Who is eligible?

You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

• You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and
• You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training

And at least one of these must be true:

• You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or
• You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a pre-service disability claim), or
• You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a post-service disability claim)

Presumptive conditions

For some conditions, VA automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. VA calls these presumptive conditions.

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

Find out more about these categories of presumptive conditions:

• A chronic (long-lasting) illness that appears within 1 year after discharge
• An illness caused by contact with contaminants (toxic chemicals) or other hazardous materials
• An illness caused by your time spent as a prisoner of war (POW)

When and where is this service offered?

This service is available throughout the year during regular business hours except during scheduled holidays.