VA Benefits: Law Allows Compensation for Disabilities Unrelated to Military Service
HRD-89-60
Published: Jul 31, 1989. Publicly Released: Jul 31, 1989.
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Highlights
GAO analyzed a random sample of 400 cases of veterans receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during August 1986, focusing on the origin of the disabling disease or injury.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress may wish to reconsider whether diseases that were probably neither caused nor aggravated by military service should be compensated as service-connected disabilities. GAO suggested that any changes be prospective in order not to affect veterans already receiving compensation benefits. | Congress has not acted on this recommendation. |
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Topics
BeneficiariesClaims adjudicatorsDisabilitiesDisease detection or diagnosisEligibility criteriaEligibility determinationsOccupational safetyVeterans disability compensationVeteransDiseases