Veterans Benefits Lawyers Near Nashville

Veterans Benefits Lawyers Near Nashville

Veterans of America’s uniformed services are entitled to many benefits in return for those services. However, obtaining those services can be challenging. You may find that working with a veterans benefits lawyer near Nashville will ease the process for you.

VA Health Benefits

Many former service members are entitled to health benefits as veterans. To qualify for such benefits, you must:

• Have served in the active-duty military, naval, or air service (including called up National Guard or Reserve service) and
• Not received a dishonorable discharge, and
• Meet at least one of the service requirements:
• Served 24 continuous months or your entire active-duty period (not including time served for training purposes only)
• Were discharged for a service-connected disability
• Were discharged for a hardship or early out
• Served before September 7, 1980

Application Process

To apply for benefits, you’ll need:

• Social Security numbers for you, your spouse, and your eligible dependents
• Military discharge information (DD214 or other separation documents)
• Insurance cards for any current insurance coverage
• Last year’s gross household income
• Last year’s deductible expenses (lowering your income for these purposes)

You can file your application online by signing into your VA account. Doing so lets the VA fill in some of your information and allows you to save and return to your work. You can also make an online application without signing in. 

Appealing a Decision

If you have received an unsatisfactory decision regarding your VA health benefits application, you may want to contact a VA benefits lawyer right away. You have only one year to challenge the decision, and the three appeal methods available to you can be complex and highly technical. A high-level look at the three review options follows:

Supplemental Claim

A supplemental claim allows you to submit additional evidence supporting your initial claim. Your initial decision letter should explain the process for filing your new and relevant evidence. A VA benefits lawyer can also assist you with filing this claim.

Higher Level Review

The higher-level review occurs when the VA has all the information it needs to make a decision, but you want them to re-examine the evidence and reconsider their decision. You request a higher-level review with Form 20-0996. Again, a VA benefits lawyer can provide valuable assistance in preparing and submitting this form.

Appeal to the Board

An appeal to the board requests a review of your claim by a Veterans Law Judge. You will definitely do better in this process with a skilled and experienced VA benefits lawyer. To request an appeal, prepare and file VA Form 10182 and submit it to the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C. 

Contact Veterans Benefits Lawyers Near Nashville

The entire process for obtaining VA health benefits is full of landmines and complex rules. Appealing a decision is even more complicated and easier to handle incorrectly. You can ease the process for yourself by contacting us or calling us at 423-269-2222 today. Let us evaluate your current case and help you see the best ways to proceed. We can help you get the benefits you earned.