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 help you throughout the claims process.

Choose a veteran disability lawyer who specializes in these types of 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 they can prove that the condition is linked to your military service. This is called a linkage. You can use a variety of evidence to prove the connection. These include medical records, independent health exams (IME), Veterans Disability or an nexus letter from your current health care providers (especially in the cases of mental health issues). Sometimes veterans have medically determinable disabilities, but are not able to be connected because of incomplete or missing military treatment records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability attorneys who know how to present an entire case and submit evidence backed by impartial experts.

It is simpler to prove direct service connection for injuries or illnesses that occurred while you were in the military. For instance, if were hit in the head during your time in service and you are suffering from concussions and headaches, there is a clear link between those events and the current condition you are suffering from.

It is a lot more difficult to become connected to a service if you have an existing medical condition that was worsened during your military service. To prove that your service aggravated or worsened a pre-existing health condition, you'll have to present medical evidence that is "clear and undeniable".

Appealing a Denial

After filing an application and submitting medical evidence after which the VA will examine the case. The VA usually issues a decision approving or denying benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran is given one year to file a notice of disagreement. A veterans disability attorney can guide the claimant through the three decision review options - the supplemental claim, or a higher-level review, or an direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When deciding on when choosing a New York veterans disability lawyer Take into consideration whether they can understand your military background and Veterans Disability army's culture. This can make it simpler for you to understand and reduce the need to describe your experiences and experiences in a layman's way.

You need a firm that will be working on your case throughout the multi-year appeals procedure. Beware of firms that only assist you in the initial phases of your case and then go away.

A seasoned New York veterans disability attorney will assist you with every stage of your claim including the appeals process. They can help you submit more medical evidence, file an official hearing and represent you at any Board meetings so that your case is handled fairly. They can also help you obtain benefits like monetary compensation aid and attendance, educational benefits or unemployment benefits.

How to get a higher rating

It could be that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms get more severe. In such a case, it makes sense to ask for an increase in your rating. A lawyer for veterans can assist in that process, and can help you dig up evidence to back your request.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that result in a lower disability rating than you deserve. It's worth getting an expert to look over your records for any errors. They could have missed an injury or left out any issue that could have been coupled with another condition to get an increase in rating.

You can still submit a higher-level claim or review if you've been evaluated for more than a 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 what 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 in putting together an argument that supports this kind of rating, which is reserved only for debilitating disabilities. For instance the mental health issue could qualify you for a 100% disability rating because it can cause a significant disruption to your work or frequent periods of hospitalization that don't usually trigger this level of an assessment for a cardiovascular disease or other medical issue.

Need help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some people may think, the denial of an application for disability benefits by the VA isn't the end of a person's chances to receive benefits. In fact, a former servicemember is given one year from the date that their local veterans hospital or office sends them a negative decision to file an appeal.

A skilled veterans disability attorney can assist a veteran in determining which of the current three appeals options would be the most appropriate for his particular situation. They can also help an individual vet put the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that the previous decision was incorrect. They may even be able to provide a veteran with a formal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can provide you with the personal attention to your claim that you require. They are also likely to have a vast experience handling VA disability claims and are aware of the rules and procedures inside and out. Some attorneys are veterans, so they know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that may enhance the outcome of a disability claim for veterans.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for free to determine if we can help you. Contact us today to arrange an evaluation for free.