Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire process of claiming. From gathering evidence of medical and other service to filing an appeal of a claim that has been denied.

Choose a veterans disability attorney that is solely handling these cases and is aware of the VA's system inside out. This will ensure your case is given the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only approve disability benefits if you prove that the condition you have is connected to your military service. This is referred to as a nexus. You can use a variety of evidence to prove this connection. These include medical records, independent health examinations (IME), or an nexus letter from your current healthcare providers (especially in the case of mental health conditions). There are times when veterans disability lawsuits have medically determinable disabilities, but are unable to be service connected because of the absence of or insufficient documents. These cases require the assistance of skilled 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 the direct connection between your service and injuries or illnesses that occurred while you were in the military. For instance, if were struck in the head during your time in service and you are suffering from concussions and headaches, there is a clear connection between the two events and your current condition.

However, it's more difficult to get connected if you suffer from an existing medical condition that got worse while you were in the military. In order to prove that your time in service aggravated or made worse a pre-existing illness, you must supply expert medical evidence that reaches the level of "clear and undeniable" proof.

Appealing to a Denial

After filing an application and providing medical evidence After submitting the application and providing medical evidence, the VA will review the case. It usually issues a decision that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is not in favor the veteran is given one year to make a notice of disagreement. A veterans disability lawyer can assist the claimant through the three options for review which include an additional claim, a higher-level review, or direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When choosing the right New York veterans disability lawyer, be sure to consider whether they can understand your military experience and traditions of the armed forces. This can help you feel more comfortable and less requiring you to explain your experience and situations in plain language.

You should also find a firm who will continue to work on your case throughout the entire duration of your appeal. Beware of firms that only assist you in the first phases of your case and then vanish.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney can assist you in all stages of your claim, including the appeals process. They can help you submit 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 in obtaining you benefits, such as monetary compensations, aid and attendance benefits, educational benefits, or unemployability.

Receiving a Better Rating

It is possible that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms are more severe. In this case it is sensible to ask for an increase in your rating. A veterans disability lawyer can assist with this procedure, and help you dig up evidence to support your request.

It's not common for the VA to make mistakes that result in an under-reported disability rating than you're entitled to. In the event that they fail to notice an injury you've suffered or overlook a problem that could be linked with other disabilities to earn a higher rating It's a good idea to have an expert review your records to identify any mistakes.

You may still submit a higher-level claim or review if you have been assessed for more than a calendar year. These include a review of your entire file which could result in changes to your effective date as well as an updated rating that is more true to your personal feelings.

If you believe you deserve a rating of 100 percent, or higher, you should consider seeking a supplemental claim. A disability attorney can help you put together a convincing argument for this type of rating which is reserved for very severe disabilities. A mental health condition such as depression, for instance, could allow you to receive a 100% rating of disability because it can interfere with employment or trigger frequent hospitalizations that would not normally trigger this level for a heart problem or other medical conditions.

Assistance with the Appeals Process

Despite what some believe that denial of a disability claim by the VA isn't the end of a person's chances to receive benefits. In fact, veterans Disability a former veteran can wait one year from date the local veterans' hospital or office sends them a denial to appeal.

An experienced veterans disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three appeals options is the best option for their situation. They can also assist a vet in gathering the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that their prior decision was incorrect. They can also provide a veteran with an additional formal hearing front of an Veterans Law judge.

The benefit of having a New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they are able to give you the individual attention your claim demands. They are also likely to have extensive experience dealing with VA disability claims and Veterans Disability are aware of the rules and procedures from top to bottom. Some lawyers are veterans, and therefore are aware of the difficulties that disabled veterans disability law firms face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that can enhance the outcome of a veterans disability case.

Sullivan & Kehoe's team of highly-trained lawyers can review your VA disability claims for no cost to determine whether we can assist you. Call us today to set up your free evaluation.