Veteran Disability Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs serves America’s 24 million veterans in many ways. Veterans Law governs the services and benefits the Department provides. This includes medical benefits, like medical insurance and disability awards, as well as non-medical benefits, like pensions and education benefits. If you have served in the United States’ military for at least 24 consecutive months and were not dishonorably discharged, you are almost certainly eligible for benefits. If you have had a claim for benefits denied, you should contact an attorney to appeal the decision. This is especially important if you have filed your own claim for benefits, without the aid of legal counsel. The shocking fact is that 72-83% of claims made to the Board of Veterans Appeals are denied. Many of these denials (up to 80%) are ultimately reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims due to errors made by the Board. However, veterans applying for benefits should be aware that the court of appeals does not accept any new evidence when reviewing the original decision. For this reason, it is vitally important to have an attorney work with you on your applications to ensure that the information supplied on the forms is complete and correct. If you are a dependent or survivor of a veteran, you too may be eligible for benefits and should contact a lawyer.