COVID-19 Is a Presumptive Illness for VA Benefits

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) March 3, 2021 – Under the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, COVID-19, is a presumptive illness, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This will allow servicemembers who contract a severe case of COVID-19 while serving in the military and suffer long-term effects to receive disability compensation and benefits from the VA. 

“This is important and unfortunately necessary for members of our active-duty military,” said James G. Fausone, lead attorney at Legal Help for Veterans. “Based on the unpredictability of COVID-19, we are seeing some really serious cases, and no one knows what the long-term effects of this disease might be. It has the potential to be permanently damaging.”

To be eligible for benefits and compensation, an individual must have:

* Served on active duty for at least 48 consecutive hours 
* Become ill with COVID-19 while on active duty or within 14 days of active duty (potentially longer if decided by the VA)

The benefit applies to active-duty service members and Reserve members, National Guardsmen on training duty under Title 10, activated Guard members serving on or after March 13, and those working full time during the declared national emergency period.

To date, 14 service members have died from COVID-19. Two were active-duty service members, five were members of the National Guard and the remaining seven were members of the Reserve. Not all were activated at the time of their illness and death. The surviving family members of those that were will be able to receive benefits from the VA. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 94,644 service members have contracted COVID-19. Of them, 57,590 have recovered and 880 have required hospitalization for severe cases. 

The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 is a sweeping package of veteran-specific legislation that will significantly impact veteran services and healthcare. It received wide bipartisan support and is expected to be signed into law.

Legal Help for Veterans is a law firm in Northville, Michigan, that exclusively handles VA disability claim cases. It is veteran owned and operated. For more information, visit https://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/. 

Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC 41700 West Six Mile Road, Suite 101 Northville, MI 48168 Toll Free Phone: 800.693.4800