New York Attorneys for Veterans' Survivors' Benefit Claims
The veterans' benefits attorneys of Jacobowitz & Gubits advise the surviving spouses, children and other next of kin about their eligibility for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments following the death of a current service member or a veteran whose death resulted from a service-connected disability or directly related cause.
The amounts of compensation, eligibility for collecting it and time periods that affect survivors' rights can be complicated, but a knowledgeable lawyer can help you understand your right to collect benefits. Contact us in Walden or Monticello, New York, to learn more about the DIC eligibility criteria and Veterans' Administration (VA) application process.
The next of kin of service members who die while on active duty (or within 120 days of separation) receive a death gratuity of $100,000. The death must have resulted from a service-connected injury or illness, and the gratuity is paid directly by the military service branch in which the deceased served.
Find Out About Your Eligibility for Veterans' DIC Payments: Call 866-535-4743
DIC benefits are additional payments from the VA to the next of kin of service members whose deaths occurred under one of the following circumstances:
- Injury or illness incurred in the line of duty while on active duty or on active duty for training
- Injury, heart attack or stroke while on inactive duty for training
- Medical condition established as a service-connected disability or directly related to a service-connected disability
- Any cause of death if the veteran had a continuous total disability rating for at least 10 years immediately preceding death
- Any cause of death if the veteran had a continuous total disability rating for at least five years from the date of discharge to the time of death
The amount of benefits and additional eligibility criteria are based on a number of factors, including the veteran's previous status as a prisoner of war, the disability status of a surviving spouse, the number of dependent children under 18, and many other criteria.
In some situations, DIC benefits can be lost and later reinstated. If a surviving spouse receives DIC payments and later remarries, the right to dependency and indemnity compensation will be lost. If the later marriage terminates through death, divorce or annulment, however, the right to DIC benefits can be restored.
Nationwide Client Service on Veterans' Next of Kin Benefits Claims
Based in New York State, the veterans' survivors benefits lawyers of Jacobowitz & Gubits work with the next of kin of deceased veterans throughout the United States on DIC payment claims. To learn about your specific right to compensation under the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program, contact us in Walden or Monticello, New York, to arrange a consultation with an experienced veterans' benefits attorney.
