Retroactive Traumatic Injury Benefits Now Available for Vets

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Retroactive Traumatic Injury Benefits Now Available for Veterans

Sacramento - As of October 1, 2011, the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection benefit (TSGLI) will be payable for all qualifying injuries incurred from October 7, 2001 to November 30, 2005, regardless of where they occurred and whether the member had TSGLI coverage at the time of the injury. The Veterans’ Benefit Act of 2010 removes the requirement that injuries during this period be incurred in Operations Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally National Guard and Reservists who were injured stateside during this period are also eligible for this benefit as well.

“As the chief advocate for veterans in California I am happy to see that congress and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs are taking steps to widen the scope of benefits available to our veterans. California is expected to welcome 30,000 new veterans home from service every year and now all of our state’s service members who suffered severe traumatic injuries during this time period will have an opportunity to receive benefits they so desperately need and honorably earned,” said California Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Peter Gravett.

Although applications are currently being accepted by Branch of Service TSGLI Offices, benefits will not be paid until October 1, 2011, the effective date of the law.

For more information or to apply for a TSGLI payment, Servicemembers and Veterans should go to http://www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/TSGLI/TSGLI.htm.