Veterans Disability Lawyers

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

Choose a veteran disability attorney that is experienced in these cases and is well-versed with the VA system. This will ensure that your case receives the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if it can be proven that your condition is linked to your military experience. This is known as a nexus. There are a variety of evidence you can prove this connection, including medical records and independent medical examinations (IME) and the nexus letters of current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health conditions). There are occasions where veterans are diagnosed with medical disabilities, but cannot be considered to be service-connected due missing or incomplete 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 up by independent experts.

It is easier to prove a direct connection when illnesses or injuries occurred during your time in the military. For example, if you suffered head injuries during service and now suffer headaches and concussions, there is a strong connection between these events and your current condition.

However, it's more difficult to be connected if you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition that became worse while in the military. To prove that your service aggravated or worsened a pre-existing medical condition, you'll need to present medical evidence from an expert that is "clear and undeniable".

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided medical proof. The VA typically issues an opinion either approving or denial of benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran has one year to file a notice of disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disabilities can assist the applicant navigate the three options for review -- the supplemental claim, the higher-level review, or a direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Take note of whether the lawyer is familiar with your military experiences as well as the tradition of the armed services when selecting a New York iola veterans disability lawyer' disability lawyer. This will make the process more comfortable and less requiring you to explain your experience and situations in plain language.

You want a company that will be working on your case throughout the multi-year appeals procedure. Beware of companies that will only assist you with the initial stages of your case, and then disappear.

An experienced New York veterans' disability attorney can assist you through every stage of your claim including appeals. They can assist you in submitting additional medical evidence and request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure that your case is treated fairly. They can also assist in obtaining you benefits, such as assistance, monetary compensations and education benefits, attendance benefits, or unemployment.

Achieving a Higher Rating

It could be that your disability gets worse or your symptoms become more severe. It makes sense in this instance to seek an increase in your rating. A lawyer for veterans can help with that process, and help you dig up evidence to prove your claim.

It's not unusual to see the VA to make errors, which could result in receiving a lower score than you deserve. Whether they accidentally miss an injury or miss a condition that could be combined with other disabilities to earn an improved rating it's important to have an expert look over your records to identify any mistakes.

Even when it's been over one year since you made your initial rating decision, you can file an additional review or claim. These require a complete review of your file. It could result in the change of your effective date or a new rating that's more accurate to how you feel.

It's also worth looking into a supplemental claim or higher-level review if you're entitled to a disability grade of 100 percent or greater. A disability lawyer can assist you to create a compelling case for this rating, which is reserved only for the most debilitating disabilities. A mental health condition like this one, for instance, may make you eligible for a 100 percent disability rating, as it could affect your job or cause frequent hospitalizations that would not normally trigger this level for a cardiovascular problem or any other medical condition.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may believe the fact that the fact that a VA denial of disability benefits doesn't mean that an individual is not eligible for benefits. In fact, a former military member can wait one year from date the local Madison veterans disability law firm' hospital or office sends them an unfavorable determination to file an appeal.

An experienced tarrytown veterans disability lawsuit disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the three pathways for appeal would be best for his particular case. They can also assist veterans in obtaining the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that their prior decision was incorrect. They may also give a veteran an additional formal hearing before an Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can provide you with the personal attention your claim requires. They also have extensive experience dealing with VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures both inside and outside. Some attorneys are veterans, and therefore are aware of the difficulties that disabled veterans face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that can make a difference in the outcome of a case involving a disabled veteran.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for no cost to determine if we can help you. Contact us today to arrange your free assessment.