Catastrophic Entitlement

A monthly entitlement of $62.50.

Eligibility -
The veteran or widow/widower is eligible if the veteran meets all the following criteria:

~ Is a wartime veteran. See page 8 for New Jersey approved war dates.
~ Was a legal resident of New Jersey at the time of initial induction into the Armed Services of the United States.
~ Provides proof of discharge from the Armed Services indicating character of service that was other than dishonorable or undesirable.
~ Was a legal resident of New Jersey at the time of application and continues to reside in New Jersey except for reasons of health or employment. Proof of residency may be a New Jersey driver's license, a New Jersey voters registration card, a paid New Jersey real estate tax bill with the appropriate name(s), a deed to New Jersey property in the appropriate name(s), utility bills with veteran's name and New Jersey address thereon or other similar documentation.
~ The veteran must be in receipt of a 100% permanent service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that resulted from wartime service resulting in one of the following seven catastrophic disabilities or a combination of medical symptomatology of one or more of the catastrophic disabilities resulting in a 100 percent rating:

~ Loss of sight;
~ Amputation of both hands, both feet or one hand and one foot;
~ Hemiplegia and permanent paralysis of one leg and one arm or either side of
the body;
~ Paraplegia and permanent paralysis of both legs and lower parts of the body;
~ Osteochondritis and permanent loss of use of both legs;
~ Multiple Sclerosis and the loss of use of both feet or both legs;
~ Quadriplegia

The widow/widower of those veterans who were in receipt of the entitlement prior to their death or would have been entitled to make such application, are also eligible.

Apply -
Use New Jersey Catastrophic Entitlement Application. Contact a State VSO (See Appendix A) for an application.

Approvals are retroactive to application date -
If an application is approved, the starting date for veteran's approved payment is the date of the application. The widow's/widower's retroactive payment date is the date of the application when the application is filed within one year of the veteran's death.

Appeal - The appeal authority is the Director of the Division of Veterans Programs. Veterans who have been denied the catastrophic entitlement may submit an appeal of the denial to:

State of New Jersey
Dept. of Military & Veterans Affairs
PO Box 340
Attention: Director, Division of Veterans Programs
Trenton, NJ 08625-0340

A veteran or the veteran's representative may submit an appeal to a denial regarding eligibility for entitlement within one year of their notification of the decision.

Appeals will be in writing and will contain any new and material evidence for consideration. The Director will respond within 60 days.

Note - An annual re-certification is necessary.

Contact - Division of Veterans Programs at 609- 530-6854.