Veterans disability law firms Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire process of claiming. From collecting medical and service proof to submitting an appeal of the denial of your claim.

Choose a veteran disability lawyer who is specialized in these kinds of cases and is acquainted with the VA system. This will ensure that your case receives the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only award disability benefits if they can prove that the condition you suffer from is linked to your military service. This is called a nexus. There are a variety of evidence that you can prove the connection, such as medical records, independent medical examinations (IME), and letters from current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health issues). There are instances when veterans have medically determinable disabilities, but are unable to be considered service connected due to insufficient or missing documents. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability attorneys who know how to present an entire claim and provide evidence that is backed by independent experts.

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

It is more difficult to be service-connected if there was an existing condition that got worse during your military service. To show that your time in service was a catalyst for the worsening or aggravation of a pre-exist condition, you will need to present medical evidence that is "clear and irrefutable".

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your case after you have submitted your application and provided medical proof. It usually issues a ruling that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is deemed unfavorable the veteran is given one year to file a Notice of Disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disabilities can assist the claimant in navigating the three review options -- a supplemental claim, higher-level review, or direct appeal to the Board of veterans disability law firm' Appeals.

Make sure the lawyer is knowledgeable of your military experiences as well as the tradition of the armed services when selecting a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This can make the process more relaxed and eliminate the need for you to explain your experience and circumstances in plain English.

You also want a firm that will work on your case for the duration of the appeals process over a period of years. Be wary of firms that only help you with the initial stages of your claim and then go away.

An experienced 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 represent you in any Board sessions to ensure that your case will be dealt with in a fair and fair manner. They can also assist you in obtaining you benefits like monetary compensations, aid and attendance benefits, education benefits, [Redirect Only] or even unemployment.

Earning a higher rating

It could be that your disability gets worse or your symptoms are more severe. In this case it's sensible to request a higher rating. A veterans disability lawyer can assist with this process, and can assist you in locating evidence to prove your claim.

It's not unusual for the VA to make mistakes that lead to an lower disability rating than you deserve. It's worth contacting an expert to look over your records for errors. They might have missed an injury or neglected to mention the issue that could be combined with another disability to receive an improved rating.

Even when it's been over one year since your initial rating decision, you have the option of filing an additional review or claim. This could include a thorough review of your entire record, which could result in modifications to your effective date, as well as an updated rating that is more true to the feelings you have.

It's also worth pursuing an additional claim or a more thorough review if you're entitled to a disability rate that is 100 percent or more. A disability lawyer can assist you to develop a compelling argument for this rating which is only available for the most serious disabilities. For instance an illness that is mental could be a reason to get an absolute disability rating due to the fact that it causes significant disruption to your work or frequent periods of hospitalization. These don't normally trigger such rating for cardiovascular disease or other medical issue.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what many people believe that denial of an appeal for disability by the VA isn't the end of an individual's ability to recover benefits. In fact, a former veteran is given one year from the date that the local veteran's hospital or office sends them an unfavorable determination to appeal.

An experienced veteran disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the three options for appeal is the best option for his particular case. They can also help with gathering the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that the previous decision was not right. They can provide a veteran an extra formal hearing front of a Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer will give you the individualized attention your claim requires. They are also likely to have a wealth of experience in handling VA disability claims, and they know the rules and procedures in and out. Additionally, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means that they are aware of the difficulties disabled veterans have to face. This can lead to a particular kind of empathy that could help in the resolution of the case of a disabled veteran.

Sullivan & Kehoe's team of highly trained lawyers can review your VA disability claims free of charge to determine if we can assist you. Call us today to schedule your free evaluation.