Securing your well-deserved VA benefits can be a challenging journey, especially when it involves meticulous paperwork that must be completed accurately to avoid denials. One such critical form is the VA Form 21-8940, which plays a pivotal role in the process of obtaining Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU). This blog will cover the intricacies of VA Form 21-8940—what it is, when to file it, and how to sidestep common mistakes that could jeopardize your claim.
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Understanding TDIU
Before embarking on the specifics of VA Form 21-8940, it is essential to grasp what TDIU entails. Essentially, TDIU provides veterans who cannot maintain substantial gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities with compensation at the 100% disability rate, regardless of their combined disability rating. The standard eligibility criteria require one disability to be rated at 60% or a combined rating of 70% with at least one disability at 40%. However, navigating this journey is far from straightforward, and the VA often requires veterans to complete the VA Form 21-8940, despite existing evidence in your file indicating unemployability.