Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire process of claiming. From gathering medical and service proof to filing an appeal for a denied claim, a veteran disability lawyer can assist you throughout the entire claims process.

Select a veteran disability attorney who specializes 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 grant disability benefits if it's confirmed that your illness is directly related to your military service. This is known as a relationship. You can use different types of evidence to prove this connection. This includes medical records, independent health assessments (IME) or a an nexus note from current healthcare providers (especially in the case of mental health conditions). There are times where veterans are diagnosed with medical disabilities, but cannot be service connected because of the absence of or insufficient records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability lawyers who know how to present a complete claim and submit evidence that is confirmed by experts who are impartial.

It is easier to prove a direct connection when illnesses or injuries occurred while you served in the military. If you suffered injuries in the military, and now suffer from headaches and concussions, it is easier to establish a direct connection to the service.

It is more difficult to be service-connected if there was a pre-existing condition that worsened during your military service. To prove that your service caused or aggravated a pre-existing medical condition, you'll need to provide expert medical evidence that is "clear and undeniable".

Appealing a Denial

After submitting 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 unfavorable, the veteran has one year to make a notice of disagreement. A veteran's disability attorney can assist the claimant through the three decision review options: the supplemental claim, or a higher-level review, or a direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Consider whether the lawyer understands your military experiences as well as the military's culture when selecting the New York veterans' disability lawyer. This can make it easier for you to understand and reduce the need to describe your experiences and experiences in layman's terms.

You want a company that will handle your case throughout the multi-year appeals procedure. Be wary of companies that assist you in the initial phases of your case and then disappear.

A seasoned New York veterans' disability lawyer can assist you in every stage of your claim, including appeals. They can help you submit additional medical evidence, request a formal hearing, and represent you at any Board meetings to ensure that your case is handled in a fair manner. They can also help win you benefits such as financial compensations, aid and education benefits, attendance benefits, or even unemployment.

Getting a Higher Rating

It could happen that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms get more severe. In this case it is sensible to ask for an increase in your rating. A veteran disability lawyer can assist you in this process, and also help you collect evidence to prove your claim.

It's not unusual for the VA make mistakes, which can result in a lower rating than you deserve. It's worth contacting an expert to examine your records for mistakes. They might have missed an injury or missed a problem which could be in conjunction with another condition to get an even higher rating.

You may still make a higher-level claim, or review if you've been evaluated for more than a calendar year. This could include a thorough review of your entire dossier, which could result in changes to your effective date and a new rating more accurate to the feelings you have.

If you think you're worthy of an assessment of 100 percent or higher, it's worth making a claim for supplemental benefits. A disability lawyer can help you create a compelling case for this rating which is only available for the most severe of disabilities. A mental health condition such as depression, for instance, could allow you to receive a 100 percent disability rating, as it can hinder employment or trigger frequent hospitalizations that do not normally trigger this level of severity for a heart issue or other medical condition.

Help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some think the denial of a disability claim by the VA is not the end of an individual's ability to get benefits. Former military personnel have a year to appeal an outcome that is not favorable.

An experienced veterans disability lawyer disability attorney can assist a vet in determining which of the three appeal options is best for his particular situation. They can also help an individual vet put the evidence needed to convince a higher level reviewer that their previous decision was not right. They can even provide a veteran with a more formal hearing before an Veterans Law Judge.

The benefit of having an New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they will give you the attention and care that your claim requires. They also have a wealth of experience in handling VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures in and out. Additionally, some attorneys are veterans disability law firms themselves, which means that they understand the issues disabled veterans have to face. This creates a unique kind of empathy that can sometimes enhance the outcome of a case involving a disabled veteran.

Sullivan & Kehoe can review your VA disability claim for free to determine if we are able to help you. Call us today to set up an evaluation for free.