If you were injured by someone else or by some sort of malfunction you weren't responsible for, it's best to start the legal process of seeking compensation. Even if you have insurance, some conditions can be so involved and long term to the point of becoming a major cost you shouldn't have to shoulder on your own. Some situations may call for multiple compensation programs or using one program as a "just in case" option. Here's a bit of information about different compensation systems and how they can work together for your benefit.

It's About Shared Evidence And Proper Reporting

There is nothing wrong with applying for multiple compensation systems. As long as you answer the questions honestly and believe that you are entitled to compensation, it's within the law. For your sake, just make sure it's worth your time.

The major ways to receive legally-bound injury compensation in the United States have guidelines to help you figure out which compensation systems are right for you. For example, the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s system is directed towards people with provable disability conditions, meaning you must have medical proof showing your condition exists and is severe enough to require compensation.

Workers compensation is specifically for people injured while at work and is part of an insurance system handled on a state-by-state basis. The claims are usually straight-forward, if you were injured at work, but people seek legal assistance, if benefits are delayed, denied, disputed, or if their employer did not pay workers compensation insurance. Workers compensation also leads into Social Security at higher injury conditions or if something outside of the job could have been a contributing factor.

Personal injury claims are a catch-all legal process when an injury can't fit into a specific category. If you were injured in your private life, while not performing any professional, government, or organization-linked business, you may use a personal injury claim to take action against an individual or business.

This means being injured in a fight, slipping and falling inside a store as a customer, or being injured by falling infrastructure on city-owned property. Other systems such as workers compensation or social security may lead to personal injury claims, if you can prove that a person or group was the cause of the problem, but didn't have the proper evidence or knowledge of the situation until later.

Are You A Veteran?

Veterans Affairs disability is one of the more selective compensation systems, with the biggest funding. Although many companies and organizations have some sort of in-house compensation planning, VA disability is probably the largest group coverage disability system in the United States.

To qualify for VA disability, you need to have a service-connected disability. This means that you can prove that your condition was caused by military service, by showing official medical paperwork, as well as paperwork showing your military connection.

For most people, this means being in the military, being injured, and showing proof that it's still a problem. There are some exceptions, as the VA also covered certain railroad expansion worker compensation and other projected related to government service.

Some government offices go through Veterans Affairs, as well, so ask a personal injury lawyer to consider your connection for as many compensation chances as possible. Just be sure to report any earnings to make sure that you're not pulling from multiple cash systems.