VA Disability for Erectile Dysfunction

If you are a veteran who is dealing with erectile dysfunction (ED), you may wonder if you are eligible for VA disability benefits. The VA recognizes erectile dysfunction as a compensatable disability. In addition, ED is a disability that will qualify you for special monthly compensation. In short, veterans at a 100% disability rating can also receive additional funds for an ED rating.

Throughout this blog post, we will discuss the eligibility requirements for the VA disability program for erectile dysfunction, as well as how to apply for benefits. We will also provide some tips on how to improve your chances of being approved for benefits.

Do I Have Erectile Dysfunction?

You May Have ED if:

• You have trouble getting an erection.
• Sexual behaviors are not of interest.

These are some of the warning symptoms of ED:

• Premature Ejaculation
• Ejaculation (Difficulty )
• Inability to Ejaculate

VA Disability for Erectile Dysfunction: 3 Parts

To be eligible for VA disability benefits for erectile dysfunction, a medical professional must first diagnosis you with ED. It is very important that you have current medical evidence that shows you have ED. This is the diagnosis part of your rating. In fact, the VA will deny a claim without a current diagnosis.

In additon, you will also need to have evidence that your time in service caused your ED. This is the service-connected part of your rating. However, we will also discuss what to do if your ED is not directly caused by active-duty service.

In addition, you must also prove that your current ED stems from your service-connected ED. This connection is the final part of your rating, and it is called “nexus.”

What is Nexus?

In plain English, a nexus is the medical proof that your current ED aggravated your current erectile dysfunction diagnosis. In short, your medical provider needs to write a “nexus letter” to prove this. This is an out-of-pocket cost for you, but a good nexus letter can be worth tens of thousands in increased disability ratings.

Ultimately, you and your provider need to show how your current disability is causing or aggravating your erectile dysfunction. In theory, you can prove nexus by simply showing your treatment records. However, veterans who have sizeable gaps without receiving medical care for ED will struggle without a nexus letter.

VA Disability for Erectile Dysfunction (Secondary)

What if your active service did not directly cause your ED? Can the VA still rate your for it? Sometimes. In fact, most veterans will be rated for erectile dysfunction as a “secondary condition.” A secondary condition is one that is caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition. However, it is not something that was directly caused by active-duty service.

However, that does not make ED less valuable as a condition. In fact, the VA compensates that same for both direct and secondary conditions. In addition, it is sometimes much easier to prove a secondary condition than a direct service connection.

Mental Health and VA Disability for Erectile Dysfunction

ED is a very common side effect of PTSD and other mental health conditions. As a result, there is firm evidence to show a correlation between mental health and ED. In addition, the medications that are normally used to treat mental health conditions will often cause ED.