Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can help you throughout the entire claims process. From collecting medical and service evidence to filing an appeal on a denied claim, a veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the entire claims process.

Choose a lawyer for veterans disability lawyers that is solely dealing with these cases and who is familiar with the VA's system inside out. This will ensure your case is given the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only approve disability benefits if you prove that the condition you are suffering from is a result of your military service. This is called a nexus. You can use a variety of evidence to prove the connection. These include medical records, independent health exams (IME), or nexus letter from current health care providers (especially in the situation of mental health conditions). Sometimes, veterans have medically determined disabilities but cannot get service connected because of incomplete or missing military treatment records. These cases require the assistance of experienced New York disability lawyers who know how to present a complete claim and submit evidence that is supported by experts who are impartial.

It is easier to prove an immediate connection with your service to injuries or illnesses that occurred while you were in the military. If you suffered injuries in the military and you now suffer from headaches or concussions it is much easier to prove a direct service connection.

It is harder to get service-connected if you had a pre-existing condition that worsened while you were in military service. To prove that your service time has aggravated or exacerbated a pre-existing condition, you will need to provide medical evidence from a professional that is "clear and irrefutable".

Appealing a Denied Application

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided evidence of medical necessity. It usually issues a ruling that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is not favorable, the veteran is given a year to make a formal complaint. A disability attorney for veterans can help the claimant navigate through the three review options: the supplemental claim, or Veterans Disability lawyers a higher-level review, or an direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When choosing when choosing a New York veterans disability lawyer Be sure to think about whether they can understand your military background and military's culture. This can make it simpler for you and reduce the need to explain your situations and experiences in layman's language.

You need a firm that will take on your case through the lengthy appeals procedure. Be wary of companies that assist you with the initial phases of your case and then vanish.

An experienced New York veterans' disability attorney can assist you at all phases of the claim and appeals. They can assist you in submitting more medical evidence, ask for an official hearing, and represent you in any Board sessions to ensure that your case will be dealt with fairly. They can also help you obtain benefits such as monetary compensation, aid and attendance, education benefits or unemployed benefits.

Earning a higher rating

It may happen that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms are more severe. In this case it's logical to seek an increase in your rating. A veteran disability lawyer can help you in this process, and also help you collect evidence to back your claim.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that lead to an lower disability rating than you deserve. It's worth getting an expert to look over your records for errors. They may have overlooked an injury or left out a problem which could be coupled with another disability to receive an even higher rating.

Even the fact that it's been more one year since the initial rating decision, you can file an additional review or veterans disability lawyers claim. This could include a thorough review of your entire dossier, that could lead to modifications to the effective date of your claim and a new rating that is more corresponding to what you feel.

It's also advisable to file a supplemental claim or higher-level review if you're entitled to a disability grade of 100 percent or more. A disability lawyer can assist you to build a strong case for this rating which is reserved for the most severe of disabilities. For instance an illness that is mental could be a reason to get an absolute disability rating because it could cause significant interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization, which don't normally trigger this type of the rating for a heart disease or other medical issue.

Need help with the Appeals Process

Contrary what some believe contrary to what many may think, an VA denial of disability benefits does not mean that the person is in no position to claim benefits. Former service members have one year to appeal any decision that isn't favorable.

A skilled veterans disability lawyer can help a veteran determine which of the three current ways to appeal is most appropriate for their particular situation. They can also help an individual vet put the evidence together needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that the previous decision was incorrect. They can even assist a veteran with a formal hearing before an Veterans Law Judge.

The best thing about having a New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they can provide the personal attention your claim needs. They also have extensive experience dealing with VA disability claims and know the rules and procedures in and out. Some attorneys are veterans, so they are aware of the difficulties that disabled veterans face. This creates an unique type of empathy that may improve the outcomes of a veterans disability case.

Sullivan & Kehoe's team of experienced lawyers can evaluate your VA disability claims for free to determine if we can assist you. Call us today to set up an evaluation for free.