Aid & Attendance and Housebound Disability Benefits for Florida Veterans
Veterans who are eligible for monthly pensions may be entitled to more benefits as well.
Two of these are Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits. Determining what benefits you are entitled to is important. If you need assistance, an Orlando veterans’ disability attorney can help. The process can be complex, and you need an attorney who has experience practicing before the regional VA offices in Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Appeals.
VA Pension Benefits
VA pensions are available to wartime veterans who have limited to no income and are age 65 and older. If you are under 65, you may still be eligible if you are permanently and totally disabled. There are additional eligibility criteria that you must meet as well. These criteria include rules related to the length of your service, the time period covered, and your discharge status. Determining your income criteria can be rather complicated as you must count income from dependents as well as other sources. Your veterans’ disability attorney will review all of the eligibility criteria with you.
What is Aid and Attendance?
Aid and Attendance benefits (A&A) can pay out in one of the following scenarios:
- You are bedridden, which means you are required to stay in bed due to your disability no matter what other treatment or convalescence is prescribed.
- You are in a nursing home because of a mental or physical incapacity.
- You are blind or your corrected visual acuity is 5/200 or less in both eyes, or your visual field is concentrically contracted to five degrees or less.
- You need someone else’s assistance to help perform your regular functions of everyday living. These include dressing, eating, toileting, bathing, adjusting prosthetic devices, or keeping yourself safe from everyday hazards in your environment.
Housebound Benefits
Housebound is similar to Aid and Attendance benefits. If eligible, you can receive both A&A and Housebound at the same time. Housebound benefits are available in either of these two situations:
- You received a 100% disabling single permanent disability, plus one or more other disabilities have been evaluated at 60% or more disabling.
- You received a 100% disabling single permanent disability, plus you are permanently and substantially confined to your current and immediate premises because of this disability.
Are VA and SSD Benefits Available Concurrently?
Yes, you may be eligible to receive both VA and SSD benefits simultaneously. They have different eligibility criteria, but in many cases, if you can get VA benefits, you will likely qualify for SSD as well. SSD benefits require that you also have a certain number of work credits though as well. The process for SSD benefits is time-consuming, taking years in some cases to get through. Veterans who have a VA compensation rating of 100% permanent and total get access to an expedited process.
Contact a Florida VA Disability Benefits Attorney
If you need assistance with veterans’ disability benefits, let a knowledgeable attorney help. Contact the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. today to schedule an initial consultation.
https://sheafugate.com/how-to-apply-for-a-social-security-disability-claim-in-florida/
