5 Laws Anybody Working In Veterans Disability Compensation Should Know
How a Veterans Disability Attorney Can Help You Get the Benefits You Deserve
The process of submitting an application for benefits from veterans disability may appear overwhelming. A good veterans disability attorney can assist you from start to finish.
It’s important to find a lawyer who limits their practice to disabilities and only handles these cases at every level of appeal. This will ensure that you get the best representation.
Appeals
When the VA denies or does not approve a claim, either the spouse of the deceased may appeal. Even the most basic disability claims can make it difficult to navigate this complicated and time-consuming procedure. A veterans disability lawyer can assist you in understanding all your options and get the benefits you deserve.
A common reason why people are required to file an application for disability benefits is that they are not happy with their disability ratings. In this situation, the lawyer can make sure that the evidence is there to support an appropriate rating based on a debilitating condition caused by or aggravated by military service.
Another reason that people tend to require a chino valley veterans disability lawsuit disability lawyer is that they’ve been waiting too long to receive their benefits. The lawyer can assist in determining the missing documents, and then submit a request for these records to the VA.
A nelsonville veterans disability lawyer disability lawyer can help you deal with the VA away from your shoulders. This allows you to concentrate on your health and other obligations that you may have. Some lawyers are veterans which can give them an innate empathy for their clients. This can make a huge difference in the result of the appeal.
Higher-Level Reviews
Veterans are able to appeal VA decisions in the event of disagreement. The Higher-Level Review is a decision review option that permits senior reviewers to examine the same evidence that was presented in the original claim and make an additional decision regarding the case. The senior reviewer is able to either reverse or confirm the previous rating.
The veteran or their representative can arrange for a casual conference with the senior reviewer to discuss the case, but only one such meeting is allowed. It is important to be prepared and provide your case in a concise manner during this meeting. An attorney who specializes in the field of veterans disability can assist you prepare and participate at the informal conference.
Higher-level reviews can be used to correct errors made by the previous reviewer in a disability case for example, not interpreting evidence correctly or making mistakes in the law. Senior reviewers can correct the errors by changing the previous decision but only if it is in the claimant’s best interest.
A personal hearing may be scheduled for the applicant as a result of the review at a higher-level. This gives the claimant to meet the person reviewing their claim and discuss their arguments. A veterans disability attorney can help determine whether an individual hearing is necessary and prepare and present the evidence at the hearing.
Notice of Disagreement
Once the VA has examined your claim and reached a decision, you can file a written notice of disagreement within one year from the date the local office has sent you the initial denial letter. The VA will examine your claim once more and draft an official statement of the case.
You should use VA Form 21-0958 to file a notice of disagreement. A disability lawyer can assist you complete this form correctly to appeal the decision. You don’t have to include every reason you don’t agree with the decision. However it is better to be specific so that the VA knows exactly what you believe to be incorrect. Your attorney can assist you in deciding what evidence to include with the NOD. This could be statements from medical professionals or the results of diagnostic tests.
If your appeal is not granted at this stage If you are denied, you can try again to have it reviewed by a senior reviewer in the form of a Higher-Level Review. It could take as long as 25 months, and you must have your attorney at your side every step of the process. If the VA continues to deny your claim, your lawyer may request that a hearing be conducted before an Veterans Law Judge to present testimony and additional evidence in person. Your attorney will prepare your check in the event that your claim is approved.
Statement of the Case
Congress has written extensive laws to ensure that veterans are paid for injuries, illnesses and other ailments that they suffer during their service. The VA is a big bureaucracy and it’s easy to become lost. A veteran disability attorney can help you navigate the process and provide crucial assistance for claimants.
Once a veteran files a Notice of Disagreement in his or her local VA office, the VA must conduct an examination of the case. This includes examining the regulations, laws and the evidence used to make the initial decision. This includes reviewing the medical record of the veteran as well as when necessary, lay statements. The VA must provide the applicant with an Statement of Case which includes a list of evidence that it has reviewed.
The statement should be written simple and clear, and also explain the reasoning behind the decision, as well as the interpretation of the law and regulations that affect the case. It should address the claims made by the plaintiff in his or her NOD.
The Statement of the Case is typically sent to the veteran within 120 days from the date on which the NOD was filed. However, due to the VA backlog and backlog, the agency could take longer to mail this document. If you are a veteran who is appealing the decision of a rating agency or a claim for benefits, contact a veterans disability lawyer from Fusco, Brandenstein & Rada, P.C.