Veteran (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Sterling Heights, Michigan
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides disability compensation to qualifying veterans who suffered service-related events, injuries, or illnesses. The process of filing a claim for disability benefits and receiving a decision can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months or longer.
All too often, disability benefits claims are denied by VA. Alternatively, some veterans receive combined disability ratings lower than what they feel their injuries or disabilities entitle them to receive. In such cases, you may be able to file an appeal. The veteran disability attorneys and professionals serving Sterling Heights, Michigan at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you. Contact us at 800-544-9144 for a complimentary initial consultation.
How a VA Disability Benefits Attorney Can Help With Your Appeal
To receive a grant of benefits, you generally need to prove three things:
- An in-service event, injury, or illness;
- A current diagnosis by a medical professional; and
- A medical nexus, or link, between your in-service event, injury, or illness and your current diagnosis.
If your initial claim for disability benefits was denied by VA, you have the right to file an appeal. It is important to remember that you have one year from the date on your denial letter to file this appeal. In the new appeal system under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA), veterans are now able to choose between three appeal lanes. Depending on the circumstances of your specific claim, you can:
- File a Supplemental Claim including new and relevant evidence;
- Request a Higher-Level Review with a more senior VA employee; or
- File a Notice of Disagreement directly with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
A veterans’ disability attorney may be able to help you determine the best appeal option for you.
If you are frustrated with the long, arduous process of filing a claim and following VA filing requirements, you are not alone. Many veterans give up along the way, especially when their initial claim is denied. Others simply accept a lower than anticipated combined disability rating, even if they may have a case for a review, because the process of filing an appeal seems overwhelming or confusing.
The team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick has worked on countless VA appeals, and we know that. receiving a denial does not mean your opportunity to win a grant of disability benefits is gone. Our team of veterans’ advocates may be able to assist you with filing your appeal and following up with VA until a decision regarding your appeal is made.
Working With Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD
Contact the veteran’s advocates at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD serving Sterling Heights, Michigan at 800-544-9144 for a complimentary review of your case. Our team will determine if we are able to assist you with challenging a VA decision and get you the benefits to which you are entitled.
Sterling Heights Blog Posts
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CCK Presents at Veterans Law Continuing Legal Education Conference in MontanaChisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD attorneys Amy Odom and Maura Clancy attended a two-day Continuing Legal Education conference hosted by the University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law in Missoula, MT on March 20th-21st. About the Conference The Veterans Law Continuing Education program at the Blewett School of Law provided an opportunity for […]
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How Often Does VA Reevaluate Disability Ratings?What is a VA Re-Examination and Reevaluation? A VA re-examination is a medical examination used to reevaluate the severity of your service-connected disability. After you are initially awarded disability benefits, VA will evaluate whether your disability is such that you ought to be scheduled for a future re-examination to determine if your benefits need to […]
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Secondary Conditions to Flat Feet (Pes Planus) for VA DisabilityWhat is Flat Feet (Pes Planus)? Pes planus, often referred to as flat feet, is a common foot deformity in which the arch of the foot is flattened to the point where it touches the ground, or nearly touches the ground. Ligaments and tendons from the lower leg and the foot form the arches; however, […]