How a Veterans Disability Attorney Can Help You Get the Benefits You Deserve
The process of submitting an application for veterans disability benefits may be overwhelming. A qualified veterans disability lawyers disability lawyer can guide you from beginning to end.
It is essential to find a lawyer who has a limit on their practice to disability cases, and only handles those cases at all levels of appeal. This helps ensure you’ll be receiving the best legal representation.
Appeal
When the VA refuses to approve a claim or does not allow benefits to be approved, it allows the veteran, or his or spouse who is surviving to appeal. Even the most basic disability claims could complicate this complex and time-consuming procedure. A veteran disability lawyer can assist you in understanding all of your options and secure the benefits you deserve.
A common reason people declare a disability claim is that they are unhappy with their disability rating. In this case an attorney can make sure that there’s enough evidence to back the appropriate rating for a condition that is caused or made worse by military service.
A veterans disability lawyer may be needed by those who have been waiting too long to receive their benefits. The lawyer can assist in determining the missing documents and can then make a request to the VA to obtain those documents.
A veterans disability lawyer can alleviate the burden of dealing with the VA away from you. This allows you to concentrate on your health and other obligations you have. Some lawyers are veterans and this may result in a unique empathy for their clients. This can make a huge difference in the outcome of the appeal.
Higher-Level Reviews
Since the veterans disability lawyers Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA) provides veterans disability compensation with more options when they disagree with VA decisions regarding their claims. The Higher-Level Review is a decision review option that permits the senior reviewer to review the same evidence presented in the original claim and make an entirely new decision in the case. The senior reviewer has the option to either affirm or reverse the previous rating.
A veteran or their agent may request an informal conference to discuss the case with the senior reviewer. However only one of these conferences is allowed. It is important to be prepared and provide the facts of your case in a clear manner at this meeting. A veteran disability attorney can assist you in preparing and participate in the informal conference.
Higher-level reviews can be used to correct mistakes made by the previous reviewer on a disability case, such as mistakenly interpreting evidence or committing errors in the law. The senior reviewer can change the previous decision made on the same claim in order to rectify these errors however only if those modifications are beneficial for the person filing the claim.
A personal hearing can also be scheduled for the applicant as a result of the review at a higher level. This provides the applicant to meet with the person who is reviewing their claim and discuss their arguments. A veteran disability lawyer can help decide whether or not the need for a personal hearing is justified and can also prepare and present evidence for the hearing.
Notice of Disagreement
You can file a disagreement within one-year of the date the local office mailed you the original denial letter. The VA will review your case once more and prepare a Statement of the Case.
You must make use of VA Form 21-0958 to file a notice of disagreement. A disability lawyer can assist you fill out this form in a proper manner to appeal the decision. You don’t have to list every reason that you disagree with the decision; however, it is better to be specific in order that the VA knows exactly what you believe to be wrong. Your attorney can provide guidance about the type of evidence you can submit in the NOD including statements from medical professionals or the results of diagnostic tests.
If your appeal is denied at this stage, then you can have it reviewed again by a senior reviewer through an Higher Level Review. This process can take approximately 25 months. You should be with your attorney throughout the process. If the VA is unable to resolve your claim, your lawyer may request a hearing to be held before a Veterans Law Judge to present testimony and additional evidence in person. Your lawyer will prepare your check in the event that your claim is approved.
Statement of the Case
Congress has passed many laws to ensure that veterans receive compensation for illnesses, injuries and Veterans Disability case other ailments they’ve suffered during their service. The VA is a huge bureaucracy and it’s easy to be lost. A veteran disability lawyer can assist claimants navigate the system and provide the assistance they need.
When a veteran files a Notice of Disagreement with his or local VA office, the VA must conduct an investigation of the case. This involves examining the laws, regulations, and evidence used in the initial decision. This includes looking over the medical records of the veteran and in the event of a need lay statements. The VA must send the claimant a Statement of the Case which is a list of all evidence it studied.
The statement should be written in plain language and provide the reasoning of the decision, which should include the interpretation of the laws and regulations relevant to the case. It should address the allegations made by the plaintiff in his or her NOD.
The Statement of the Case is typically mailed to the veteran within 120 days from the date the NOD was filed. Due to the VA backlog, it may take the agency longer to issue the document. If you are a veteran attempting to appeal the decision of a rating agency or a claim for benefits, contact an attorney for veterans disability attorneys disability case (https://wiki.tairaserver.net/index.php/the_expert_Guide_to_veterans_disability_claim) disability from Fusco, Brandenstein & Rada, P.C.