seminole veterans disability attorney Disability Lawyers

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

Choose a lawyer for veterans who limits their practice to handling these cases and is aware of the VA's system inside out. This will ensure your case is given the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if it can be proven that your condition is related to your military service. This is known as a relationship. There are many types of evidence that you can prove the connection, such as medical records as well as independent medical examinations (IME) and the nexus letters of current health professionals or therapists (especially for mental health issues). There are instances 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 are able to present an accurate claim and submit evidence that is backed by independent experts.

It is simpler to prove that there is a direct connection to your service for illnesses or injuries that occurred while in the military. If you were injured during your military service and now suffer from headaches and concussions it is much easier to establish a direct connection to the service.

However, it is harder to get connected if you suffer from an existing medical condition that grew worse during your time in the military. To prove that your time in service worsened or aggravated a pre-existing illness it is necessary to provide expert medical evidence that is at the level of "clear and undeniable" evidence.

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your application after you have submitted your application and provided medical proof. The VA typically issues a decision approving or denying benefits. If the decision is not favorable, the veteran is given a year to make a formal complaint. A veteran's disability attorney can help the claimant navigate through the three review options - the supplemental claim, or a higher-level review, or a direct appeal before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Be sure to consider whether the lawyer has a good understanding of your military experiences as well as the tradition of the armed services when choosing a New York veterans' disability lawyer. This can help you feel more comfortable and less requiring you to explain your experience and the circumstances in layman's terms.

You want a firm who will work on your case throughout the long appeals process. Be wary about firms that assist you in the initial phases of your case and then go away.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney can help you through all phases of your claim including the appeals process. They can help you submit more medical evidence, ask for an official hearing, and also represent you in any Board meetings to ensure that your case will be handled in a fair manner. They can also help you obtain benefits like monetary compensation, aid and attendance, education benefits or unemployed benefits.

How do I obtain a higher rating

It may happen that your disability becomes worse or your symptoms get more severe. It is logical in this situation to ask for an increase in rating. A veteran disability lawyer can help you in this process and help you gather evidence to prove your claim.

It's not uncommon for the VA to make mistakes that lead to an lower disability rating than you're entitled to. Whether they accidentally miss an injury or miss a condition that could be a combination of other disabilities to earn a higher rating, it's worth having a professional look over your records to identify any mistakes.

You are still able to file a higher-level claim or review if you've been evaluated for more than a calendar year. These are a thorough examination of your file, and could result in the change of your effective date or an entirely new rating that's more accurate to how you truly feel.

If you think you're worthy of an assessment of 100 percent or higher, it's worth seeking a supplemental claim. A disability lawyer can help you create a compelling case for this rating, which is reserved only for the most debilitating disabilities. For instance the mental health issue could qualify you for a 100% disability rating due to the fact that it causes significant disruption to your work or frequent periods of hospitalization. These don't usually trigger this level of the rating for a heart illness or other medical issues.

Need Help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some people may believe that denying a disability claim by the VA isn't the end of an individual's chances to receive benefits. Former service members have a year to appeal an outcome that is not favorable.

A skilled veterans disability lawyer can assist a veteran to determine which of the three current appeals routes is best for their case. They can also help with gathering the evidence needed to convince a higher-level reviewer the previous decision was not right. They may also give a veteran an opportunity to have a formal hearing front of a Washington court house veterans disability Attorney Law judge.

A New York veteran disability lawyer can give you the personalized attention that your claim needs. They also have years of experience handling VA disability claims and understand the rules and procedures in and out. Additionally, some attorneys are veterans themselves, which means they understand the challenges disabled veterans face. This creates a distinct type of empathy that can sometimes make a difference in the outcome of a veterans disability case.

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