Getting Veteran Multiple Sclerosis Claims Approved | Free Consult

With chronic, debilitating conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, veterans need a strong advocate to handle their VA disability claims.

Summary

• MS is a debilitating disease that can severely impact a veteran’s life, progressing from mild symptoms like fatigue to severe neurological impairments.
• The VA considers veteran multiple sclerosis claims presumptive when veterans develop symptoms within seven years of leaving active duty.
• Veterans must prove their MS is connected to their military service to qualify for VA disability benefits. This process is complicated by the disease’s gradual onset and the need for extensive medical documentation.
• MS may be linked to environmental factors like exposure to toxins during military service.
• Common symptoms of multiple sclerosis include numbness, dizziness, muscle spasms, and severe neurological issues in advanced stages.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease that can affect every portion of your life. Symptoms such as fatigue, tingling in the extremities, or dizziness may be mild initially. However, these can progress into conditions that leave you unable to care for your everyday needs.

If you are a veteran who developed Multiple Sclerosis connected to your active duty military service, you have the option of seeking VA disability benefits. Our team of veterans disability appeals lawyers specializes in dealing with the VA on behalf of vets with service-related illnesses and injuries.

VetLaw can take point in managing your VA claim appeal so you can focus on your health and your family. Give us a call at (855) 573-1503 or submit a contact form to set up a free consultation to discuss your veterans Multiple Sclerosis disability claim with a VA-accredited attorney at VetLaw.

Navigating Multiple Sclerosis Claims: Understanding VA Disability Benefits for Veterans

Unfortunately, Multiple Sclerosis is linked to active duty service in the US military. Service members may experience a worsening of a pre-existing MS condition or receive a diagnosis thereof years after being discharged.

The Seven-Year Deadline for Presumptive MS Disability Claims

Since MS is considered a “presumptive” condition for veterans who begin experiencing symptoms of the disability within seven years of leaving active duty service, if you are a veteran with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, you may be eligible to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

You will need to gather evidence and make persuasive arguments to connect your diagnosis to symptoms that began either during your time on active duty or within seven years of separation. A veterans disability claims lawyer can make a substantial difference in veteran multiple sclerosis claims.

They can help you assert your eligibility to the VA. A VA-accredited attorney who has experience with physical condition claims can also help you challenge a denial of benefits from Veterans Affairs through the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

What Are the Types of Multiple Sclerosis Veterans May Develop?

There are three categories of MS: relapsing-remitting, primary progressive, and secondary progressive. Essentially, they are classified by the consistency with which symptoms appear and the rate at which the patient’s status deteriorates.

Relapsing-Remitting MS: Sporadic Attacks Where Symptoms Intensify Followed by Asymptomatic Periods

Relapsing-remitting MS is by far the most common form. Veterans with relapsing-remitting MS typically experience episodes of symptoms. As the flare-up continues, their condition gets worse until the episode ends. 

Once the relapse period is over, MS symptoms generally largely subside until the next attack, where additional symptoms may emerge.

Secondary Progressive MS: Intermittent Episodes Evolve into a Continual Decline

Over time, nerve damage caused by relapsing-remitting MS can accumulate and develop into secondary progressive MS. With secondary progressive MS, your symptoms consistently get worse.

Primary Progressive MS: Slow and Steady Worsening of Symptoms

Primary progressive MS is independent of the other two forms. Usually, the onset of primary progressive MS symptoms occurs in middle age. Veterans with primary progressive MS may notice mild symptoms that slowly become more severe over time.

Proving Essential Elements to Obtain VA Benefits for Multiple Sclerosis

There are several important elements that go into filing a successful MS claim for benefits that every veteran should be aware of. According to the VA’s disability compensation program, a former service member seeking benefits must prove the following:

• Their current condition is the result of serving on active duty
• Their condition has a significant impact on their civilian life
• They were discharged from the military under honorable conditions

Proving these elements, including evidence of a medical diagnosis, can be especially difficult in claims involving multiple sclerosis because many of the symptoms are mild at first. Additionally, an MS diagnosis may only result after years of complaints and treatments.

These combined factors can make connecting a condition to a veteran’s active duty service challenging. For this reason, it is best to seek legal advice from a VA-accredited lawyer about multiple sclerosis claims when preparing to create a timeline that supports your entitlement to service connection.

Multiple Sclerosis and Veterans Disability Claims

MS is a multifaceted autoimmune disease that can affect every portion of a veteran’s life. This condition causes the body to attack its central nervous system. MS especially affects myelin, which is the fatty substance that encompasses nerve fibers.

As a result, those with the disease experience a wide variety of neurological symptoms. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, common symptoms of MS include numbness, dizziness, fatigue, and muscle spasms. More advanced versions of the disease can entail seizures, speech problems, and breathing issues.

