Veterans Disability Lawyers

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

Choose a lawyer for veterans who limits their practice to dealing with these cases, and who knows the VA's system inside and out. This will ensure that your case gets the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only approve disability benefits if they can prove that the condition is related to your military service. This is referred to as a connection. There are various types of evidence that you can prove the connection, such as medical records as well as independent medical examinations (IME), and the nexus letters of current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health conditions). Sometimes King veterans disability law firm have medically determinable disabilities, but are not able to be 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 present evidence that is backed by independent experts.

It is much easier to establish that there is a direct connection to your service for injuries or illnesses that you sustained while in the military. If you have been injured in the military and you now suffer from headaches and concussions, it is easier to prove a direct service connection.

It is more difficult to be service-connected if there was an existing condition that deteriorated while you were in military service. To prove that your service worsened or aggravated an existing medical condition it is necessary to provide expert medical evidence that is at the level of "clear and unmistakable" evidence.

Appealing a Denied Application

The VA will review your case after you have submitted your application and provided medical evidence. It typically issues a decision which either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is not favorable, the veteran is given one year to file a complaint. A disability attorney for veterans can guide the claimant through the three review options - the supplemental claim, or a higher-level review, or a direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When selecting the right New York veterans disability lawyer Be sure to think about whether they can understand your military background and military's culture. This can help you feel more comfortable and less demanding for you to describe your experiences and the circumstances in layman's terms.

You should also choose a firm that will continue to work on your case throughout the entire multi-year appeals process. Be wary of firms that only assist you in the initial phases of your claim and then vanish.

A seasoned New York veterans' disability attorney can help you with all stages of the claim including appeals. They can assist you in submitting additional medical evidence, request an official hearing, and represent you in any Board meetings so that your case will be dealt with in a fair manner. They can also help win you benefits, such as assistance, monetary compensations and attendance benefits, educational benefits, or unemployability.

How can I get a better rating

It is possible that your disability becomes more severe or your symptoms become more severe. It makes sense in this case to request an increase in rating. A lawyer for veterans' disability can assist with this process, and they can assist you in locating evidence to prove your claim.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make errors, which could result in an under-rated rating than you deserve. It's worth contacting an expert to review your records for mistakes. They might have missed an injury or omitted an issue that could be combined with another condition to get an even higher rating.

You are still able to file a higher-level claim or review if you've been given a rating for more than one calendar year. This involves a thorough review of your file and can result in an amendment to your effective date or an updated rating that is more accurate to how you truly feel.

If you believe you're entitled to an assessment of 100 percent, or more, it's worth applying for a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can assist you to develop a compelling argument for this rating which is reserved for the most debilitating of disabilities. For example, a mental health condition could qualify you for an 100% disability rating because it can cause a significant disturbance to your job or frequent periods of hospitalization that don't usually trigger this level of rating for cardiovascular disease or other medical issue.

Getting Help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some people may believe, the denial of claims for disability by the VA is not the end of an individual's chances to collect benefits. In fact, a former soldier is given one year from the date their local veterans hospital or office sends them a negative decision to appeal.

A skilled sunnyside veterans disability law firm disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three ways to appeal is most appropriate for their particular situation. They can also assist with gathering the evidence required to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was wrong. They may also give a veteran an additional formal hearing front of an Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can give you the personalized attention your claim requires. They are also likely to have extensive experience dealing with VA disability claims and are aware of the rules and procedures inside and out. Some attorneys are veterans, so they know the challenges faced by disabled veterans. This creates a unique type of empathy that can help improve the outcome of a veterans disability case.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for no cost to determine if we can assist you. Contact us today to set up your free evaluation.