Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire claim process. From collecting medical and service evidence to filing an appeal on a denied claim, veterans Disability Lawyers a veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the claims process.

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

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if it is proven that your condition is related to your military service. This is called a nexus. There are a variety of evidence you can demonstrate this connection, including medical records as well as independent medical examinations (IME), and the nexus letters of current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health conditions). There are times that veterans suffer from medically-determined disabilities, but cannot be service connected because of incomplete or omitted records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability lawyers who know how to present an accurate claim and submit evidence that is backed by experts who are independent.

It is much easier to establish direct service connection for injuries or illnesses which occurred while in the military. For example, if you were struck in the head in the course of your service and suffer headaches and concussions there is a strong connection between those events and your current condition.

However, it is more difficult to be connected if you have an existing medical condition that got worse while in the military. To show that your time in service aggravated or worsened a pre-existing condition, you will need to provide medical evidence from a professional that is "clear and irrefutable".

Appealing a denied application

After filing an application and providing medical evidence after which the VA will review the case. The VA will usually issue an approval or denial of benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran is given one year to submit a notice of disagreement. A disability attorney for veterans can help the claimant navigate through the three review options - the supplemental claim, or a higher-level review, or an direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Take note of whether the lawyer is familiar with your military experiences and the military's culture when choosing a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This will make the process more comfortable and eliminate the need for you to explain your experiences and situations in layman's terms.

You'll want a firm that will take on your case throughout the lengthy appeals procedure. Be wary about firms that assist you with the initial stages of your claim and then go away.

A seasoned New York veterans disability attorney can help you through all phases of your claim including the appeals process. They can assist you in submitting additional medical evidence, request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure that your case is handled in a fair manner. They can also help win you benefits, such as assistance, monetary compensations and attendance benefits, education benefits, or unemployability.

Getting a Higher Rating

It could happen that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms become more severe. It makes sense in this case to request an increase in rating. A veteran disability lawyer can help you with this process, and also help you gather evidence to support your claim.

It's not unusual to see the VA to make errors, which could result in an under-rated rating than you deserve. If they overlook an injury you've suffered or miss a condition that could be combined with other disabilities to receive a higher rating It's a good idea to have an expert review your records to find any mistakes.

You are still able to make a higher-level claim, or review if you've been assessed for more than a calendar year. These are a thorough examination of your dossier and may result in changes to your effective date or an entirely new rating that's more accurate to what you really feel.

It's also worth looking into an additional claim or a more thorough review if you're arguing that you're entitled to a disability grade of 100 percent or higher. A disability lawyer can assist you to create a compelling case for this rating which is only available for the most debilitating of disabilities. A mental illness like this one, for instance, may allow you to receive a 100 percentage disability rating since it could affect your job or cause frequent hospitalizations that do not normally trigger this level of severity for a heart problem or other medical conditions.

Helping with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some believe contrary to what many may think, a VA denial of disability benefits does not mean that an individual is in no position to claim benefits. Former veterans have one year to appeal a decision that is not favorable.

A skilled veterans disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three ways to appeal is most suitable for their case. They can also assist an individual in assembling the evidence required to convince a higher-level reviewer their previous decision was not correct. They can even assist veterans with a formal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The benefit of having a New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they'll provide the personalized attention your claim requires. They also have extensive experience handling VA disability claims, and they know the rules and procedures from top to bottom. Additionally, some lawyers are veterans disability lawyers themselves, which means they understand the issues disabled veterans face. This creates an unique type of empathy that may enhance 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 assist you. Call us now to schedule an evaluation for free.