When applying for veteran’s disability benefits one of the biggest obstacles to overcome is managing the mountain of paperwork required to get approved. Filling out all the forms and then filing them in the correct way can be a nightmare. In fact, even tracking down all the forms and documents isn’t always easy.
The kind of claim you’re filing will affect what kind of forms and documents you’ll need to find, but there are a few main hubs you should be aware of that can help you find whatever form you need.
Regional Office
If you’re appealing a denial you’ll need a copy of your decision so that you can be specific on the issues that you are appealing. This can be found at the regional VA office that processed the original claim.
VA Medical Center
VA medical records can be requested by calling or going in person to a VA medical center (VAMC) and submitting an Individuals’ Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information. These medical records will come in handy if you’ve been treated at a VAMC and need to prove you’ve been getting regular treatment for a disability.
National Personnel Records Center
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is like the mothership of records. Everything from DD-214s to medical records to unit morning reports are all stored here. Sadly the NPRC stores a lot of these records as hard copies instead of electronic storage. This can greatly increase wait time for getting documents.
To request a document from the NPRC you have four options:
Having the right documents is essential to getting approved for VA disability benefits. Knowing where to find them and what to do with them takes an expert. Jan Dils Attorneys at Law has the experts who can help you find and submit the needed documents.
