Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer can assist you through the entire claim process. From collecting medical and service proof to filing an appeal of a denied claim.

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

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if you prove that the condition you are suffering from is connected to your military service. This is called a nexus. You can use different types of evidence to prove this connection. These include medical documents, independent health examinations (IME), or an nexus letter from your current health care providers (especially in the case of mental health conditions). Sometimes, veterans have medically determined disabilities but are not connected due to missing or incomplete military treatment records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability attorneys who are skilled at presenting an entire case and submit evidence backed by impartial experts.

It is much easier to establish direct service connection for illnesses or injuries that occurred while you were in the military. For instance, if were hit in the head in the course of your service and suffer headaches and concussions, there is a direct link between the two events and your current condition.

However, it's more difficult to get connected if you suffer from an existing medical condition that got worse during your time in the military. To prove that your service has aggravated or worsened an existing condition you must provide a doctor's medical evidence that reaches the level of "clear and undeniable" evidence.

Appealing a Denied Application

After filing an application and providing medical evidence The VA will review the case. It usually issues a decision that either approves or denies benefits. If the decision is not favorable the veteran is given one year to file a Notice of Disagreement. A veterans disability attorney can assist the claimant through the three review options - an additional claim or a higher-level review, or a direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Consider whether the lawyer understands your military experiences and the traditions of the armed forces when choosing the New York veterans' disability lawyer. This will make the process more comfortable and reduce the need for you to describe your experiences and situations in layman's terms.

You want a firm who will take on your case through the lengthy appeals procedure. Beware of firms that assist you in the initial stages of your claim, and then go away.

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 more medical evidence, file an official hearing, and represent you in any Board sessions to ensure that your case will be dealt with without prejudice. They can also assist you to win your benefits, such as monetary compensation, aid and attendance, educational benefits or unemployability benefits.

Earning a higher rating

It is possible that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms are more severe. It is logical in this situation to ask for an increase in the rating. A lawyer for veterans can assist you in this process, and can help you dig up evidence to support your request.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that result in a lower disability rating than you're entitled. In the event that they fail to notice an injury you've suffered or ignore a condition that could be linked with other disabilities to earn higher ratings It's a good idea to have a professional look over your records to find any errors.

Even even if it's been more than a year since your initial rating decision, you still can file a higher-level review or supplemental claim. These can include a review of your entire file, which could result in modifications to your effective date, as well as the creation of a new rating that is more precise to the feelings you have.

It's also worth seeking an additional claim or higher-level review if you're arguing that you are entitled to a disability rating of 100 percent or more. A disability lawyer can help you build a strong case for this rating which is reserved for the most serious disabilities. A mental health issue, for example, may be a reason to get a 100 percent disability rating because it can interfere with employment or trigger frequent hospitalizations that would not normally trigger this level of a cardiovascular problem or other medical issues.

Help with the Appeals Process

Contrary what some believe Contrary to what some may believe, a VA denial of disability benefits doesn't mean that the person isn't eligible to receive benefits. Former military personnel have a year to appeal any decision that isn't favorable.

An experienced veterans disability law firms disability attorney can assist a veteran in determining which of the three pathways for appeal would be best for his situation. They can also assist veterans put the evidence they need to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They may even be able to provide a veteran with a formal hearing before an Veterans Law Judge.

The greatest benefit of having an New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they'll give you the attention and care that your claim requires. They also have a wealth of experience in dealing with VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures in and out. Some attorneys are veterans, so they know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that may help improve the outcome of a veterans disability case.

The Sullivan & Kehoe team of highly trained lawyers will review your VA disability claims for free to determine if we are able to assist you. Call us today to arrange your free assessment.