Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can help you through the entire claims process. From collecting medical and service proof to filing an appeal of a denied claim.

Select a veteran disability lawyer that specializes in these cases and is familiar with the VA system. This will ensure your case is given the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only award disability benefits when it can be established that your condition is directly related to your military service. This is known as a nexus. There are different types of evidence that you could prove the connection, including medical records and independent medical examinations (IME), and letters from current healthcare providers or therapists (especially for mental health issues). There are times when veterans suffer from medically determinable disabilities but cannot get service connected because of incomplete or missing military treatment records. These cases require the help of skilled New York disability attorneys who are skilled at presenting an entire claim and provide evidence that is backed up by independent experts.

It is much easier to prove that there is a direct connection to your service for illnesses or injuries that occurred while you were in the military. If you suffered injuries in the military, and now suffer from headaches or concussions, it's much easier to establish a direct connection to the service.

However, it is more difficult to get service connected if you suffer from an existing medical condition that became worse during your time in the military. To prove that your time in service has aggravated or worsened an existing illness it is necessary to provide expert medical evidence that reaches the level of "clear and unmistakable" proof.

Appealing a Denial

After filing an application and providing medical evidence After submitting the application and providing medical evidence, the VA will review the application. The VA will usually issue an approval or denial of benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran has a year to file a complaint. A disability lawyer for veterans can assist the claimant through the three decision review options that include an additional claim, a more extensive review, Vimeo.com or a direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Be sure to consider whether the lawyer has a good understanding of your military experiences as well as the tradition of the armed services when choosing the New York veterans' disability lawyer. This can make things easier for you and decrease the necessity to explain your circumstances and experiences in layman's terms.

You need a firm that will be working on your case through the lengthy appeals process. Be wary of firms that assist you in the first stages of your claim, and then go away.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney can assist with all stages of your claim, including the appeals process. 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 handled in a fair manner. They can also help you obtain benefits including monetary compensation, aid and attendance, educational benefits or unemployment benefits.

How can you get a better rating

It may happen that your disability becomes more severe or your symptoms become more severe. It is logical in this scenario to ask for an increase in rating. A veteran disability lawyer can assist you with 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're entitled. If they miss an injury or overlook a problem that could be linked with other disabilities to receive higher ratings it's important to have a professional look over your records to identify any errors.

You can still submit a higher-level claim or review if you've been rated for more than a calendar year. This includes a review of your entire dossier, that could lead to modifications to the dalles veterans disability lawyer effective date of your claim and the creation of a new rating that is more precise to the feelings you have.

It's also worth pursuing an additional claim or higher-level review if you believe you're entitled to a disability grade that is 100 percent or more. A disability lawyer can help make a convincing case for this rating, which is reserved only for the most severe of disabilities. For instance the mental health issue might qualify you for a 100% disability rating because it could cause significant disturbance to your job or frequent periods of hospitalization, which don't normally trigger such the rating for a heart condition or other medical problem.

Help with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some believe contrary to what many may think, an VA denial of disability benefits does not mean that the person isn't eligible to receive benefits. Former service members have a year to appeal an outcome that is not favorable.

A skilled veteran disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three appeals options is most appropriate for their particular situation. They can also help with gathering the evidence required to convince a higher-level reviewer their prior decision was incorrect. They can even provide veterans with a more formal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer will give you the individualized attention to your claim that you require. They also have years of experience handling VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures inside and out. Additionally, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means that they understand the challenges disabled veterans have to face. This can create a distinct kind of empathy that can sometimes improve the outcome of an appeal for veterans' disability.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for free to determine if we can assist you. Call us today to set up an appointment for a free evaluation.