Many Veterans have been told that in order to get benefits, the veteran must have “loss of limb use” as part of their connection.
This notion is wrong. A majority of veterans, even ones with as little as 20% service connection are eligible for mobility adaptations grants. Full size van lifts, scooter/wheelchair platform lifts and lowered floor wheelchair van conversions are purchased by veterans with VA assistance regardless of their service connection.
If you want to see where you stand with transportation assistance, go to your VA physician and request an “Ingress Egress Evaluation”; or you can go to your prosthetics office and speak to the person over “Non Service Connected Adaptive Equipment Benefits”. Explain to them your issues. The VA is obliged to provide the modifications needed on a vehicle to “allow Ingress and Egress from a Vehicle” - in other words, to make sure you can be transported to and from your respective destinations. If you have been given a wheelchair, make sure they know the wheelchair is of little use to you if you can not go anywhere in it.
I do need to be clear that with “non-service connected” Veterans, the VA covers only the adaptive equipment, not the vehicle itself. Fortunately, it is not necessary to buy new. A “newer” model can be adapted.
Making a Doctor from the VA Medical Center Your Primary Care Physician
One requirement from the Veteran Administration requisite to getting benefits is to have a Primary Care Physician within the VA System. If you are not service connected and not seeing a VA Doctor then you are cutting yourself short from available equipment and transportation benefits. Now is as good a time as any to get into the system. I encourage you to call the VA Medical Center closest to you and request enrollment through the Hospital’s Eligibility Department. If you qualify for enrollment, your chances are good that you will be able to get assistance with adaptive equipment or a vehicle conversion.