15 Trends That Are Coming Up About Veterans Disability Compensation

How a Veterans Disability Attorney Can Help You Get the Benefits You Deserve

The process of getting veterans disability benefits can be overwhelming. A veteran disability lawyer can help you navigate the procedure.

It's crucial to choose an attorney who practices disability law and handles cases of this nature at all levels of appeal. This will ensure that you get the best legal representation.

Appeal

If the VA denies a claim or does not approve benefits, it gives the veteran or his or spouse who is surviving to appeal. Even the most basic disability claims could be a challenge for this lengthy and complicated procedure. A veteran disability lawyer can assist you in understanding the options available to you and obtain the benefits you deserve.

One common reason that people are required to make an application for disability benefits is that they are unhappy with their disability ratings. In this instance, the lawyer can make sure that the evidence is sufficient to support an appropriate rating based on a debilitating condition that is caused or exacerbated by military service.

A veterans disability lawyer may be required by those who have waited too long to get their benefits. The lawyer can help determine what documents are missing and then submit a request to the VA to obtain those documents.

A veterans disability lawyer can help you deal with the VA away from your shoulders. This will give you time to focus on your health, as well as any other obligations you have. Some attorneys are veterans disability attorneys themselves which can give them a unique level of compassion for their clients. They also create a deeper investment in their cases. This can make a big difference in the outcome of the appeal.

Higher-Level Reviews

Since the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA) provides veterans with more options if they disagree with VA decisions on their claims. The Higher-Level Review option is a decision-review procedure that allows an experienced reviewer to look at the same evidence provided in the original claim and then make a new decision. The senior reviewer can either affirm or reverse the previous rating decision.

A veteran or their representative could request an informal conference to discuss the case with the senior reviewer. However, only one conference is allowed. At this meeting it is crucial to prepare and present your case facts in a clear manner. An attorney who specializes in the field of veterans disability can assist to prepare and take part in the informal conference.

The higher-level review is usually used to correct errors made by the previous reviewer of an appeal for disability. For example an earlier reviewer misinterpreted evidence or made mistakes in the law. The senior reviewer can change an earlier decision on the same claim in order to rectify these mistakes however only if those changes are beneficial to the claimant.

A personal hearing may be arranged for the claimant as a result of the higher-level review. This is an opportunity for those seeking to be heard by the person who is reviewing their case and discuss their arguments. A veteran disability lawyer can assist in determining whether an individual hearing is necessary and prepare and present evidence during the hearing.

Notice of Disagreement

You can file a disagreement within one year of the date the local office mailed you the original denial letter. The VA will then review your claim again and create an Statement of Case.

You should use VA Form 21-0958 to file a notice of disagreement. A disability lawyer can help you fill out this form in a proper manner to appeal the decision. You don't have to include every reason you don't agree with the decision. However, it is better to be specific in order that the VA is aware of what you believe to be wrong. Your attorney can help you determine which evidence to include in the NOD. These could be statements from medical professionals or the results of diagnostic tests.

If your appeal is rejected at this stage You have a second chance to get it reviewed by an experienced reviewer in form of A Higher-Level Review. This process can take 25 months and you should be with your attorney at every step. If the VA denies your claim your attorney can request a hearing before a Veterans Law judge to present testimony and other evidence in person. If your claim is ultimately granted, your lawyer will prepare you for your check.

Statement of the Case

Congress has passed a variety of laws to ensure that veterans are compensated for their injuries, illnesses and other ailments caused by their service. The VA is a massive bureaucracy and it's not difficult to become lost. A veteran disability lawyer can assist claimants navigate the system and provide much needed assistance.

The VA must review the case after the veteran has filed a Notice of Dispute with the local VA office. This involves examining the laws, regulations and evidence used in the original decision. This includes reviewing the medical records of the veteran as well as, if necessary lay statements. The VA must send the claimant a Statement of Case that includes a list of all the evidence it has reviewed.

The statement should outline in a clear manner the reasoning behind its decision, including how it interprets the laws and regulations that affected the case. It should address the claims made by the claimant in the NOD.

The Veteran will receive the Statement of Case within 120 days of the date when the NOD was sent. However, due to the VA backlog and backlog, the agency could take longer to issue the document. If you are a veteran appealing an appeal of a rating decision or claim for benefits, please contact a lawyer for veterans disability from Fusco, Brandenstein & Rada, P.C.