Nashville Veterans Benefits Attorneys

Nashville Veterans Benefits Attorneys

Whether you served in the armed forces for two years or twenty, you are likely eligible for various benefits under one or more of the various US uniformed services (VA Benefits) programs. While these VA Benefits can be generous and life-changing, they can also be difficult to get. This challenge is why you may need a VA Benefits lawyer in Nashville. One of the more significant – and most challenging – of these benefits is obtaining a disability pension.

How Does VA Disability Work?

VA disability compensation provides monthly tax-free payments to veterans who suffered an injury or became ill while serving in the armed forces. It also offers payment for those whose pre-existing conditions worsened due to their service. 

You may qualify for disability based on a physical condition, such as chronic illness or injury. You may also qualify based on mental conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that developed before, during, or after your service. 

Eligibility for VA Disability

You may be eligible for disability if you have a current condition that affects you mentally or physically and you served on active duty or active or inactive duty training. You must also meet one of the following qualifications:

• You got sick or injured while serving and can link your condition to that in-service illness or injury
• You had an illness or injury before serving, and service made your preservice condition worse
• You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until you were postservice

Certain conditions are presumed to qualify for disability. These include:

• Chronic illness appearing within one year of discharge
• Illness caused by contact with hazardous substances
• Illinois caused by time spent as a prisoner of war

Veterans and qualified dependents are eligible for disability. Note, however, that if you did not receive an honorable discharge, you might not be eligible for disability compensation. 

Claiming VA Disability Benefits

Once you have determined that you may be eligible for benefits, you can apply for your VA Disability benefits. You must complete and file the application with all required supporting documentation. Among the documents you will need are:

• VA medical and hospital records relating to your injury or illness or showing worsening of your condition
• Private medical records showing the same
• Supporting statements from family, friends, etc., about your condition and its progress

You will have a year from the date the VA receives your claim to submit supporting documentation. You can save your application and come back to finish it. The starting date will be good so long as you finish within 365 days. You can file online, by mail, in person, or with the help of an accredited representative, which will include your VA Benefits attorney.

After You File

The average processing time for a VA disability claim is 125.3 days. During that time, there isn’t much you can do unless you receive a request for more information or asks you to take an exam. You want to be sure not to miss a request or exam, which can cause your application to fail.

Contact Nashville VA Benefits Attorneys

If you are contemplating filing a VA disability claim or are experiencing problems or denial of a claim you already filed, you may need to contact a Nashville VA Benefits attorney today. Call us at 423-269-2222 or online and let us help you understand your disability and the disability benefits process. We can evaluate your claim, help you to file an initial claim, and help you to appeal a denial. Let the skilled and experienced lawyers at the Comerford Law Office help you get the benefits you earned.