Service Connection

Hello all, let's just jump into it. I want to talk a bit about service connection.

Service Connection is the Veterans Affairs' recognition that a veteran's current medical condition or disability is linked to their military service. Remember the article back in February that talked about the VA? That, my friend, is what's in the industry, known as a call-back, but I digress.

To establish this connection, a veteran must demonstrate three elements:

1) a current diagnosed disability,

2) an in-service event, injury, or illness (or a secondary condition caused by a service-connected disability), and

3) a medical nexus or opinion linking the current disability to the service event.

This establishes eligibility for VA benefits like monthly disability compensation, medical care and other benefits.

A current disability: You need a diagnosis of a present condition or illness that is supported by medical records.

An in-service event or condition: You must show that something happened during your military service that caused or aggravated the condition.

A medical nexus (link): You need a doctor's opinion or other medical evidence that clearly links your current disability to the event or condition from your service.

The two most common types of service connection are direct and presumptive. A direct service connection is an injury or illness incurred directly during military service. For a presumptive connection, the VA presumes certain conditions happened during service (often linked to exposure or certain illnesses) and are service-related, even if the link isn't direct, such as Agent Orange during Vietnam and exposure to burn pits during the Gulf War.

This is just a high-level overview. For a more detailed explanation and details on how to file for service connection, please contact us.

As a bonus, if there is any topic you want to see discussed in future columns, please let us know.

Cecil Webster, the Veterans Services Officer for Tulare County, is a former U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate 3. Contact him at the Veterans Services Office at 3348 W. Mineral King Ave. in Visalia, by phone at 559-713-2880, or by email at TCVSO@tularecounty.ca.gov.