If you are a severely injured servicemember, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries. Many servicemembers may not be aware that a program exists that can provide funds to ease the financial burden of a severe injury.

What Is TSGLI?

TSGLI stands for Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program. The program provides short-term financial assistance to servicemembers who suffered severe injuries. Even if your injury occurred when you were off-duty, you may be eligible for compensation.

Who Is Covered Under the TSGLI?

If you have had SGLI (Servicemembers Group Life Insurance) as of Dec. 2, 2005, and you suffered a traumatic injury after October 2001, you quality for TSGLI.

Those who qualify  include:

• Active duty members
• Reservists
• National Guard members
• Funeral honors duty
• One-day muster duty

Can I Receive TSGLI Benefits Retroactively?

In October 2010, President Barack Obama enacted the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2010, expanding benefits available to service members under the SGLI. 

Previously, the only people covered were those injured in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan or Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, the 2010 change ensured that people who were injured between Oct. 7, 2001 and Nov. 30, 2005 could receive benefits, even if they were not covered by the SGLI.

Can I Get Help Filing a Claim?

Many servicemembers may not be aware that they qualify for TSGLI benefits. If they are aware of the program, they may not know how to file for benefits. A lawyer can help a severely injured servicemember receive the benefits they deserve, by helping the servicemember to file the strongest benefits claim possible. If a claim for benefits is denied, a lawyer can help servicemembers appeal a denial.

What Injuries Qualify for Compensation?

A range of injuries are eligible for significant compensation, including limb loss, loss of functions, and others. My Army Benefits, the U.S. Army official benefits website, explains that to quality for TSGLI coverage, a servicemember must have suffered a “scheduled loss,” meaning the injury has to be listed among those covered.

Injuries covered include:

• Amputations
• Paralysis
• Burns
• Loss of sight 
• Loss of hearing
• Disfigurement
• Brain damage
• Traumatic injury requiring hospitalization 
• Loss of speech
• Others

What Are the Limits to TGSLI Coverage?

In most cases, members of TSGLI are not able to name another person or people as beneficiaries of their TSGLI benefits. 

However, VA.org explains that if the TSGLI member is incapable, their benefits will be paid to their attorney-in-fact or legal guardian. Additionally, if a servicemember passes away from their injury but lives for at least seven days after they incurred their injury, the TSGLI benefits will still be paid to the recipients of the servicemember’s SGLI.

What Compensation Is Available?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lists compensation amount for each type of covered injuries. Compensation ranges from $25,000 to $100,000. The amount of compensation that a severely injured servicemember can receive depends on the injury they suffered.

Get Help Filing Your TSGLI Claim

If you’re a servicemember who was injured while on active duty, in the National Guard or on reserve, you may qualify for benefits through the Traumatic Protection Program through the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance.

Fill out the form on this page for more information. 

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