Many veterans are entitled to compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service-connected injuries or disabilities.

Compensation can be awarded to a veteran who incurs or aggravates a disability while on active military service. This also includes National Guardsmen and women who may have sustained an injury during weekend drill or summer camp.

Service-connection can be established in several ways. The first is by direct incurrence, meaning the injury or disease first occurred during military service.

The second is by aggravation which means the disability may have originated before the service but was aggravated or made worse by military service.

The third way is by presumption which means that because of the nature of certain diseases, they may show no symptoms until long after military service. Prime examples of presumptive diseases are those faced by former POW’s and by veterans who were exposed to radiation, asbestos, Agent Orange or any toxic airborne exposures such as burn pits or oil well fires.

A veteran can also establish service-connection for a secondary condition. This is a disability that develops as a result of another service-connected disability. An example would be a service connected right knee injury which resulted in overuse of your left knee, causing a disability.

For more information on this topic or any other questions you might have, contact Jerry Seiner, your local Veterans Service Officer. The Charles Mix County Veterans Service Office is located at the Charles Mix County Courthouse, Lake Andes, SD. Stop in or call at 605-487-7691 or 605-481-1338. Office hours are Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 to 4:30 and Wednesday from 8:00 to 12:00.