Linking MS Symptoms to the Hazards of Military Service

If these symptoms hurt a veteran’s life, they may qualify for disability benefits as long as they can establish a connection between their diagnosis and active duty service. While the exact causes of MS are unclear, this disease has been linked to environmental factors such as exposure to pollution or harsh chemicals.

Many service members are vulnerable to dangerous substances on military bases. This is one of the reasons why the VA has established MS as a presumptive condition for all veterans who can prove the onset of symptoms within seven years of service separation.

VetLaw’s team of knowledgeable attorneys can help a veteran trace the origin of their condition before filing or appealing a veteran multiple sclerosis claim denial.

Additional Types of VA Disability Benefits Veterans With Multiple Sclerosis Ratings

The VA reserves additional disability compensation for veterans whose service-connected disabilities have substantially limited their ability to work and manage their lives. Veterans with multiple sclerosis often become eligible for these types of benefits as their symptoms continue to grow worse.

Aid and Attendance Benefits

As a veteran’s multiple sclerosis symptoms progress, it may no longer be safe or practical for them to care for themselves. In some cases, a spouse or family member may step in to be their caretaker, or the veteran may seek out a professional aide to help them with daily tasks.

In these scenarios, the VA offers veterans Aid and Attendance compensation in recognition of their significant needs. Aid and Attendance benefits are a form of Special Monthly Compensation that the VA includes on top of a veteran’s standard monthly benefits.

Total Disability Due to Individual Unemployability

Multiple sclerosis symptoms, such as numbness and fatigue, often interfere with a veteran’s ability to work a steady job long before they reach a 100% rating. Oftentimes, a veteran faces a dwindling earning capacity at the same time as their MS-related medical bills are multiplying.

However, veterans don’t have to wait for their MS rating, or their combined disability rating, to reach 100% in order to collect TDIU benefits. Instead, based on their inability to earn a sufficient income due to their service-related disabilities, veterans can seek TDIU benefits with a 60% or higher rating for MS.

Consult a VetLaw Attorney before Filing a Veteran Multiple Sclerosis Claim

Multiple sclerosis can affect every aspect of your life. While initial symptoms may be mild, MS can progress to severe neurological impairment and physical pain. Because of the long-term effects of this condition, connecting your diagnosis to your time in the military can be difficult.

A diligent veterans disability claims attorney from our team can help you obtain VA benefits by preparing you for a veteran multiple sclerosis claim. They can even assist you in filing an appeal if your claim has already faced a denial.

Contact our firm today to learn more about how we can help you and schedule a free consultation. You can reach us by calling (855) 573-1503 or filing a contact form online.

During this meeting, we will listen to your experience, walk you through the stages of the VA appeals process, and offer recommendations on how to approach your veteran multiple sclerosis disability claim going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common secondary conditions for Multiple Sclerosis?

Like many chronic conditions, Multiple Sclerosis can take a mental and physical toll on veterans. The symptoms and treatment side effects often prove painful, stressful, and disruptive. As a result, veterans may develop secondary mental or physical conditions, such as:

• Depression 
• Anxiety
• Chronic fatigue
• Bowel and urinary incontinence
• Vision loss
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Chronic pain

If the vet can medically link their secondary condition to their service-related MS and show that their symptoms are severe enough to qualify for a VA disability rating, they may qualify for additional compensation. 

Is Multiple Sclerosis curable?

Currently, there is not a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. The cause of MC remains unclear, which makes it more difficult to discern a way to reverse the damage. However, research on MS is fairly well-funded, which will hopefully result in a cure for the condition.

In the meantime, veterans still have several MS treatment options to choose from to help manage their diagnosis. Providers may recommend one or more of the following to lessen symptoms or stall the progression of MS:

• Medications like Corticosteroids, interferons, Glatiramer acetate, Teriflunomide 
• Disease-modifying therapies
• Undergoing a plasma exchange
• Injections of Monoclonal antibodies
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Muscle relaxers

Depending on the type of MS you have, certain treatments may be more appropriate or effective than others. Early intervention has shown promising results in veterans with Multiple Sclerosis. 

What is an autoimmune disease?

A healthy immune system is designed to attack viruses, bacteria, pollutants, and other entities that can harm the body. However, in veterans with autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, the immune system mistakenly perceives healthy organs, tissues, and other parts of the body as threats.

Consequently, your own body begins hurting itself. In the case of MS, the immune system begins destroying the protective coating of your nerves. Other autoimmune conditions target different parts of the body.

The term “autoimmune disease” encompasses several dozen specific conditions, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 1 diabetes. They are similar in that they are non-communicable, though many have a hereditary component.

It is also worth noting that having an autoimmune disease like MS is a risk factor for developing other autoimmune diseases. If a veteran has service-connected multiple sclerosis and then develops another autoimmune disease, they may be entitled to VA benefits for the secondary condition.