Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire process of claiming. From assembling medical and service evidence to filing an appeal against a denied claim.

Choose a veterans disability law firms disability attorney that is solely dealing with these cases, and who knows the VA's system from top to bottom. This will ensure that your case receives the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only grant disability benefits when it can be confirmed that your illness is directly related to your military service. This is referred to as a nexus. There are different types of evidence that you could use to show this connection, including medical records or independent medical exams (IME) and letters from current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health conditions). There are times that veterans suffer from medically-determined disabilities, but they are not able to be considered to be service-connected due incomplete or omitted documents. These cases require the help of skilled New York disability attorneys who know how to present an entire claim and provide evidence backed by unbiased experts.

It is easier to establish a direct connection when illnesses or injuries were sustained while serving in the military. For example, if you received a head injury during service and now suffer from concussions and headaches, veterans disability there is a clear link between the events that led to your current condition.

It is difficult to be service-connected if there was an existing condition that deteriorated during your military service. To prove that your service worsened or aggravated an existing medical condition, you must supply expert medical evidence that is at the level of "clear and unmistakable" proof.

Appealing to a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided medical evidence. It typically issues a decision that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is unfavorable the veteran is given one year to file a Notice of Disagreement. A veterans disability lawyer can assist the claimant in navigating the three options for review -- the supplemental claim, the higher-level review or an appeal directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When deciding on when choosing a New York veterans disability lawyer Take into consideration whether they are familiar with your military experience and traditions of the armed forces. This will help you feel more comfortable and eliminate the need for you to explain your experiences and situations in layman's terms.

You want a company that will handle your case throughout the lengthy appeals process. Be wary about firms that assist you in the initial stages of your case, only to then vanish.

An experienced New York veterans disability (have a peek at this site) attorney can assist with all stages of your claim including the appeals process. They can assist you in submitting additional medical evidence and request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is handled fairly. They can also help you win you benefits such as cash compensations, aid or attendance benefits, education benefits, or unemployedness.

Receiving a Better Rating

It is possible that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms are more severe. It makes sense in this instance to seek a higher rating. A veterans disability lawyer can assist you in this procedure, and help you find evidence to support your request.

It's not uncommon for the VA make mistakes, resulting in an under-rated rating than you deserve. It's worth getting an expert to examine your records for any errors. They may have missed an injury or omitted the issue that could be added to another disability to get an even higher rating.

You can still file a higher-level claim or review if you have been given a rating for more than one calendar year. These involve a full review of your file, and could result in a change to your effective date or a new rating that's more in line with how you feel.

If you think you're worthy of a rating of 100 percent, or higher, you should consider seeking a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can help develop a compelling argument for this rating, which is reserved only for the most severe of disabilities. For instance, a mental health condition could be a reason to get an absolute disability rating because it can cause a significant disturbance to your job or frequent periods of hospitalization, which don't typically trigger this kind of the rating for a heart illness or other medical issues.

Help with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may believe that denial of an appeal for disability by the VA is not the end of an individual's ability to recover benefits. In fact, a former soldier has a year from the date the local veterans' hospital or office sends them a decision that is not favorable to file an appeal.

An experienced veterans disability lawyer can assist a veteran in determining which of the three appeals options is best for their case. They can also help an individual vet put the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that the previous decision was incorrect. They can also provide a veteran with a more formal hearing in before an Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer will give you the individualized attention that your claim needs. They will also have extensive experience handling VA disability claims, and are familiar with the rules and procedures completely. In addition, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means that they understand the challenges disabled veterans face. This creates a unique type of empathy that can make a difference in the outcome of a veterans disability case.

The team at Sullivan &Kehoe of highly-trained lawyers can review your VA disability claims for no cost to determine whether we can assist you. Call us today to set up your complimentary evaluation.