Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the claims process. From gathering medical and service proof to filing an appeal for a denied claim, veterans disability lawyers a veteran disability lawyer can help you throughout the entire claim process.

Choose a veterans disability attorney who is specialized in handling these cases and veterans disability lawyers knows the VA system from head to toe. This will ensure that your case gets the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only approve disability benefits if you prove that the condition you suffer from is linked to your military service. This is known as a "nexus. There are a variety of evidence that you can prove the connection, including medical records as well as independent medical examinations (IME), and nexus letters from current healthcare providers or therapists (especially for mental health issues). There are instances where veterans are diagnosed with medical disabilities, but they cannot be considered service connected due to insufficient or missing records. These cases require the help of skilled New York disability attorneys who are skilled at presenting an entire claim as well as submit evidence that is backed up by independent experts.

It is much easier to establish direct service connection for injuries or illnesses that occurred while in the military. For instance, if received a head injury while serving and are now suffering headaches and concussions, there is a clear connection between the two events and your current condition.

However, it's more difficult to get connected if you have an existing medical condition that became worse during your time in the military. To show that your time in service was a catalyst for the worsening or aggravation of a pre-exist condition, you'll need to present medical evidence from an expert that is "clear and undeniable".

Appealing a denied application

After submitting an application and submitting medical evidence after which the VA will review the case. It usually makes a decision which either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is deemed unfavorable the veteran has one year to submit a Notice of Disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disability can assist the claimant in navigating the three possible review options that include a supplemental claim, higher-level review, 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 a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This can make it easier for you to understand and reduce the need to explain your situations and experiences in layman's.

You'll want a firm that will work on your case through the lengthy appeals procedure. Be wary of firms that only assist you with the first stages of your claim and then disappear.

A seasoned New York veterans disability attorney can assist with all stages of your claim including the appeals process. They can help you submit more medical evidence, file an official hearing and assist you at any Board meetings to ensure that your case will be handled without prejudice. They can also assist in obtaining you benefits such as cash compensations, aid or attendance benefits, educational benefits, or unemployedness.

Earning a higher rating

There may be a point that your disability becomes more severe or your symptoms become more complicated or broad. It is logical in this case to request an increase in rating. A veterans disability lawyer can help with that process, and help you dig up evidence to back your request.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that result in being denied a disability rating lower than you deserve. If they miss an injury or miss a condition which could be linked to other disabilities to earn an increase in rating it's important to have an expert look over your records to find any mistakes.

You may still file a higher-level claim and review if you've been rated for more than a calendar year. These include a review of your entire file which may result in changes to the effective date of your claim and a new rating that is more corresponding to your personal feelings.

It's also advisable to file an additional claim or a more thorough review if you're trying to argue that you're entitled to a disability rate of 100 percent or higher. An attorney for disability can help you create a convincing argument for this type of rating which is reserved for very debilitating disabilities. A mental health problem for instance, might allow you to receive a 100% rating of disability because it could affect your job or cause frequent hospitalizations that are not typically triggering this level for a cardiovascular problem or other medical conditions.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may believe, a VA denial of disability benefits does not mean that the person is not eligible for benefits. In fact, a former servicemember is given one year from the date the local veterans' hospital or office sends them an unfavorable determination to appeal.

A skilled veterans disability attorney can assist a veteran in determining which of the three appeal options would be best for his particular case. They can also help veterans disability law firms gather the evidence needed to convince a higher level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They can even provide a veteran with a formal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

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

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for no cost to determine if we can help you. Call us today to schedule your free evaluation.