Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the entire claims process. From assembling medical and service evidence to filing an appeal of a claim that has been denied.

Select 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 provide disability benefits when it can be proven that your condition is directly related to your military service. This is called a nexus. You can use a variety of evidence to prove this connection. These include medical records, independent health assessments (IME) or a nexus letter from current healthcare providers (especially in the situation of mental health conditions). There are occasions when veterans have medically determinable disabilities, but cannot be service connected because of missing or incomplete documents. These cases require the assistance of experienced New York disability lawyers who are able to present an accurate claim and submit evidence that is backed up by independent experts.

It is easier to establish a direct connection if injuries or illnesses occurred during your time in the military. For instance, if you suffered head injuries in the course of your service and suffer headaches and concussions there is a clear link between the two events and the current condition you are suffering from.

However, it is harder to get connected if you have an existing medical condition that became worse when you were in the military. To prove that your service time caused or aggravated a pre-existing health condition, you'll have to provide expert medical evidence that is "clear and irrefutable".

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your case 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 deemed unfavorable the veteran has one year to make a notice of disagreement. A veterans disability lawyer can assist the applicant navigate the three decision review options which include the supplemental claim, the higher-level review, or a direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When selecting when choosing a New York veterans disability lawyer, be sure to consider whether they can understand your military experience and culture of the armed forces. This can make it easier for you and decrease the requirement to explain your situation and experiences in a layman's way.

You also need a company who will remain on your case throughout the entire appeals process of several years. Be wary of firms that help you with the initial phases of your case and then disappear.

A seasoned 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, request an official hearing and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure your case is handled without prejudice. They can also assist you to win your benefits, including monetary compensation, aid and attendance, education benefits or unemployability benefits.

How can I get a better rating

It could be that your disability gets worse or your symptoms become more severe. In that situation, it makes sense to seek an increase in your rating. A lawyer for veterans can help with that process, and assist you in locating evidence to justify your request.

It's not common for the VA to make mistakes that lead to being denied a disability rating lower than you're entitled to. It's worth contacting a professional to check your records for errors. They could have missed an injury or neglected to mention a problem which could be in conjunction with another disability to receive a higher rating.

You can still file a higher-level claim or review if you have been evaluated for more than a calendar year. These include a review of your entire record, which could result in changes to your effective date as well as the creation of a new rating that is more precise to your personal feelings.

If you believe that you are entitled to an assessment of 100 percent or higher, you should consider making a claim for supplemental benefits. A disability lawyer can help build a strong case for this rating which is reserved for the most debilitating disabilities. For example mental health issues could qualify you for veterans disability Law firms an 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 the rating for a heart disease or other medical issue.

Need help with the Appeals Process

Contrary to what many believe contrary to what many may think, an VA denial of disability benefits doesn't mean that the person isn't eligible to receive benefits. Former service members have one year to appeal the decision if it is not favorable.

An experienced veteran disability attorney can assist a veteran in determining which of the three options for appeal would be best for his particular situation. They can also assist an individual vet put the evidence together needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They can also provide a veteran with an opportunity to have a formal hearing front of a Veterans Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can provide you with the personal attention you require for your claim. They also have extensive experience dealing with VA disability claims and are aware of the rules and procedures inside and out. Additionally, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means they understand the issues disabled Veterans Disability Law Firms face. This creates a unique type of empathy that may enhance the outcome of a case involving a disabled veteran.

Sullivan and Kehoe's team highly trained lawyers can review your VA disability claims for free to determine if we can help you. Call us today to set up your complimentary evaluation.