How to File a grove city veterans disability lawyer Disability Claim
A veteran’s disability claim is an important component of his or her benefit application. Many veterans who have their claims approved receive additional monthly income that is tax free.
It’s not a secret that VA is behind in the processing of claims for disability from veterans. It could take months, even years for a decision to be made.
Aggravation
A veteran could be eligible to claim disability compensation for an illness that was caused by their military service. This kind of claim can be physical or mental. A VA lawyer who is competent can help an ex-military member file an aggravated disabilities claim. A claimant needs to prove either through medical evidence or independent opinions that their pre-service condition was aggravated due to active duty.
A doctor who is an expert in the veteran’s disability can provide an independent medical opinion that demonstrates the severity of the pre-service condition. In addition to the doctor’s opinion in addition, the veteran will need to submit medical records and lay statements from family members or friends who can testify to the severity of their pre-service conditions.
It is crucial to remember in a claim to be disabled by a veteran that the condition being aggravated has to be different from the initial disability rating. An attorney for disability can guide the former soldier on how to present sufficient medical evidence and testimony to prove that their original health condition was not merely aggravated through military service, but actually worse than it would have been without the aggravating factor.
VA proposes to revise its two «aggravation standards» in its regulations 38 CFR 3.306 and 3.310. The differing language used in these regulations has caused confusion and controversy in the claims process. Particularly, the inconsistent usage of terms such as «increase in disability» and «any increase in severity» has been the source of disputes and uncertainty.
Service-Connected Terms
To be eligible for benefits a veteran must prove that his or her health or disability was caused by service. This is known as «service connection.» For some conditions, like Ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular diseases that develop because of service-connected amputations, service connection is automatically granted. For other conditions, such as PTSD the veterans must present documents or evidence from people who were close to them in the military to prove their condition to a specific incident that took place during their time of service.
A pre-existing medical issue can be a service-related issue if it was aggravated by active duty and not as a natural progression of disease. It is best to submit a doctor’s report that explains that the aggravation of the condition was due to service, and not the natural development of the disease.
Certain injuries and illnesses are believed to have been caused or aggravated due to service. They are known as «presumptive diseases.» This includes exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and Korea veterans radiation exposure in prisoners of War, as well as other Gulf War conditions. Some chronic illnesses and tropical diseases are presumed to have been caused or aggravated from service. These include AL amyloidosis, chloracne or other acne-related conditions such as porphyria cutanea tarda tuberculosis and multiple sclerosis and diabetes mellitus type 2. For more information about these presumptive conditions, visit here.
Appeal
The VA has a procedure to appeal their decision to award or deny benefits. The first step is to make a notice of disagreement. If your VA-accredited lawyer will not handle this for you, you are able to complete it on your own. This form is used by the VA to let them know that you are not satisfied with their decision, and would prefer a more thorough review of your case.
There are two paths to a higher-level review, both of which you should take into consideration. You can request a private meeting with an official from the Decision Review Office at your local office. The DRO will perform an in-person (no consideration is given to prior decisions) review and either overturn the previous decision or affirm it. You may or not be allowed to submit new evidence. The other option is to request an appointment with an Veterans Law Judge from the Board of alexandria veterans disability law Firm‘ Appeals in Washington, D.C.
It is important to discuss these aspects with your VA-accredited lawyer. They will have experience in this area and will know the best option for your particular case. They are also aware of the challenges faced by disabled veterans, which can make them an effective advocate on your behalf.
Time Limits
You can seek compensation if you suffer from an impairment that you acquired or worsened while serving in the military. You’ll need to be patient while the VA reviews and decides on your application. You may need to wait up to 180 calendar days after submitting your claim before receiving an answer.
There are a variety of factors which can impact the length of time the VA will take to reach an informed decision on your claim. How quickly your claim will be evaluated is largely determined by the quantity of evidence that you submit. The location of the field office that handles your claim can also influence the time it will take for the VA to review your claims.
How often you check in with the VA to see the status of your claim can influence the time it takes to complete the process. You can accelerate the process of filing a claim by submitting all evidence as quickly as possible, providing specific details regarding the medical care facility you use, as well as sending any requested details.
You may request a higher-level review if it is your opinion that the decision you were given regarding your disability was incorrect. You’ll need to provide all of the facts about your case to an experienced reviewer who will determine whether there was a mistake in the original decision. However, this review is not able to contain new evidence.