Social Security To Expedite Veteran Disability Claims

[carlie]

"The Social Security Administration plans to streamline its review of disability claims for veterans starting next month, shaving weeks off the process by which it determines benefits, officials are set to announce Wednesday.

The Woodlawn-based agency says it will expedite claims for former service members who already have been deemed fully disabled by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, alleviating a bureaucratic nightmare for veterans who sometimes waited years to get a decision about their eligibility for benefits.

Carolyn W. Colvin, the acting commissioner of Social Security, is set to announce the policy change in Baltimore. The move would add disabled veterans to the list of high-priority groups — including service members wounded in combat — that are put at the head of the line for review."

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-veterans-ssa-20140218,0,4303618.story#ixzz2tmpRkKPO

[Navy04]

Carlie,

Thanks for the great info. When I submitted my SSDI claim in November 2013, I put on there that I was a Disabled Veteran, was I suppose to put anything else on application to speed up process. I had my Mental and Physical Exams a few weeks ago, and no I am just waiting. Thanks again

[Vync]

Carlie,

That sounds like an article from The Onion. Hopefully they will actually practice what they preach.

Navy04,

Carlie's post indicates this is for "former service members who already have been deemed fully disabled by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs", which typically means 100% P&T vets only. I noticed in your profile that you're at 80%, but hope your application meets a swift approval. I followed the link into the article and they go on to talk about how fully disabled veterans made up about 10% of all disabled veterans in 2012, but it also noted that many of them might already get social security disability.

Further down in the article they clarify:

"Under the new policy, applicants who have been deemed 100 percent disabled by the VA are to be put on a "fast track" at virtually every step of the process."

Let's hope that's just 100% schedular...

Edited February 20, 2014 by Vync

[Navy04]

Vync,

Thanks for the info. Going by my recent C&P exam reports, it looks like I will be 100% in the next few months.

[Vync]

Good luck navy04.

[Navy04]

Thanks for the kind words

[Motherof3]

I called my local SSA office in March when I saw the news. They weren't aware of new Reg to expedite veteran claims who are 100% P&T. I mailed my Award letter to local office and the ODAR where I was waiting for a hearing. It was expedited. Hearing held April 30th. Awaiting decision.