Veterans with Disabilities

Number of Veterans with Disabilities Rising
- The number of veterans with disabilities has jumped by 25 percent since 2001 to 2.9 million (VA and Census Bureau).
- The U.S. government expects to spend $59 billion a year to compensate wounded warriors in the next 25 years, a spike from today´s $29 billion (The Associated Press). The Veterans Affairs Department concedes the bill could be much higher.
- Soldiers returning home from hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq are experiencing more severe injuries - such as amputations and traumatic burns (The American Legion).
- Advancements in today´s medical care have resulted in soldiers surviving the devastating injuries that in years past would have killed soldiers.
- There are over 755,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. More than 181,000 are collecting disability benefits (Department Of Veterans Affairs).
- Today´s veterans are more aware of benefits and are filing claims for more disabilities (The American Legion).
- Vietnam veterans, approximately 947,000, make up the biggest group receiving disability compensation. Conditions, such as bad back and knees, often worsen with age and draw higher payments (Disabled American Veterans).
- Injuries can range from 0-to-100 percent. Annual benefits run from $1,404 for a veteran rated at 10 percent to approximately $30,324 for those at 100 percent. Severe disabilities, such as the loss of a limb, draw additional compensation.
For VA Benefits and Health Care Utilization.


