, entitling them to free healthcare through the VA with no copays for treatment, tests, or medications. 100-percent disabled veterans can also qualify for free dental care and complete coverage of the cost of specific durable medical equipment, such as hearing aids. When a veteran receives a 100 percent disability rating, their spouse and dependent children may also qualify for VA healthcare through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).
Education, Housing, and Employment Advantages
Permanently and totally disabled veterans can qualify for other benefits and services through the VA, including:
- Education benefits, including financial assistance to the veteran under the GI bill and benefits for a veteran’s dependent family members under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program (Chapter 35)
- Housing benefits, including VA-backed home loans that provide no-down-payment, funding fee-waived loans at competitive interest rates, and housing grants to help afford the purchase or lease of an adapted home or home renovations to install disability accommodations; veterans in certain states may also qualify for property tax abatements or exemptions
- Employment benefits, including access to vocational rehabilitation and employment services that may help veterans access careers commensurate with their medical limitations
Additional Federal and State Perks
Other benefits offered to veterans with a 100-percent disability rating under federal and state law include:
- Military commissary and exchange privileges
- State-provided educational financial assistance for veterans and their dependent family members
- Free or discounted driver’s license or vehicle registration fees offered by some states
- Other discounted state licenses, such as hunting or fishing licenses
- Free or discounted state and federal park access
Totally disabled veterans may also apply for Social Security disability benefits through the SSDI or SSI programs (depending on eligibility), which can provide additional monthly financial payments in addition to the veteran’s VA disability benefits. However, unlike VA disability benefits, Social Security disability benefits require an individual’s disability to prevent them from working enough to perform substantial gainful activity (earning more than a minimum threshold of monthly income).
Contact a VA Disability Lawyer Today
When you have a severe impairment caused by an injury or illness you suffered due to your military service, you may receive various veterans’ benefits after having your disability rated at 100 percent by the VA. Contact Veterans Law Attorneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a VA disability benefits attorney to learn more about the financial payments and government services you might qualify for if you receive a 100 percent disability rating from the VA for a service-connected condition.
