If you suffer from a mental health condition stemming from your service in the military, you are likely eligible to receive Veterans’ disability benefits. To obtain these benefits, a Veteran must file a claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The process of filing a claim is complex, and you could eventually have to appear before a Veterans Law Judge. Partner with a hardworking Veterans’ disability claims attorney to help you understand your rights when pursuing Veteran’s mental health claims in Logan.
VA disability benefits cover a range of mental health conditions as long as they result from or were made worse by service. Some examples of covered mental health conditions include the following:
A Veteran can be eligible for disability benefits by proving he or she has a mental health condition and that the condition was connected to his or her service.
There are three types of disability claims available to a Logan Veteran based on how the mental health condition occurred. If it was a direct result of service, this is considered an in-service disability claim.
Veterans can also obtain disability benefits if the condition existed before active duty but was made worse because of serving. This is known as a pre-service disability claim. Additionally, certain mental health conditions do not manifest until after a Veteran completes his or her service. That individual can still obtain benefits through a post-service disability claim.
A Veteran in Logan, WV who is filing for mental health disability is required to submit documentation to support his or her claim. This type of evidence will depend on the specific condition.
Along with showing that a mental health condition exists, the applicant’s documentation should describe the event that led to it and how they are connected. If the condition was pre-existing, the evidence should show how it was made worse through military service.
Documentation that can support a claim includes medical and hospital records from the VA or a private health facility or doctor. Similarly, a person could provide evidence in the form of supporting statements from family, friends, or fellow Veterans.
The VA could also require specific applications for certain mental health conditions. For example, Veterans dealing with PTSD must file VA Form 21-0781, which is a statement in support of a claim for service connection for PTSD. He or she may also need to submit to additional mental health evaluations by the VA during the application process.
Following all of this, the VA will assign a disability rating based on the proof provided with a Veteran’s application. The disability rating is reflected in percentage increments and represents how much the mental disability adversely impacts the person’s overall health. Fight4Vets has a helpful Veterans benefits calculator which can be used to estimate the expected benefits.
The turnaround time for approval of a Veteran’s mental disability claim in Logan will depend on multiple factors, such as the severity of the condition and the evidence provided.
When a Veteran is denied or disagrees with the decision, he or she still has options to appeal the claim. First, the individual can file a supplemental claim to appeal the decision by providing new information. If unsuccessful, they may pursue an informal conference to discuss errors in the case, known as a higher-level review. However, the applicant cannot introduce new evidence during this appeal.
If the higher-level review is unsuccessful, the Veteran can appeal the decision to a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and submit new evidence during the board review process.
Finding a professional attorney is especially helpful during the appeals phase, as the applicant must comply with specific procedural filing and timing requirements.
Dealing with a mental health condition while navigating the disability benefits application process can add unnecessary stress to your life.
If you have questions about the filing of Veteran’s mental health claims in Logan, you should contact legal counsel immediately. Our knowledgeable Veterans’ disability lawyers can work with you on the best way to secure benefits – at no upfront cost to you.