How to File a Veterans Disability Claim

A claim for veterans disability is an application for compensation due to an illness or injury that is connected to military service. It could also be a claim for dependent spouses or children who are dependent.

Veterans may have to submit evidence to support their claim. Claimants can expedite the process by scheduling medical exam appointments and sending the required documents promptly.

Identifying an impairment

The possibility of ill-health and injuries that result from service in the military, such as muscular skeletal disorders (sprains, arthritis and so on. ) respiratory disorders, and loss of hearing, are very frequent among veterans. These illnesses and injuries are usually accepted for disability compensation at a much greater rate than other conditions because they cause long-lasting effects.

If you were diagnosed as having an illness or injury while on active duty or in the military, the VA will require proof that this was the result of your service. This includes both medical clinic and private hospital records that relate to your injury or illness, and also statements from relatives and friends regarding your symptoms.

One of the most important aspects to consider is how severe your condition is. If you're active young vets can recover from certain muscle and bone injuries. As you get older however, the chances of recovery diminish. This is why it is essential for veterans disability law Firms to file a claim for disability at an early stage, even if their condition is still serious.

The people who have been rated as having a 100% permanent and total disability could be eligible to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance/Supplemental security Income (SSI/SSDI). It is helpful to the Veteran to provide the VA rating notification letter that was sent by the regional office. The letter should state that the rating is "permanent" and that no further exams are scheduled.

Gathering Medical Evidence

If you want your VA disability benefits to be approved the benefits will require medical evidence to prove that the condition is severe and disabling. This could be private medical records, a declaration by a doctor or health care professional who treats your condition, and evidence that can be in the form pictures and videos that illustrate your symptoms or injuries.

The VA is required by law to make reasonable efforts to obtain relevant evidence on behalf of you. This includes federal records and non-federal records (private medical records, for instance). The agency will continue to look for these records until it can be reasonably certain that they do not exist. Otherwise, any further efforts will be futile.

The VA will prepare an examination report after it has all of the required details. The report is based on claimant's past and present symptoms and is usually presented to a VA examiner.

This report is used to make a decision on the claimant's eligibility for disability benefits. If the VA determines that the condition is service connected the claimant is awarded benefits. If the VA does not agree, the veteran can contest the decision by filing a Notice of Disagreement and requesting an examiner at a higher level to review their case. This process is referred to as a Supplemental Statement of the Case. The VA can also decide to reopen an earlier denied claim if they are provided with new and relevant evidence to justify the claim.

How to File a Claim

The VA will need all your medical, service and military records to support your claim for disability. They can be provided by filling out the eBenefits website application in person at a local VA office, or by post using Form 21-526EZ. In some cases, you might need to submit additional documents or forms.

It is also important to find any medical records of a civilian that can support your health condition. This process could be made faster by providing the VA with the complete address of the medical facility where you received treatment. Also, you should provide the dates of treatment.

Once you have completed all the necessary paperwork and medical documentation, the VA will conduct a C&P examination. This will involve an examination of the body part affected and depending on the severity of your disability and the severity of your disability, may also include lab work or X-rays. The examiner will then create an assessment report and then send it to the VA to be reviewed.

If the VA decides that you are entitled to benefits, they'll mail an official decision letter which includes an introduction, their decision to approve or deny your claim. It also includes the rating and the specific disability benefit amount. If you are denied benefits, they will provide the evidence they looked over and their reasoning for their decision. If you appeal the decision, the VA will send an additional Statement of the Case (SSOC).

Making a decision

It is important that claimants are aware of the forms and documents needed during the gathering and reviewing of evidence. If a form hasn't been filled out correctly or if the correct kind of document isn't sent the entire process could be delayed. It is essential that the claimants take their exams on time.

The VA will make an ultimate decision after reviewing all the evidence. The decision will either be to accept or deny the claim. If the claim is rejected You can file a Notice of Disagreement to seek an appeal.

If the NOD is filed the next step of the process is to get an Statement of the Case (SOC) completed. The SOC is a record of all the evidence considered, the actions taken, decisions made and the laws governing the decisions.

During the SOC an applicant can also provide additional details to their claim or request that it be re-judged. This is known as a Supplemental Claims, Higher-Level Review, or Board Appeal. It can be beneficial to add additional information to the claim. These appeals allow a senior judge or veteran law judge to examine the initial claim for disability again and, if necessary, make a different determination.