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Veteran (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Oneonta, New York

You may be eligible for disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs if you served in the military and were left with a disabling medical condition.  Many individuals in Oneonta, New York may find themselves in this situation after serving their country.

However, VA does not always approve claims for disability compensation.  You may find your claim denied for several reasons, and in this situation you have the right to appeal the decision.  The team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help with your appeal.  Call us at (800) 544-9144 for a free consultation.

VA Benefit Resources Serving Oneonta, NY

If you live in Oneonta, New York you may have to travel some distance to reach a regional benefit office.  However, there are several VA medical centers closer to your location.  VA facilities you may visit :

New York VA Regional Benefit Office

VA Medical Centers Near Oneonta, NY

Oneonta VA Statistics

There are 838,000 veterans living in the state of New York, according to the New York State Health Foundation.  This gives New York the fifth-largest community of veterans in the United States.

VA spent $6.3 billion in the state of New York in the year 2016.  Almost half of these funds went toward the medical care of veterans.  However, around half of the veterans in the state still reported that they would rather get healthcare from sources other than VA.

Focus on Your Disability Appeal in Oneonta

You may apply for VA disability benefits if you believe you are dealing with a medical condition caused by your time in military service, but your claim may be denied.  You do not have to accept the denial, and you may want to contact a veterans’ advocate to help file an appeal.

A veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Oneonta, New York may be able to help you handle your appeal.  Generally, a grant of service connection requires three components:

  • An in-service event, injury, or illness;
  • A current diagnosis provided by a medical professional; and
  • A medical nexus, or link, between your in-service event, injury, or illness and your current diagnosis.

A health condition diagnosed by a healthcare professional may allow you to qualify for disability benefits, so it is important that you seek medical care if you believe you have an injury or illness caused by an in-service event.

Evidence that can support your claim or appeal may include:

  • Lab reports
  • Medical and service records
  • Statements from physicians
  • Lay statements

This information may be used to demonstrate that you have a current health condition that prevents you from working or performing daily activities.  However, a veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Oneonta, New York may also help you to connect your diagnosis to an event in your military service.  Establishing this “nexus” may involve digging deeper into your records, or interviewing members of your family, coworkers, friends, or fellow service members.

You may wish to discuss your legal options for filing an appeal with the team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. Reach out by calling (800) 544-9144.  Our attorneys may be able to use our knowledge and experience to appeal your wrongful benefit denial.

VA Disability Compensation Levels

A veterans’ advocate serving Oneonta may be able to help you determine the level of benefits you could receive.  The amount of benefits that you can receive may depend upon how much the medical condition impacts:

  • Your functional capacity
  • Your ability to perform activities of daily life

Activities of daily life may include things like getting dressed, cleaning the house, or preparing a meal. The degree of your health condition may be assessed on a percentage scale in increments of 10.  The more severe your circumstances, the larger the amount of funds you may receive.

Importantly, you may receive additional compensation if you have a dependent spouse, children, or parents and have a disability rating of at least 30 percent.

Reach Out to a Veteran (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Oneonta, New York

If you have a diagnosed health condition that prevents you from working in Oneonta, and your condition is connected to an in-service event, injury, or illness, you may be able to seek VA disability benefits.  Even if your initial application for benefits was denied, you may be able to appeal this decision with the help of a veterans advocate at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD.

A veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Oneonta, New York may be able to review your VA denial and look for possible reasons why your claim may have been denied.  Our team may be able to gather additional evidence to support your claim and file a strong appeal.

Contact us at (800) 544-9144 for a free initial consultation to see if we can assist.

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