®
VA Disability Appeals
Navigating the VA disability claims process can be confusing and frustrating. The documents the VA sends you aren’t always clear in the reason for their decision or the next steps you need to take.
To succeed on a VA disability claim appeal, you need to have all three pieces to the service connection puzzle. The first piece is evidence of an in-service injury or illness. The best evidence is written medical records of the injury during your time in the military.
The second piece of the puzzle is a current medical diagnosis of the disability. This can be from your private physician or a VA physician. The third piece of the puzzle is a medical nexus between the documented in-service injury and your currently diagnosed disability.Understanding which piece of the puzzle is missing is the first step to determining the course of action to appeal the denial.
The process itself requires completing defined steps in a certain order. There are three general options, or lanes, available to you when appealing your VA disability claim decision. You can file a Supplemental Claim with new evidence to the Regional Office. You can request a Higher-Level Review by a more senior at the Regional Office. With a Higher-Level Review, you are not able to provide any new evidence for your claim. You can also appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals. This may be a good option if you have provided all the evidence you have in your possession and made all the legal arguments and still have not won at the Regional Office. At the Board, your appeal will be reviewed and decided by an attorney.
The choice of claim lane is an important decision and is best made with the assistance of an experienced accredited representative.
We have extensive experience assisting Veterans with VA disability claims appeals and will work hard to secure the benefits you deserve. There are no upfront costs for our representation during this process. We only receive a fee when we win your appeal. Our standard fee for assisting with VA disability claims appeals is 20% of the backpay you receive. The VA will pay us the fee directly out of the back pay you are awarded from the VA.
Ready to get started? Start your VA intake form today!
“VETERAN AND MILITARY BENEFITS SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM COUNTY VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND FEDERALLY CHARTERED VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AT 1-800-382-3000.”