If you're a veteran with a service-connected condition and you've never heard of Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU for short), you'll want to save this blog.
TDIU is an important benefit offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans who have struggled to re-enter the workforce as a result of their disabilities. But how does it work, who is qualified for it, and how can you apply? We'll cover it all below.
Here's everything veterans need to know about TDIU:
What is Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)?
The simplest way to explain TDIU is: it's a financial benefit for veterans with service-connected disabilities who cannot secure or maintain employment as a result of their disability. TDIU provides veterans with compensation at the 100% rating of their service-connected condition, even if their actual rating was less than that.
This benefit can become a lifeline for veterans, offering financial stability long-term. When TDIU is given, it's given indefinitely. By offering TDIU to veterans, the VA acknowledges how severe their disability's impact is on their quality of life even when their rating was not 100% to begin with.
How can veterans qualify for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)
Eligibility has to do with a veteran's ability to work. Veterans need to know the difference between being unemployable and unemployed. According to the VA under 38 CFR 4.16, "A Veteran may be unemployed and even have a history of unemployment from several jobs, but not be incapable of substantially gainful employment (unemployable)." Basically this means that in order to qualify for TDIU, the veteran must be incapable of employment – unemployable, not unemployed.
This has to apply to all potential job options, too. For example, if a veteran's service-connected disability prevents them from lifting heavy objects – they are unemployable at a warehouse job, but they are still considered employable at a desk job. For TDIU to be granted, the veteran must be completely unemployable.
It's important to note that if you're awarded TDIU, you're not allowed to work most jobs. You are only allowed to work odd jobs and there is a cap to the amount you are able to work to still qualify for TDIU. So, you'll receive the 100% pay level through the VA according to your disability, but you won't be allowed to get a job.
How to apply for TDIU
Applying for TDIU is similar to filing for a service-connected condition or increase for a service-connected condition. You can find information about how to apply for TDIU on the VA's website here, along with the forms you'll need to do so (we'll link them here too).
Download these forms to get a head start on your TDIU application:
VA Form 21-8940 - Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability
VA Form 21-4192 - Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits
Some veterans file for TDIU while they're still working full time yet struggling to do so. Since medical records don't always paint the full picture of a disability, the rater cannot make assumptions – and this is where a medical document comes in.
Get strong medical documentation to make a difference in your claim
For veterans looking to get TDIU, we can write a narrative similar to a nexus letter for your application. In this document, we provide an evaluation of the veteran's evidence and discuss the medical basis for why their symptoms and condition prevents them from obtaining gainful employment. This document helps bridge the gap from what's written in medical records and the medical theory for how it prevents long-term employment for the veteran.
We provide veterans with compelling medical documentation in the form of Nexus Letters, DBQs, chart reviews, and more. File a strong claim with the VA and earn the VA disability benefits you deserve to move forward in life with good health. Sign up for a chart review, and view other services here. Our professional medical experts are ready to help you get exactly what you need.
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