The Department of Veterans Affairs was established to help veterans that suffered an injury that resulted in a disability or contacted a serious illness as a result of their serving in the US military. Although the programs have proven to be of benefit to many hundreds of thousands of disabled veterans, getting benefits is far from east. The system itself is very complex, so much so that many disabled veterans simply cannot understand what it is they are supposed to do.
If your specific disability is one that is difficult to substantiate you may find that you will have to rely on expert assistance both legal and medical in order to claim your full benefits.
The steps that need to be taken when applying for VA disability benefits:
Needless to say the first thing that you must do is to determine if you truly are eligible for benefits, if you are of the opinion that you are eligible then you must gather up all the evidence that will support your claim.
Once you think everything that is needed is at hand, then you can begin the application process. If your case is really cut and dried then you might be able to prepare the claim yourself, however, if your claim is not clear cut then you are well advised to contact an attorney that is accredited by the DVA. At the best of times, the entire application process is difficult and any omissions or errors will only add to the already long wait for benefits or worse yet, your application may be denied.
What evidence is the DVA looking for?
You must bear in mind that the DVA personnel that will be reviewing your claim will not be qualified medical experts; you must submit evidence that substantiates your claim and shows that:
* You did not suffer from the disability before you entered the military
* You are now disabled, and
* It was your military service that caused your disability or aggravated an existing condition to the point where is became disabling
Applying for VA viability benefits can be tricky, the majority of those that apply without legal assistance find that small errors made by themselves has only delayed the receipt of benefits or their benefits were denied altogether.
If you are having difficulty applying for VA disability benefits you might want to consider seeking the assistance of an accredited attorney. You are invited to contact Jackson & MacNichol Attorneys at Law. Like us on our facebook page.
