For many veterans, the end of a distinguished military career is followed by significant physical or mental impairments. Fortunately, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers disability benefits to former servicemembers who struggle with these conditions as a result of active duty service.
With a thorough, comprehensive approach to your VA disability claim, you can avoid a denial and obtain the benefits you need. Your Parkersburg veterans’ disability claims lawyer can help you avoid the pitfalls that often come with the claims process. Even if you’ve already received a denial from the VA on an initial disability claim for benefits, one of our attorneys can advise you of your options.
Every applicant for disability compensation must have received a diagnosis of a qualifying condition that the VA covers. Common veterans’ disability claims in Parkersburg include but are not limited to:
In addition to having a qualifying condition, a veteran must also identify an event that took place during active-duty service as the source of his or her disability. This is known as establishing a nexus between a service-related incident and a disability. A lawyer in Parkersburg can help ensure each of these elements are met in a veteran’s disability claim.
The evidence needed to prove a disability claim varies on an individual basis. Typically, a veteran will need to obtain medical records related to his or her disability, as well as military records related to the incident that caused the condition, to prove that it is directly related to his or her military service.
Once the evidence is gathered and the forms are completed, the next step is to file the claim. VA disability claims can be filed online through the VA’s website. Once the claim is filed, it could be months before a former servicemember receives a response. The time it takes the VA to respond to a disability claim will depend on the type of claim filed, the amount of evidence included, and the number of disabilities alleged. For example, a claim regarding a single disability may be resolved much faster than a claim involving a combination of impairments.
In some cases, the VA will respond by requesting additional documentation from an applicant. In other cases, it may schedule an interview with a veteran regarding his or her claim. Once the VA has the information it needs, the agency will review the documentation and make a decision on whether a veteran is eligible to receive disability compensation.
When a former servicemember is denied or approved, the VA will provide him or her with written notice in the mail. Veterans can either accept the outcome or appeal the decision. Our veterans’ disability claims attorneys in Parkersburg can help disabled veterans appeal a denied claim to pursue an ideal outcome.
By seeking the assistance of experienced legal counsel, you can effectively avoid a denial and obtain monetary benefits for your service-related disability. Give yourself the best chance to recover benefits through your claim. Call a Parkersburg veterans disability claims lawyer at our firm today.
