Countless service members return from their deployment abroad as remarkably different people from when they first headed out on their assignment. These veterans are often unable to seamlessly transition back into a job due to the physical or injuries that they've returned with.

Service members who find themselves unable to work due to the impact that their deployments or military career has had on them often ask one question. They inquire if they might be eligible for both veterans' and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

Eligibility requirements for veterans and SSDI benefits

You may be eligible to receive both SSD and veterans' benefits simultaneously. You should note that the qualifying criteria instituted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are distinct from the ones that the Social Security Administration (SSA) sets.

Individuals wishing to receive SSDI must generally have a qualifying condition listed on the SSA's Listing of Impairments. Their condition must be expected to last longer than a year or must be terminal for them to be eligible for SSDI benefits.

In contrast to SSDI, the VA extends disability benefits to veterans for a wider variety of illnesses and injuries. A caseworker assigns a former service member an impairment rating up to 100 depending on the severity of their condition, which correlates to the VA benefits that they're eligible to receive.

Coming to the understanding that your medical situation is so debilitating that it may warrant requesting disability benefits is a decision that you'll want to discuss with your doctor. You'll then want to take time to learn about the process involved in applying for VA and other disability benefit programs so that you'll know the strategies for applying for them that will give you the best chance of approval.