What is Special Monthly Compensation? | South Portland, ME

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What is Special Monthly Compensation?

Published on October 24th, 2019

If you have service related disabilities, you may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), which is a tax-free benefit that the VA pays you in addition to your VA disability compensation. A wide range of conditions can make you potentially eligible for SMC. As a rule of thumb, your medical condition could make you eligible for SMC if it involves the loss or the loss of use of an organ or extremity or leaves you unable to care for yourself. If successful, your application for SMC can result in thousands of dollars in extra monthly benefits.

Unfortunately, the VA does not always grant SMC to deserving applicants. In these cases, it may be possible to successfully appeal their decision with the help of an experienced VA benefits lawyer. At Jackson & MacNichol, our goal is to help our nation’s veterans get the compensation they deserve for their injuries, and we are prepared to fight against the VA on your behalf until justice is done. Call us today at 800-524-3339 for a free consultation about your case.

What Injuries Make Me Eligible for Special Monthly Compensation?

Any serious impairment of function or loss of an organ or an extremity can make you eligible for SMC. The VA provides a list of common injuries that qualify for SMC, but bear in mind that just because your condition isn’t listed does not mean that you are not eligible. The list contains the following conditions:

  • Loss or loss of use of a foot or hand
  • Paralysis
  • Joints that no longer move
  • Loss of your reproductive organs
  • Lost eyesight (either partial or total)
  • Loss or loss of use of the buttocks
  • Deafness of both ears
  • Inability to communicate vocally
  • Loss of breast tissue after mastectomy or radiation treatment

This is a wide variety of conditions, but what doesn’t change is that each condition involves the loss of a body part, or the significant loss the use of a body part. If you think your condition could make you eligible for SMC, you can ask your local VA representative for more information.

You may have several conditions that qualify for SMC, in which case you may get compensated for a combination of disabilities. If you have lost more than one limb, for example, you can expect higher SMC payments. Similarly, you can get additional compensation if you are both blind and deaf, or you are paraplegic and have lost control of your bowel and bladder functions. You can also get SMC if you are rated as 100 percent disabled and are completely housebound, bedridden, or requiring the constant help of another person.

What to Do If Your SMC Was Denied

The VA sometimes makes mistakes and denies SMC to veterans who should be getting it. Unfortunately, many people in this situation simply give up. But it’s possible to fight back against the VA and convince them to award you SMC. The veterans compensation lawyers of Jackson & MacNichol have a proven track record of helping veterans successfully appeal the denial of their claims. If you are not getting the VA compensation you deserve, call us for free at 800-524-3339 to learn how we can help with your case.


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