Veterans who are recovering from a surgery or who are temporarily immobilized due to a service-connected disability may be eligible for a temporary 100 percent disability rating and compensation. The duration of this temporary 100 percent rating varies depending on the condition, but in general it can continue for one to three months, if not longer. In order to qualify for this type of benefit, veterans must have had surgery or received other treatment at a VA medical center or VA approved hospital for a disability related to their military service. Additionally, they must meet one of the following criteria:
- For veterans recovering from a surgery, both of these conditions must be true:
- The surgery required a recovery time of at least one month or reports show that the surgery or treatment was for a service-connected disability, and
- The surgery resulted in severe issues, like:
- Surgical wounds that haven’t totally healed
- Stumps of recent amputations
- Being unable to move due to being put in splints or casts to help with healing (known as therapeutic immobilizations)
- Being unable to leave your house (known as house confinement)
- Being required to use a wheelchair or crutches
- Veterans who did not have surgery must have one or more major joints immobilized by a cast.
An example of one type of situation which could qualify a veteran for temporary 100 percent pay would be if he or she had a knee replacement. If the veteran was already service connected for a knee injury, and the injury worsened enough that the veteran’s doctor recommended a knee replacement, the doctor would need time after the veteran’s hospital stay before he or she could assess if the surgery was successful. That amount of time, which in this circumstance would be about four months, is how long the VA would provide the veteran with compensation at the 100 percent disability rate. The more severe a case is, the more likely it is that the VA will extend the veterans temporary 100 percent payments.
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If you are a veteran who is interested in applying for temporary 100 percent pay based on convalescence, our attorneys are ready to help. Please contact our office today for a free consultation.
