Veterans affairs rep offers advice about applying for disability, pension benefits

Lloyd Knox, veterans affairs representative, discusses with a number of veterans some of the benefits they may be entitled to for various conditions. (Geoff Rands/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Lloyd Knox, veterans affairs representative, met with about 25 people to discuss benefits available to veterans on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the Community Room of Wood & Huston Bank.

Knox helps veterans and their family members file claims for benefits, ensuring that all necessary paperwork is present, correctly filled out and makes it to the proper hands.

The three most common types of benefits people apply for, said Knox, are disability, pension and compensation benefits.

For non-service related pension benefits, veterans must have performed service in wartime and a financial need must be shown.

Disability benefits are received under one of three categories: direct disability, indirect disability and secondary disability.

Direct disability benefits require medical proof of the condition, a record of what service was performed by the veteran and a medical opinion linking the two.

As an example of a presumptive condition, Knox mentioned one veteran who suffered from bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, having served on a gun crew.

Presumptive disability benefits are received if the veteran suffers from any of 11 certain conditions, such as the skin condition chloracne, the liver disease prophyria cutanea tarda, type 2 diabetes and a number of different types of cancer. Most of these conditions are associated with exposure to chemicals such as Agent Orange.

To receive benefits for a presumptive condition, a veteran need only produce a confirmed diagnosis and a confirmation that the veteran served "on the ground."

Secondary disability benefits are benefits due to a condition derived from another condition for which the veteran is already receiving benefits. All the veteran must show in this case is that the condition is a result of that previous condition.

Benefits are determined based on how the disability affects the veteran's ability to work by use of a scale that slides in 10-percent increments.

At 10 percent, benefits amount to $117 per month. For 100 percent, Knox approximated the amount at $2,500 per month.

Veterans can have a condition and still be given benefits at zero percent, said Knox, though one can always put in for increased benefits, if their condition worsens.

In order to reside at a veterans home, a veteran must have been honorably discharged and be able to prove they need care from that type of home. Veterans also must have lived in Missouri for 181 days at some point through their lifetimes.

For burial at a veteran's cemetery, the veteran must only prove they received an honorable discharge.

Knox also mentioned that spouses of deceased veterans might be eligible for service-related cause of death benefits.

One attendee brought up a situation involving his brother, who died following complications from an operation made necessary by his condition of type 2 diabetes.

Knox said it was possible that the widow could have a claim.

Veterans of World War II and the Korean War may have difficulty proving their service, as a number of service records were lost in a July 1973 fire in St. Louis, where a number of records were lost due to fire, smoke, and water damage. Knox said service still can be confirmed through alternative record sources.

Initiation of a request for service forms will reveal whether such forms were lost.

Contact Geoff Rands at marshallreporter@socket.net