Elite Success: One Veteran’s Path from 30% to 80% VA Disability
Poor advice cost Veteran Betsy Williams more than five years of VA disability benefits and tax-free monthly compensation.
But when all is said and done, her VA disability journey will be defined by resilience and determination.
Just six months after joining VA Claims Insider’s Elite Program, Williams has seen her VA disability rating surge from 30% to 80%—and she’s only getting started.
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Raised in central Vermont, Williams joined the Air Force after a brief stint in cosmetology school. Following in the footsteps of her grandfathers, Williams hoped to carve out a successful career serving her country.
Despite a lifelong condition known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), she received a waiver to enlist and excelled through basic training.
However, her knee issues intensified while she was stationed at Brooks Air Force Base. Despite her efforts to resolve her condition, the Air Force recommended her discharge, citing her pre-existing condition as a factor.
“They pretty much recommended me for discharge on the spot,” Williams said, “I tried to fight it, and they were having no part of it. I remember speaking to legal counsel and saying, ‘Hey, they let me in with this and said I was okay, and now I’m being told it’s not okay.”
Instead of a medical discharge, they tried to give Williams an erroneous enlistment and entry-level separation. Thankfully for Williams, she was connected with a great VA rep who got her a 30% service-connected VA disability rating.
Williams didn’t want to leave the Air Force—let alone in this way. This was her career, and she still wanted to serve. After a challenging transition back to Vermont, Williams needed to figure out Plan B.
“I had to start over and figure out a new career. I couldn’t do cosmetology because I couldn’t stand for eight hours anymore. So, I lost two careers,” Williams said, “It was devastating.”
Still wanting to serve, Williams joined the Army National Guard in Vermont, where she worked at a desk and was able to bypass most of her physical duties.
By 2018, Williams had begun to realize that her VA rating was inaccurate, so she sought further help. But poor advice from a local VSO wound up hurting her.
“He told me do not file any claims until you’re past your 20-year mark of getting out of the military because if you file before 20 years, you can have your current disabilities re-evaluated and taken away,” Williams said.
Williams later discovered the advice was misguided, costing her more than five years of VA benefits and compensation.
Joining VA Claims Insider
Williams learned about VA Claims Insider after reconnecting with a friend who had recently achieved a 100% VA disability rating after joining the Elite Program.
“The referral from her helped. But I also think that seeing all the free information you have put out there, from the YouTube videos to the VA Claims Insider website helped,” Williams said, “I think the website is well done regarding the information provided. It gave me confidence.”
From 30% to 80% VA Disability
The Elite Program’s education on filing claims and secondary conditions proved invaluable. With the support of her Veteran Coach, Williams has navigated the complex VA claims process with confidence and increased her VA rating from 30% to 80% VA disability.
Her journey was not without frustrations, including confusing updates from the VA and multiple C&P exams. However, the guidance from her coach was instrumental in her overcoming these challenges. “I can see why veterans get flustered and upset and want to give up. When you see all these updates that don’t make any sense,” she said.
Advice to Fellow Veterans
Williams recommends that other veterans be cautious of misinformation.
“For example, the VSO gave me incorrect information, and as a result, I went how many extra years without getting the compensation that I deserve?” she warns. “So, I would say just be careful of that—double-check. Don’t just take their word for it. I made that mistake. I took their word for it. I’m like, ‘Well, he should know what he’s talking about. This is his job. This is what he does.’ Always do your research and double check.”
Williams also underscores the importance of a strategic plan. “Knowledge is power. It’s true. It really is. You need the education, you need the knowledge, and you need the support because it’s going to lead you to a successful outcome,” she asserts.
She also encourages veterans to leverage their Veteran Coach and to ‘work smarter, not harder.’
“You can do that by working with VA Claims Insider,” she says. “Because you’re going to get an amazing coach who most likely has an amazing assistant, who is kind and caring, and who is there to support you all along the way.”
With her sights set on achieving the ultimate VA rating she deserves; Williams remains motivated and optimistic about her journey ahead.
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