Dealing With Injury As A Veteran? Is It From The Military?

Many veterans either have difficulty getting claims through the Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claim system or don't know much about the system. You're entitled to compensation for your injuries, complications and other conditions that were caused by military service or made worse by service. If you're not sure, it costs nothing to put in a claim or additional appeals. Take the time to understand how the system works and how an attorney can help you succeed if denials arrive in the mail. 

What Is VA Disability?

Veterans Affairs disability is not the same as Social Security's disability program, so if you have any preconceived notions about disability--or if someone else is telling you about Social Security's program--throw that information aside from now. Unlike Social Security, you are not limited from working in most cases. Claims for injuries that should stop you from working can be re-evaluated or considered fraudulent if you're suddenly able to work, but these are exceptions.

The VA disability program is compensation for what you've given for your country. If it happened while you were in military service, you're entitled to both monetary compensation based on the VA's rating for your condition and medical benefits. The issue is proving that your condition is related to the military.

It's not as simple as visiting with the VA and showing obvious wounds, and it's even harder to prove something like pain or mental conditions by word alone. You'll need proof that you went through some sort of damaging situation in the past, whether it's from medical records, service records, news reports or some deeper investigation that may require a professional to find and properly argue in your favor.

You'll also need to prove that you're still suffering from the problem. Obvious physical injuries with wounds on the outside are relatively easy to prove, but many pain sufferers may have no physical evidence that can be seen with many pieces of medical equipment or observation. Pain can happen without inflammation or bruising, but if the VA can't see the problem, they may not approve the claim.

In such cases, it's time for a professional.

An Attorney Can Bring The Information Together

The VA's equipment may not be up to par, or due to long wait times and other issues at a facility, your results could have been rushed without the diligence needed to prove your claim. Instead of trying it again with the same information, get an attorney on your side.

A personal injury attorney can examine your evidence and put you in contact with medical professionals who can spend as much time as necessary in order to show proof of your problem. If rushed work is suspected, the medical professionals and your attorney can spell out the problem and create obvious, detailed instructions on how to find the issue and repeat the tests with the same results.

If you're a veteran without legal assistance, there's years of training and experience that you simply don't have. Gumption and telling the truth can only go so far if the VA simply doesn't agree with your statements, so contact a personal injury attorney (such as one from Seiler & Parker PC) to make your VA appeal speak the VA's language.


Share