If you were injured while serving in the military or sustained a service-related disability, you may be able to file a VA disability claim. It can be difficult for injured service members to prove to the VA that their disability is connected to their service, however. Those veterans who were exposed to chemicals such as Agent Orange, have conditions like Gulf War Syndrome, or sustained respiratory ailments from burn pit exposure may have a more difficult time filing a claim than others. If you are having trouble securing benefits from the VA, a veterans benefits lawyer near Nashville can help. A lawyer can help you appeal the VA’s decision to reject your claim or apply for reconsideration to have your disability rating increased.
VA disability benefits are awarded on the basis of your service-connected injury or ailment. If your disability impairs or entirely prevents you from working, you can recover benefits. In a lot of cases, a disability can simply reduce the hours or change the type of work you can do. This may result in reduced pay or the need to take a demotion. In those cases, you can still recover VA disability benefits.
Those who qualify receive regular monthly compensation based on their disability rating. Those who cannot work at all can receive TDIU benefits (total disability and individual unemployability). You do not need to be 100% disabled to recover these benefits. A finding that you have one disability rated over 60% or two disabilities that combine for a rating over 70% (where one is rated at least 40%) is enough to prove a TDIU claim.
The standard for approving disability applications is rather high. You must be able to establish a connection between your military service and your disability. You must then establish that your disability impacts your ability to work. The VA may reject your claim if it lacks sufficient evidence that your injury is service-related. In those cases, a VA benefits lawyer can help you coordinate your records and information from your doctors when filing an appeal. In some cases, we can help by hiring a vocational counselor who can testify as to what forms of work you can and cannot perform moving forward.
With the help of a skilled Nashville VA benefits lawyer, you can have your disability rating increased or provide a stronger case file that meets the VA’s standards. The Comerford Law Office, LLC has successfully helped thousands of area veterans recover VA disability benefits. For more information on the application process, please do not hesitate to call our office today.