Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire process of claiming. From assembling medical and service evidence to filing an appeal of the denial of your claim.

Select a veteran disability lawyer who is specialized in these cases and is familiar with the VA system. This will ensure that your case receives the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only award disability benefits if you can prove that the condition is a result of your military service. This is called a connection. You can make use of various types of evidence to prove the connection. These include medical records, independent health assessments (IME), or an nexus letter from your current health care providers (especially in the cases of mental health issues). There are occasions where veterans are diagnosed with medical disabilities, but they cannot be considered to be service-connected due the absence of or insufficient records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability attorneys who are able to present an entire claim and submit evidence that is backed up by independent experts.

It is much easier to prove a direct service connection when illnesses or injuries were sustained while serving in the military. For instance, if you received a head injury during your time in service and you are suffering headaches and concussions, there is a clear link between these events and your current condition.

However, it is more difficult to be connected if you have a pre-existing medical condition that worsened while in the military. In order to prove that your military service worsened or aggravated an existing medical condition You must present expert medical evidence that rises to the level of "clear and irrefutable" proof.

Appealing a Denial

After submitting an application and providing medical evidence after which the VA will review the application. The VA will typically issue an opinion either approving or denial of benefits. If the decision is not favorable the veteran has one year to file a Notice of Disagreement. A lawyer for veterans' disability can help the claimant navigate the three options for review that include an additional claim, a higher-level review or an appeal directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When selecting the right New York veterans disability lawyer Take into consideration whether they can understand your military experience and the culture of the armed forces. This can make the process more relaxed and eliminate the need for you to explain your experiences and situations in plain language.

You need a firm that will handle your case throughout the long appeals procedure. Be wary of companies that help you with the initial phases of your case and then disappear.

A seasoned New York veterans disability law firms disability attorney can assist you in all stages of your claim and appeals, including the appeals procedure. They can help you submit additional medical evidence, request an official hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings so that your case will be dealt with in a fair and fair manner. They can also assist you to claim benefits like monetary compensation, aid and attendance, education benefits or unemployability benefits.

Getting a Higher Rating

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

It's not unusual for the VA make mistakes, resulting in receiving a lower score than you deserve. It's a good idea to hire an expert to review your records for errors. They might have missed an injury or left out the issue that could be combined with another disability to get an increase in rating.

You may still file a higher-level claim and review if you've been assessed for more than a calendar year. These require a complete review of your file and can result in an amendment to your effective date or a new rating that's more in line with how you feel.

It's also worth looking into a supplemental claim or higher-level review if you believe you're entitled to a disability grade of 100 percent or higher. A disability lawyer can help you develop a convincing argument for this type of rating that is reserved for those with serious disabilities. For example an illness that is mental could be a reason to get an 100% disability rating due to the fact that it causes significant interference with employment or veterans disability law firms frequent periods of hospitalization that do not usually trigger this level of a rating for a cardiovascular disease or other medical problems.

Helping with the Appeals Process

Despite what some believe that denial of a disability claim by the VA is not the end of a person's chances to get benefits. In fact, a former servicemember is given one year from the date the local veterans' hospital or office mails them a denial to file an appeal.

A skilled veteran disability lawyer can help a veteran decide which of the three pathways for appealing would be the best option for their situation. They can also help an individual vet put the evidence together needed to convince a higher-level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They can even assist a veteran with a more formal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can give you the personalized attention that your claim needs. They will also have extensive experience in managing VA disability claims, and are familiar with the rules and procedures in detail. In addition, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means they understand the challenges disabled veterans disability law firm have to face. This can result in a unique kind of empathy that could help in the resolution of a veterans' disability case.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim free of charge to determine if we can help you. Contact us today for your free assessment.