How To Get Disability Benefits For Color Blindness

Getting disability benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for color blindness is difficult. Many veterans who apply get denied because the VA believes their condition is congenital and not connected to their military service. By proving a nexus between an event in your service and your diagnosis of color blindness, though, you can get approved for a grant of benefits. Also, if your color blindness stems from another service-connected condition, you can receive disability.

A VA disability lawyer from the Disability Advantage Group, can help you file a compelling appeal for benefits. Our passion is helping disabled vets receive the benefits they deserve for their service and sacrifice to our country. We offer a free case evaluation and never collect a fee until you receive a grant of benefits. To speak with a member of our staff, call us at +1-865-566-0800.

Receiving VA Disability for Color blindness and Other Eye Conditions

Color blindness does not appear in the VA’s handbook of disabilities. That means the VA does not have specific criteria by which it approves and rates veterans who have color blindness. Just because a condition is not specifically listed in the handbook, though, does not mean you can never receive VA disability for that ailment.

If you can prove that a condition arose from your military service and that it functionally impairs you, then you can qualify for VA disability coverage.

The challenge with getting VA disability benefits for color blindness is drawing a compelling link to your military service. In its decisions on past applicants with color blindness, the VA has established a precedent that it believes the condition is congenital and not triggered by anything that may occur in the military. Strong evidence, however, may make it possible to overcome that precedent.

Also, if your color blindness is connected to another condition, one appearing in VA’s handbook, then we can appeal for benefits based on that condition. Eye conditions listed in the VA’s disability handbook include:

  • Choroidopathy, including uveitis, iritis, cyclitis, or choroiditis
  • Keratopathy
  • Scleritis
  • Retinopathy or maculopathy not otherwise specified
  • Intraocular hemorrhage
  • Detachment of retina
  • Unhealed eye injury
  • Tuberculosis of eye
  • Retinal scars, atrophy, or irregularities
  • Angle-closure glaucoma
  • Open-angle glaucoma
  • Malignant neoplasms of the eye, orbit, and adnexa
  • Chronic conjunctivitis

This list is not exhaustive; the VA’s handbook includes nearly 50 separate disorders of the eye that qualify for a grant of disability benefits if connected to one’s military service. If you developed color blindness during or after your service, we can help you obtain further medical evidence showing that your condition stems from an ailment that qualifies for benefits and is service-connected.

To find out more about how a VA disability lawyer from the Disability Advantage Group, can help, and for a free case evaluation with a member of our team, call +1-865-566-0800 today.

The Disability Lawyers at the Disability Advantage Group Can Build a Compelling Appeal for Benefits

At the Disability Advantage Group, our disability attorneys understand what it takes to put together a winning appeal for VA benefits. We have helped many disabled vets receive grants of benefits for their service and sacrifice. A winning disability appeal needs to prove three things:

  • You have a diagnosis of a qualifying medical condition;
  • You suffered a specific event during your military service;
  • There is a nexus between the event and your diagnosis.

A Qualifying Medical Condition

Color blindness is not listed in VA’s handbook of qualifying medical conditions, but it still may lead to benefits if we can show it is service-connected. Otherwise, we can collect medical evidence to show that your color blindness results from a separate service-connected condition, one that does appear in VA’s handbook.

A Specific Event in Your Military Service

We have to identify a specific event in your military service where you suffered an injury or experienced trauma. We will comb through your military records and identify the event most likely associated with your current condition.

A Nexus Between the Two

We must show a nexus between the event we have identified and your diagnosis of a disabling condition. That is, we must prove it more likely than not that your condition resulted from the event.

Our Team Helps You Receive the Full VA Disability Benefits You Deserve

At the Disability Advantage Group, we want you to receive a grant of disability benefits that awards you the highest possible compensation. The VA determines your monthly disability compensation based on the severity of your condition. It evaluates your medical evidence and assigns you an impairment rating between 0 and 100%. Each rating on this scale corresponds to a monthly compensation level.

The criteria used for rating eye disorders are (as taken directly from the VA handbook):

60% rating: Documented incapacitating episodes requiring seven or more treatment visits for an eye condition during the past 12 months.

40% rating: Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least five but less than seven treatment visits for an eye condition during the past 12 months.

20% rating: Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least three but less than five treatment visits for an eye condition during the past 12 months.

10% rating: Documented incapacitating episodes requiring at least one but less than three treatment visits for an eye condition during the past 12 months.

The monthly compensation available for each of these impairment ratings as of 2018 is:

  • 10% rating: $140.05 per month
  • 20% rating: $276.84 per month
  • 40% rating: $617.73 per month
  • 60% rating: $1,113.86 per month

You may qualify for an even higher rating and hence more compensation if you have two or more qualifying conditions or if your color blindness is associated with a non-eye disorder.

Schedule Your Free VA Disability Case Evaluation Today — Call +1-865-566-0800

The VA disability lawyers at the Disability Advantage Group, are eager to get to work for you today. We will fight for your rights and can help you receive a grant of VA disability benefits. Call +1-865-566-0800 for a free case evaluation.