People in Houston who are disabled and cannot earn enough to pay their monthly expenses may look to Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits for help. Many of these people can also qualify for various other benefits through the State of Texas or through the federal government. However, some people may wonder whether they can receive SSD benefits along with benefits from any of these other programs.
One group of people in particular who may be able to qualify for many different kinds of benefits are veterans. The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs is to care for the men and women who have served in any of the five branches of the United States’ armed forces. Thus, the VA oversees many of the benefits programs that are available only to veterans and their family members.
The VA does have its own disability program, but that does not necessarily mean that veterans cannot qualify for SSD benefits as well. In other words, it is possible for a veteran to receive both SSD benefits and disability compensation from the VA’s program. But, the requirements are different for the two programs. For instance, a partial disability can qualify a veteran for benefits under the VA’s program. To qualify for SSD benefits for a partial injury, on the other hand, the Social Security Administration will evaluate the person’s ability to earn monthly wages, which it classifies as substantial gainful activity.
Like other benefits programs that can run concurrent with SSD, veterans must apply separately for SSD and veteran’s disability. Thus, there is a possibility that an applicant could qualify for benefits under one program but not the other. Veterans, or anyone else in the Houston area who are unsure whether they can obtain SSD benefits may consider turning to an attorney who has experience handling Social Security matters.
Source: SSA.gov, “Can I qualify for Social Security disability benefits if I get veterans’ benefits?,” Accessed on Dec. 8, 2016