Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire claim process. From collecting medical and service evidence to submitting an appeal for a denied claim, a veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the claims process.

Choose a veteran disability lawyer that is experienced in these types of cases and is familiar with the VA system. This will ensure that your case gets the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if they can prove that the condition you suffer from is linked to your military service. This is known as a relationship. There are different types of evidence that you could use to show this connection, including medical records or independent medical exams (IME) and nexus letters from current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health conditions). Sometimes veterans have medically determinable disabilities but cannot get service connected due to incomplete or insufficient military treatment records. These cases require the assistance of experienced New York disability attorneys who are able to present an entire claim as well as submit evidence backed by unbiased experts.

It is simpler to establish a direct service connection when injuries or illnesses occurred while you served in the military. For instance, if suffered head injuries during service and now suffer from concussions and headaches, there is a strong connection between the two events and your current health condition.

It is harder to get service-connected if you had an existing medical condition that was worsened while you were in military service. To show that your time in service has aggravated or exacerbated a pre-existing medical condition, you'll need to provide expert medical evidence that is "clear and undeniable".

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided medical evidence. The VA usually issues the decision of approving or disapproving benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran has a year to file a notice of disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disabilities can assist the applicant navigate the three possible review options -- a supplemental claim, higher-level review, or a direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When selecting a New York veterans disability lawyer Be sure to think about whether they can understand your military experience and traditions of the armed forces. This can make it easier for you and reduce the need to explain your situations and experiences in a layman's way.

You also need a company that will work on your case throughout the duration of the appeals process over a period of years. Beware of firms who only assist you with the first stages of your case, and then go away.

A seasoned New York veterans' disability attorney can assist you through all phases of the claim and appeals. They can help you submit additional medical evidence and request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is dealt with fairly. They can also assist in obtaining you benefits, such as financial compensations, aid and attendance benefits, educational benefits, or unemployment.

Achieving a Higher Rating

There could be a point where your disability gets more severe, or your symptoms get more complicated or broad. In that case it is sensible to seek an increase in your rating. A veteran disability lawyer can help you in this process and assist you to collect evidence to support your claim.

It's not common for the VA to make mistakes that lead to being denied a disability rating lower than you're entitled to. It's worth contacting a professional to check your records for any errors. They may have missed an injury or left out the issue that could be added to another condition to get a higher rating.

Even the fact that it's been more a year since your initial rating decision, you still can file a higher-level review or supplemental claim. This includes a review of your entire record, that could lead to modifications to your effective date as well as a new rating more accurate to your personal feelings.

It's also worth seeking an additional claim or a higher-level review if you believe you're entitled to a disability rate of 100 percent or Vimeo.com higher. A disability attorney can assist you in putting together an argument that supports this type of rating which is reserved for extremely difficult to treat disabilities. For example the mental health issue could qualify you for a 100% disability rating because it can cause a significant interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization that do not normally trigger this type of rating for cardiovascular illness or other medical issues.

Getting Help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some believe that denying a disability claim by the VA isn't the end of an individual's chances to receive benefits. Former service members have one year to appeal any decision that isn't favorable.

A skilled veterans disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the current three appeals options would be the most appropriate for his particular situation. They can also help veterans put the evidence they need to convince a higher level reviewer that the previous decision was incorrect. They can give a veteran an additional formal hearing before a daytona beach shores veterans disability attorney Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can give you the personalized attention that your claim needs. They also have extensive experience managing VA disability claims, and they are aware of the rules and procedures inside and out. Additionally, some lawyers are veterans themselves, which means they understand the issues disabled veterans face. This can create a distinct kind of empathy that can improve the outcome of an appeal for veterans' disability.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim free of charge to determine if we can assist you. Contact us today to schedule your free evaluation.