Transitioning to a civilian lifestyle can be hard if your adult life began in the military, and even harder if you're recovering from injuries or other conditions. Military service is filled with mishaps and hazardous situations that may seem manageable when you're younger, but as soon as you leave the high-paced or "get it done" nature of the service, many of those conditions can get in the way of any kind of work or pleasure. Life is hard enough, so if you're dealing with additional stress from conditions possibly related to military service, here are a few systems that could help.

Temporary Recovery Assistance Through Social Security

There are multiple ways for Americans citizens of any kind to get assistance for debilitating illnesses, injuries, and other conditions. Veterans specifically have the Veterans Affairs (VA) disability system to support their needs, but social security disability can help as well.

Social security disability is designed as a temporary means of support as you recover from a condition. It can be long term, as many situations require constant medical consultation and even experimental techniques, but isn't designed to be permanent. Many other systems such as workers compensation have provisions for social security if the condition simply lasts too long to justify any other program.

Once you get better--or if you're able to earn an income--you're removed from social security. There are transitional policies that allow you to work as much as you can without getting social security payments, then collect payments when you're unable to work. It's on a monthly basis, but such situations have to be organized and spelled out with a lawyer's assistance.

If you simply start working full time after being awarded social security, you could be investigated for fraud. Even if your condition is legitimate, your payments may be frozen as officials figure out your situation. Don't assume, and don't just do what you want in secrecy; talk to a lawyer and figure out a plan that can be put in writing to protect your rights.

 Permanent Compensation And Mixing Benefits

Unlike social security disability, VA disability doesn't go away as a doctor deems you better. It's more of a compensation system that pays you for what you lost during military service. That oath you took about putting your life on the line? That's a great oath, but no one said you had to do it for free.

Despite many sayings and assumptions otherwise, military enlistment is not volunteering. The volunteer vs regular distinction is antiquated and not part of US military policy, and holds no bearing on your active duty pay or compensation.

The VA is the department responsible for paying you back, but you need proper documentation to make sure you're getting what you deserve. Your condition must be proved as a service-connected condition, meaning that it's both severe enough to require disability and related to military service.

What does related to military service mean? It's more than being injured because of an accident in a building or on a ship, and more than being injured in combat. If you were active duty military or active reservist when the injury happened, your condition counts.

Diseases, conditions caused by exposure and other discovered situations are harder to prove because you'll need documentation to link the connection. Before digging through evidence and wondering where to start, contact a social security and personal injury attorney legal team to discuss your situation and figure out ways to make your evidence connect. For more information, contact companies like Gieg Law Offices.