Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can help you throughout the entire claims process. From gathering medical and Veterans Disability Attorney service evidence to filing an appeal against an appeal denied.

Choose a veterans disability attorney who limits their practice to dealing with these cases, and who knows the VA's system inside and out. This will ensure that your case gets the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if you can prove that the condition you have is linked to your military service. This is known as a "nexus. There are various types of evidence that you could prove the connection, including medical records as well as independent medical examinations (IME), and the nexus letter from your current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health issues). There are times when veterans have medically determinable disabilities, but they are not able to be service connected because of the absence of or insufficient documents. These cases require the assistance of skilled New York disability attorneys who are skilled at presenting an entire claim as well as submit evidence that is backed up by independent experts.

It is simpler to establish a direct connection if injuries or illnesses occurred while you served in the military. For example, if you were hit in the head during your time in service and you are suffering headaches and concussions, there is a strong connection between these events and your current condition.

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

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and submitted medical evidence. It typically issues a decision that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is not favorable the veteran has one year to file a Notice of Disparagement. A veterans disability attorney can assist the claimant through the three decision review options - either a supplemental claim or a more advanced review, or an direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Be sure to consider whether the lawyer has a good understanding of your military experiences as well as the traditions of the armed forces when selecting a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This will make the process more comfortable and less requiring you to explain your experiences and situations in layman's terms.

You want a firm who will handle your case through the lengthy appeals process. Be wary of firms that only assist you in the initial stages of your case, and then disappear.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney can assist with all stages of your claim and appeals, including the appeals procedure. 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 in a fair manner. They can also assist you in obtaining you benefits like cash compensations, aid or education benefits, attendance benefits, or unemployability.

How can you get a better rating

It may happen that your disability gets worse or your symptoms become more severe. In this case it's sensible to request an increase in your rating. A veterans disability lawyer can help with that process, and assist you in finding evidence to prove your claim.

It's not unusual for the VA to make mistakes that result in an under-reported disability rating than you're entitled. It's worth getting an expert to examine your records for any errors. They may have overlooked an injury or omitted any issue that could have been coupled with another condition to get a higher rating.

You can still make a higher-level claim, or review if you have been assessed for more than a calendar year. These can include a review of your entire dossier, which can result in modifications to the effective date of your claim and a new rating more accurate to what you feel.

If you believe you're entitled to a rating of 100 percent, or higher, you should consider applying for a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can help develop a compelling argument for this rating which is only available for the most debilitating of disabilities. For example an illness that is mental might qualify you for a 100% disability rating because it can cause marked disturbance to your job or frequent periods of hospitalization that do not normally trigger this type of an assessment for a cardiovascular condition or other medical problem.

Need help with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what many people believe that denying an application for disability benefits by the VA is not the end of an individual's chances to get benefits. In fact, a former soldier can wait one year from date that their local veterans disability attorneys hospital or office mails them a decision that is not favorable to file an appeal.

An experienced veterans disability attorney can help a vet determine which of the current three appeals options would be best for his situation. They can also help veterans gather all the evidence required to convince a higher level reviewer that their previous decision was wrong. They can even provide a veteran with a formal hearing before an Veterans Law Judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can provide you with the personal attention that your claim needs. They also have a vast experience handling VA disability claims and are aware of the rules and procedures in and out. Some lawyers are veterans, and therefore know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This can result in a unique kind of empathy that can sometimes improve the outcome of an issue involving veterans' disability.

Sullivan & Kehoe's team of highly trained lawyers can review your VA disability claims for no cost to determine if we are able to help you. Contact us today to set up an evaluation for free.