It may be years since you left military service and as time passes, sometimes it can be hard to know what parts of your life are still affected by your sacrifices of service and which ones are just part of civilian life. This is a fundamental question when evaluating your eligibility for veterans disability benefits, especially when you both have service-connected disabilities and non-service-connected ones.
Does having a non-service-connected disability preclude you from getting rated TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability)? No, but it doesn’t get factored into the decision-making process. Let me explain.
TDIU is a determination of 100% disability through evaluation of certain disability ratings that are either individually or collectively above certain levels, and medical evidence of unemployability. In that determination process, the existence or degree of nonservice-connected disabilities or previous unemployability status will be disregarded. However, if the percentages referred to in the rules for the service-connected disability or disabilities are met and in the judgment of the rating agency such service-connected disabilities render the veteran unemployable, then the TDIU will be approved.
Don’t just sit and wonder whether your disabilities qualify you for TDIU? Contact Veterans Law Group whose staff spends all their time helping veterans just like you, helping you and your family with legal assistance in navigating the VA disability benefits process.
To get started, simply fill out this questionnaire and submit it to our office for evaluation. We will review your request for a consultation and contact you as soon as possible. Our consultations are free of charge.
