Veterans Disability Lawyers

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

Choose a veterans disability attorney who focuses their practice on dealing with these cases, and who knows the VA's system inside and out. This will ensure your case receives the care it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only grant disability benefits when it can be proved that your condition is connected to your military service. This is known as a nexus. You can use different types of evidence to prove the connection. These include medical records, independent health examinations (IME) or a the nexus letters from current healthcare providers (especially in the case of mental health conditions). Sometimes, veterans have medically determined disabilities but are not connected due to incomplete or insufficient military treatment records. These cases require the help of skilled New York disability attorneys who are skilled at presenting an entire claim and submit evidence that is backed by independent experts.

It is easier to establish a direct connection when illnesses or injuries occurred while you were in the military. For instance, if you received a head injury in the course of your service and suffer headaches and concussions there is a clear connection between those events and your current condition.

It is more difficult to be service-connected if there was an existing condition that got worse during your military service. To prove that your service time caused or aggravated a pre-existing condition, you will need to present medical evidence from an expert that is "clear and irrefutable".

Appealing a Denial

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

When choosing the right New York veterans disability lawyer Take into consideration whether they can understand your military experience and the traditions of the armed forces. This will make the process more enjoyable and eliminate the need for you to describe your experiences and situations in plain language.

You'll want a firm that will handle your case throughout the lengthy appeals procedure. Be wary of companies that assist you with the initial stages of your claim, and then vanish.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney can assist with all stages of your claim including the appeals process. They can help you submit additional medical evidence, request a formal hearing and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is treated fairly. They can also assist you in obtaining you benefits, such as assistance, monetary compensations and education benefits, attendance benefits, or unemployability.

Achieving a Higher Rating

There may come a time when your disability gets worse, Veterans disability or your symptoms get more difficult or wider. It is logical in this instance to seek a higher rating. A veterans disability lawyer can assist you in this process, and they can assist you in finding evidence to back your request.

It's not unusual for the VA to make mistakes that lead to an under-reported disability rating than you deserve. If they overlook an injury that you suffer from or miss a condition that could be a combination of other disabilities to earn an increase in rating It's a good idea to have an expert review your records to spot any errors.

Even if it's been more than one year since your initial rating decision, you still can file an additional review or claim. This could include a thorough review of your entire dossier, which may result in modifications to the effective date of your claim and the creation of a new rating that is more precise to what you feel.

If you believe you deserve an assessment of 100 percent or higher, consider requesting a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can assist you in putting together an argument that supports this type of rating, which is reserved only for serious disabilities. For instance the mental health issue could qualify you for an 100% disability rating due to the fact that it causes significant disturbance to your job or frequent periods of hospitalization, which don't typically trigger this kind of rating for cardiovascular disease or other medical issue.

Helping with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what some may believe the fact that contrary to what some may believe, a VA denial of disability benefits doesn't mean that a person has no chance of recovering benefits. Former military personnel have a year to appeal an outcome that is not favorable.

An experienced veterans disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three current ways to appeal is the best option for their situation. They can also help with gathering the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer their previous decision was not correct. They can give a veteran an extra formal hearing before an 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 dealing with VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures both inside and outside. Some lawyers are veterans, and therefore know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This creates an unique type of empathy that can sometimes make a difference in the outcome of a veterans disability case.

The team at Sullivan &Kehoe of experienced lawyers can evaluate your VA disability claims free of charge to determine if we can assist you. Contact us now to schedule your free assessment.