Even though most veterans dedicate their lives to serving the country, it is unfortunate that most of them often fail to get the compensation they deserve. This is rampant especially among vets who end up being designated housebound due to an injury or illness that they acquired while in the line of duty. Some of them get a lower disability rating meaning they get a lesser settlement than they deserve and what’s even worse is that some often get their disability claims denied completely.
Statistics show that among the 186,000 vets who were titled housebound, approximately 33400 had errors in their payments and those among this group who were compensated correctly had to wait for about six years. When you consider the fact that these veterans had dependents who rely on them, it is quite unfair. Fortunately, if you are a vet seeking an appeal for your disability claims, you don’t have to put up with the hectic processes or accept lower disability ratings as you can always hire a VA attorney to help you speed up the appeal process. It seems easy and also cheaper to handle the process alone but hiring an attorney to represent you can prove to be incredibly beneficial in the long run. Below are some benefits that you get when you hire one.
Professional Training and Experience
One of the topmost reasons why you should highly consider hiring a veterans appeals lawyer is because of the professional training and experience that they boast. As an ordinary veteran, you are undoubtedly unaware of what goes on when it comes to the legalities of placing an appeal. However, a VA advocate is not only trained but has handled myriads of cases like yours before and as such boasts the experience and skills to ensure you go home a happy lad.
A VA Lawyer Will Help You with the Paperwork.
It is the small mistakes you make while filling in the paperwork that results in a weak case. Bringing an attorney on board during the first stage of your appeal makes work easy for you because first; he/she will ensure you have all the relevant files. Secondly, your attorney will help you with the paperwork thus eliminating any loopholes that might weaken your case. This makes it possible for you to present a well-built claim file, thereby inching you a step closer to your rightful benefits.
Gives Your Case a Professional Outlook
They say appearances matter, and as cliché as that might sound, it is indeed true. When you present your case, the department of veteran’s affairs will consider you as an Average Joe and will even take more time to investigate your file. The situation is however different when you hire an attorney to represent you. Reason being he/she will enlighten you on your rights as a vet, therefore keeping you in the know of what is right and what is wrong. Additionally, as your representative, your advocate will not only create the professional touch your claim requires but also help push the VA and the CVAC to act fast, thereby speeding up your case. This fact is supported by an annual report released by the VA.
For Convenience
Another reason why you should hire a VA lawyer is the convenience that you get. Even though it might seem reasonable to let the service organization represent you for free, it is vital that you keep in mind that these organizations must handle myriads of claims. What’s even worse, is that they are often understaffed, meaning you lack the personal touch you need. In respect to that, some of the burning questions you might have regarding your appeal will go unanswered, and you also must keep on telling and retelling your story to claim officers every time you call them as they have many cases to handle and cannot distinguish one from another. However, the scenario is entirely different when you hire a VA advocate.
You get a personal representative who will explain the A-Z of your appeal to you and additionally offer the legal competence required to help you win your case. Hiring a veteran appeal advocate increases not only your chances of getting a higher disability rating but also offers convenience. It also provides peace of mind because everything is handled by an individual who is well-versed with the law.
