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 entire claim process.

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

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only approve disability benefits if you can prove that the condition you have is linked to your military service. This is known as a "nexus. You can use different types of evidence to prove the connection. This includes medical records, independent health examinations (IME) or a nexus letter from current health care providers (especially in the case of mental health problems). Sometimes, veterans have medically determined disabilities but cannot get service connected because of missing or insufficient military treatment records. These cases require the assistance of experienced New York disability attorneys who know how to present an entire claim and submit evidence backed by unbiased experts.

It is much easier to establish the direct connection between your service and injuries or illnesses that occurred while you were in the military. For example, if you were struck in the head in the course of your service and suffer from concussions and headaches, there is a strong connection between the events that led to your current condition.

It is more difficult to be connected to the military if you suffered from a pre-existing condition that worsened during your military service. To prove that your service time was a catalyst for the worsening or aggravation of a pre-exist condition, you will need to provide expert medical evidence that is "clear and undisputed".

Appealing a Denial

After submitting an application and providing medical evidence The VA will review the application. It usually issues a ruling which either approves or denies benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran has one year to submit a notice of disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disability can assist the claimant in navigating the three review options which include an additional claim, a more extensive review, or direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Take note of whether the lawyer is familiar with your military experiences as well as the traditions of the armed forces when selecting a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This will make the process more enjoyable and reduce the need for you to describe your experiences and situations in plain language.

You need a firm that will work on your case throughout the long appeals procedure. Be wary about firms that assist you in the first stages of your case, only to then go away.

A seasoned New York veterans disability attorney can assist you in all stages of your claim and appeals, including the appeals procedure. They can help you submit additional medical evidence, request an official hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is handled without prejudice. They can also assist you in obtaining you benefits, such as cash compensations, aid or attendance benefits, education benefits, or even unemployment.

Getting a Higher Rating

There could be a point when your disability gets worse, or your symptoms get more complex or broader. In that situation it is sensible to request a higher rating. A veteran disability lawyer can help you with this process and help gather evidence to back your claim.

It's not common for the VA to make mistakes that result in a lower disability rating than you're entitled to. If they miss an injury or miss a condition that could be a combination of other disabilities to get an improved rating It's a good idea to have an expert look over your records to find any errors.

Even when it's been over a year since your initial rating decision, you still can file an additional review or claim. These can include a review of your entire record, which may result in modifications to your effective date and a new rating more accurate to your personal feelings.

If you believe you deserve an assessment of 100 percent, or higher, you should consider seeking a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can help you make a convincing case for this rating which is only available for the most debilitating of disabilities. For instance mental health issues could be a reason to get 100% disability ratings because it could cause significant interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization that don't usually trigger this level of an assessment for a cardiovascular illness or other medical issues.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may think that denying an application for disability benefits by the VA is not the end of an individual's chances to receive benefits. In fact, a former veteran has a year from the date the local Veterans Disability Law Firms' hospital or office mails them a negative decision to file an appeal.

A skilled veterans disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the current three appeal options is best for his particular situation. They can also assist an individual vet put the evidence together needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They may also give a veteran an opportunity to have a formal hearing front of a Veterans Law judge.

The greatest benefit of having an New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they are able to provide the personalized attention your claim deserves. They are also likely to have extensive experience handling VA disability claims and know the rules and procedures in and out. In addition, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means that they understand the issues disabled veterans face. This can result in a unique kind of empathy that can improve the outcome of an issue involving 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 your free evaluation.