If you were injured during your time in the military, filing for disability with the Department of Veterans Affairs when you return home to Cincinnati can be a grueling process. The VA doesn’t process claims quickly, which means you may have to wait to get the compensation and benefits you deserve. That’s why working with a Cincinnati veterans disability attorney immediately after leaving the armed forces is such a good idea. They can help you through the entire process while pushing the VA to honor their promise and fulfill their obligations. Here’s why you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after coming home.
Boosts Your Chance of Proving a Service Connection
The sooner you start working with an attorney, the easier it will be to put together documentation linking your injuries and disability to your time in service. Your attorney knows what types of evidence the VA will recognize and approve, and can help you track down that information faster. This makes it easier to prove a service connection so you can get the benefits you need at the rate you deserve.
May Improve Your Disability Rating
Veterans disability attorneys understand that the VA may actively try to show that disabilities are less severe than they are in truth. The less severe the disability is, the less you’ll receive in compensation. By working with an attorney from the beginning, you’ll be able to present evidence proving the severity of your disability in a way the VA can’t ignore. This could help you get a higher disability rating which directly impacts your compensation.
Makes It Easier to Establish an Early Effective Date
The sooner you submit your Intent to File (ITF), the sooner you can establish your effective date—the date your benefits should be backdated to once your claim is approved. While you can file the form yourself, doing so quickly while you’re readjusting to civilian life and trying to figure out new routines that can accommodate your disability is difficult at best. With an attorney’s help, you can submit that form faster. And the faster you submit it, the sooner the VA can review your claim.
Helps You Compile Appropriate Evidence
Unfortunately, the VA denies many disability claims during their first review. This is often because the veteran didn’t submit appropriate evidence or wasn’t able to track down the right documents to prove the extent of their injuries. Veterans disability attorneys know which types of evidence are needed and how to track that evidence down. This means you’ll have everything you need to prepare your claim for success when you file. And if the VA denies the claim, you’ll have someone who can help you find additional evidence to satisfy the appeal.
Gives You Access to Expert Advice
The VA can seemingly spring things on you during the claims process, and figuring out how to handle their requests and curveballs can be difficult. When you work with an attorney, you’ll have access to expert advice every step of the way. This means you’ll have someone who can answer your questions quickly, tell you which steps to take moving forward and guide you through any setbacks to keep your claim moving forward. And if your claim is denied, they can represent your interest with the VA, sparing you the stress and frustration of having to go back and forth with their representatives when you have other things to worry about.
Let Veterans Law Attorneys Help
At Veterans Law Attorneys, our team is dedicated to helping veterans get the benefits they deserve. We’ll work for you and do everything we can to get you the compensation you need. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
