Veterans Disability Lawyers

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

Select a veteran disability attorney who is specialized in these cases and is familiar with the VA system. This will ensure your case receives the care it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only award disability benefits if you prove that the condition you have is related to your military service. This is known as a connection. There are many types of evidence to prove this connection. These include medical records, independent health examinations (IME), or an nexus note from current health care providers (especially in the cases of mental health issues). There are times when veterans suffer from medically determinable disabilities but are not 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 provide evidence backed by impartial experts.

It is much easier to establish direct service connection for illnesses or injuries which occurred while in the military. For instance, if received a head injury in the course of your service and suffer headaches and concussions there is a clear link between the events that led to the current condition you are suffering from.

It is more difficult to be connected to a service if you have a pre-existing condition that worsened during your military service. In order to prove that your time in service has aggravated or worsened an existing medical condition it is necessary to provide expert medical evidence that reaches the level of "clear and irrefutable" evidence.

Appealing to a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided medical proof. The VA will usually issue a decision approving or denying benefits. If the decision is not favorable, the veteran is given one year to make a formal complaint. A disability attorney for veterans can assist the claimant through the three review options: an additional claim or a higher-level review, or a direct appeal before the Board of veterans disability law firm' Appeals.

When selecting a New York veterans disability lawyer Be sure to think about whether they have a good understanding of your military experience and culture of the armed forces. This will make the process more relaxed and reduce the need for you to describe your experiences and the circumstances in layman's terms.

You need a firm that will be working on your case throughout the multi-year appeals process. Be wary about firms that help you with the initial stages of your case, only to then go away.

An experienced New York veterans' disability lawyer can assist you in all phases of the claim, including appeals. They can help you submit additional medical evidence, request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is handled fairly. They can also help win you benefits, such as assistance, monetary compensations and attendance benefits, education benefits, or unemployedness.

Earning a higher rating

There may be a point when your disability gets worse or your symptoms become broader or more challenging. It is logical in this scenario to ask for an increase in the rating. A veteran disability lawyer can assist you with this process and help collect evidence to support your claim.

It's not unusual to see the VA to make mistakes that result in being awarded a lower rating than what you deserve. It's a good idea to hire a professional to check your records for mistakes. They may have missed an injury or neglected to mention a problem which could be combined with another disability to earn an improved rating.

Even if it's been more than one year since your initial rating decision, you still can file an additional review or claim. These require a complete review of your file, and simply click for source could result in a change to your effective date or an updated rating that is more in line with how you really feel.

If you think you're worthy of a rating of 100 percent, or higher, you should consider requesting a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can help make a convincing case for this rating, which is reserved only for the most serious disabilities. A mental health problem such as depression, for instance, could qualify you for a 100 percent disability rating, as it could affect your job or trigger frequent hospitalizations that don't normally trigger this level of a cardiovascular problem or any other medical condition.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may think that denial of claims for disability by the VA isn't the end of an individual's ability to get benefits. Former military personnel have a year to appeal the decision if it is not favorable.

An experienced veterans disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the three pathways for appeal is the best option for his particular situation. They can also help veterans gather the evidence they need to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was not correct. They can give a veteran an extra formal hearing before a Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can give you the personalized attention that your claim needs. They are also likely to have extensive experience handling VA disability claims, and they know the rules and procedures from top to bottom. Some lawyers are veterans disability attorneys, so they know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that can sometimes make a difference in the outcome of a veterans disability case.

Sullivan & Kehoe's team of highly trained lawyers will review your VA disability claim for free to determine if we are able to help you. Contact us today for an appointment for a free evaluation.