Can You Get CRSC and VA Disability?

Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) grants a monthly, tax-free check to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) ranks the severity of these disabilities from zero to 100 percent. This means some veterans can get both CRSC and 100 percent VA disability payments, allowing them to benefit from 2020 CRSC pay increases and CRSC back pay.

This article discusses the purpose of CRSC, how to apply for the program, and what to do if your application is rejected. You can also see where you stand on the 2020 CRSC pay chart, calculate your VA benefits rating using our free VA Math calculator, and decide whether CRSC payments are right for you.

In This Article About CRSC and VA Disability Pay:

• Getting It All: CRSC, Military Retirement, and VA Disability
• CRSC Back Pay
• How to Qualify for CRSC and 100% VA Disability
• 1. Apply for CRSC Compensation
• 2. Elect CRSC Over CRDP: What is the Difference?
  • a. CRSC Pay Chart 2021
  • b. CRSC Pay Increase 2021
  • a. 20 years or more of military service, or otherwise entitled to retired pay
    • CRSC Calculation for Chapter 61 Retirees
    • a. Purple Heart Disability
    • b. Other Combat-Related Disabilities

    

    Does PTSD qualify for CRSC?

    Service-connected mental disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder qualify for a VA rating. Secondary service-connected disabilities also count for purposes of CRSC qualification.

    Military departments will only move on to the final stage of determining CRSC eligibility if the applicant meets each of the four preliminary criteria above. The final CRSC criteria are described in detail below.

    4. Final CRSC Criteria: Qualifying Combat-Related Disability

    Veterans are only entitled to CRSC if they have sustained service-related disabilities. This requires a causal connection between the activity and the injury. Qualifying conditions with varying degrees of severity are outlined in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD). The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations provides the VASRD, an exhaustive list of medical diagnoses, along with explanations of how to use the tables.

    a. Purple Heart Disability

    Purple Heart Disability, for example, is one with an assigned VASRD code and attributable to injuries for which the veteran was awarded the Purple Heart. The nexus between the disability and awarded injury is proved through documentary evidence submitted with the CRSC application.

    b. Other Combat-Related Disabilities

    To be “combat-related,” the disability must have an assigned VASRD code and be sustained in one of the following ways:

    • Direct result of armed conflict
    • While engaged in hazardous service
    • Performing duties under war-simulating conditions
    • Through an instrumentality of war

    Armed conflict includes any war, occupation, skirmish, riot, or action in which members “engage with” a hostile enemy. It also provides for prisoners of war and those trying to escape involuntary detention.

    Hazardous duties include flying, diving, parachuting, demolition, and experimental stress exercises. The disability must be a direct result of performing hazardous services. Travel to and from the activity and acts related to “normal duty” status do not count.

    Performing under conditions simulating war covers disabilities sustained in military training, including tactical practice, airborne operations, weapons or combat training, and obstacle courses. Regular physical training and supervised sports do not qualify under this category.

    The harm caused by an instrumentality of war, such as a vehicle, vessel, or military-related device does not have to be sustained during an actual war. However, the applicant must show the connection between the hazard and the injury. Being wounded by a military weapon, struck by an armored vehicle, or suffering illness caused by military-ordered fumes, gases, or explosions, including Agent Orange, may count.

    How to Apply for CRSC

    Apply for CRSC using DD Form 2860, Claim for CRSC. Mail the form to the proper military branch address from which you retired. The addresses are listed on the form. In addition, submit supporting evidence of your medical condition, VA rating, and retirement status. You can get your military records, including the Retirement Form DD-214, through the VA’s milConnect website.

    Including documentation such as Purple Heart citations, VASRD codes, and VA ratings is crucial to proving your injury was combat-related and thus qualifying for special compensation. Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) that can help with your claim include Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion (AL). Your best bet, of course, is to call us first. The call is free, and unlike most free services, we’ve helped thousands of veterans win their VA disability claims. We don’t charge you a dime unless we win your case.

    If your claim is denied, you have a few options:

    • File a VA Disability Claim for a CRSC-qualifying condition that the VA has not included, and appeal if the VA denies your claim
    • Reapply for CRSC once the VA includes the new condition in your disability rating
    • Appeal the Denial and request reconsideration of the decision by using the proper CRSC form for the military branch that applies

    When appealing denial of CRSC benefits, you should include a letter explaining why you disagree with the agency’s decision and all previous letters from the agency regarding your case. In addition to the denial letter, be sure to add any new evidence, such as proof of a previously unlisted disability or a different VA rating.

    If your request for reconsideration is denied and you disagree with the decision, you can appeal using DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Record. You can also contact a legal professional for help in appealing your case.

    Since the VA Has Lawyers, You Should Have One Too

    At Woods and Woods, the Veteran’s Firm, we’ve helped thousands of veterans with their VA disability applications and appeals. We’ve been adding staff and lawyers during the Covid pandemic to better serve disabled veterans in difficult times.

    Call us today to discuss your VA disability appeal or your first application. The call is free and we won’t charge you a single fee until we win your case. We even pay for the postage for all of the documentation you send to our office. You can look for a VA disability attorney near you or call us and join the thousands of veterans living off of VA disability thanks to Woods and Woods.

    Talk to Us About Your Claim:
    (812) 426-7200

    Are you eligible for CRSC and VA disability?
    

    Yes. This article lays out the details of how it works, but the short answer is yes. If you have questions after reading this article about CRSC, call our team at (812) 426-7200.

    Can you get CRSC and CRDP?

    Yes, but you must enroll during a set time by the VA. You can learn more and sign up here.

    How do I qualify for CRSC? I have an honorable discharge.

    You have to be retired from the armed services. Simply being discharged doesn’t count unless you are a special case. You must also have combat-related injuries. Just having a service-connected injury doesn’t count, but we can still try to help you get VA disability and maybe SMC if you are a disabled veteran.

    Neil Woods

    VA disability attorney
    Woods & Woods

    Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.