Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the entire claims process. From gathering medical and service evidence to filing an appeal of an appeal denied.

Choose a veteran disability lawyer that is solely handling these cases and is aware of the VA's system inside and out. This will ensure that your case receives the care it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only offer disability benefits if it is established that your condition is linked to your military experience. This is called a linkage. You can make use of various types of evidence to prove the connection. These include medical records, independent health exams (IME), or an nexus note from current healthcare providers (especially in the case of mental health conditions). Sometimes, veterans have medically determined disabilities but cannot get service connected because of incomplete or missing military treatment records. These cases require the help of skilled New York disability lawyers who are able to present an accurate claim and submit evidence that is backed up by experts who are impartial.

It is easier to prove direct service connection for illnesses or injuries that occurred while you were in the military. For instance, if you suffered head injuries 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 difficult to be service-connected if you had an existing medical condition that was worsened during your military service. To show that your time in service has aggravated or exacerbated a pre-existing condition, you will need to present medical evidence that is "clear and undisputed".

Appealing a Denial

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

When deciding on a New York veterans disability lawyer, be sure to consider whether they understand your military experience and the military's culture. This can make it easier for you and reduce the requirement to explain your situation and experiences in layman's terms.

You should also choose a firm that will continue to work on your case for the entire duration of your appeal. Beware of firms who only assist you in the initial phases of your claim and then go away.

An experienced New York veterans' disability attorney can assist you at all phases of the 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 handled fairly. They can also assist you to claim benefits including monetary compensation, aid and attendance, educational benefits or unemployability benefits.

Receiving a Better Rating

It could happen that your disability becomes more severe or your symptoms become more severe. It makes sense in this case to request an increase in rating. A lawyer for veterans can assist you in this procedure, and help you dig up evidence to support your request.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that result in an under-reported disability rating than you deserve. It's a good idea to hire an expert to look over your records for errors. They may have overlooked an injury or omitted any issue that could have been combined with another disability to receive an even higher rating.

You can still submit a higher-level claim or review if you have been assessed for more than a calendar year. These are a thorough examination of your dossier and may result in an amendment to your effective date or an updated rating that is more accurate to what you really feel.

If you believe you're entitled to an assessment of 100 percent or higher, it's worth applying for a supplemental claim. A disability attorney can help you develop an argument that supports this type of rating that is reserved for those with debilitating disabilities. A mental health condition, for example, may qualify you for a 100 percentage disability rating since it can hinder employment or cause frequent hospitalizations that don't normally trigger this level for a cardiovascular issue or other medical condition.

Helping with the Appeals Process

Despite what some think that denying an appeal for disability by the VA is not the end of an individual's chances to recover benefits. In fact, a former soldier can wait one year from date their local veterans hospital or office mails them a decision that is not favorable to appeal.

A skilled veterans disability lawyer can help a veteran determine which of the three current ways to appeal is best for their case. They can also help a vet in gathering the evidence required to convince a higher-level reviewer their previous decision was wrong. They can provide a veteran an additional formal hearing front of 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 know the rules and procedures in and out. Some attorneys are veterans, and therefore are aware of the difficulties faced by disabled veterans. This can result in a unique kind of empathy that can help improve the outcome of an appeal for veterans disability law firm' disability.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim at no cost to determine if we can assist you. Call us now to schedule your free evaluation.