Obtaining the status of a person with a disability due to war and corresponding pension benefits

In May 2022, Serhii’s home was destroyed as a result of a missile strike. Serhii himself was injured and hospitalized. Following a lengthy period of treatment, he was diagnosed with a blast injury. To officially record the health consequences, a criminal case was opened and a forensic medical examination was appointed.

Serhii was unaware of the possibility of obtaining the status of a person with a disability due to the war and of receiving compensation for health-related harm. As a result, he did not apply to the relevant state authorities for a long time.

In July 2024, he reached out for assistance to Viktoriia, a legal advisor at the Danish Refugee Council. After a detailed consultation, she gathered the necessary documents to apply for the appropriate legal status. Viktoriia prepared a correctly formulated application to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine and submitted it for review. A positive decision was made. Serhii was officially recognized as a person injured by an explosive ordnance, and he received a certificate from the Medical and Social Expert Commission indicating the cause of his disability.

In November 2024, Serhii approached the Pension Fund office in Khmelnytskyi to request a pension recalculation. Although his application was accepted on time, the Pension Fund later explained that a recalculation was not possible due to the absence of a clearly stated reference to the cause of disability.

In January 2025, Viktoriia submitted a formal complaint against the actions of the Pension Fund staff member, as the refusal had no legal grounds. Following a review of the complaint, Serhii was informed of a positive outcome — his pension payments would be recalculated according to the disability group established as a result of the explosive ordnance injury.

Free legal aid provided by the Danish Refugee Council is made possible by funding from the European Union.