Hello, I just need some clarification on 100 P&T disabilities. I have been 100 P&T since Sept 2015 and have read this is not a protected rating, and the VA only awards you this to give you additional benefits. But I also have read that you are protected from future rating decreases if you are awarded 100 P&T. So my question do I have to be concerned about the Possible of future rating Decreases or not? Thank you
What is Permanent and Total disability?
Permanent and Total Disability, or P&T, refers to veterans whose disabilities are total (rated 100 percent disabling by VA) and permanent (have zero or close to zero chance of improvement).
Though “Permanent and Total” is often used as a single phrase, veterans can have a total disability that is temporary or a permanent disability rated less than 100 percent. Permanent and total ratings are protected from being reduced and may entitle you or your family to additional VA benefits.
Total—Veterans’ disabilities are rated based on VA’s Schedule of Rating Disabilities. The rating levels for each type of disability are based on how much that disability impairs your ability to function in life and at work. A 100 percent rating indicates that your disability is completely, or “totally,” disabling.
Permanent—VA deems a disability “permanent” when it is reasonably certain, based on medical evidence, that the level of impairment will continue for the rest of the veteran’s life. For this reason, VA is allowed to take age into account when determining whether a disability is permanent, so it can be more difficult for younger veterans to be considered permanently disabled.