If you are a disabled veteran and your claim for disability benefits is denied you have one year in which to appeal the decision. The VA has been getting considerable bad press about the high number of errors that are being made, knowing this; it makes a lot of sense to appeal a VA disability claim that was denied. Currently there are about 800 thousand pending claims for veterans disability benefits and it is estimated that a full one third of them are appeals.
What can be appealed?
In the eyes of the VA, an appeal is when the Board of Appeals is asked to review a previous decision that has been made after a claim was studied. You do not have to agree with any decision they make, you have the right to lodge n appeal for any reason. Maybe part of your claim was approved and the other part was not, if that’s the case, appeal the part that was not approved. Maybe your claim was approved but you are unhappy with the benefits that they are going to award; feel free to appeal. Two common reasons why veterans appeal are:
* The VA believes the disability is not the result of military service, and
* The claimant thinks the disability is worse than the rating is was given
Appeals are made to the Board of Appeals in DC and can take a considerable amount of time for review.
This is a good time to get help:
The application process is difficult enough; the appeals process is even more complicated. Most disabled veterans who want to appeal a VA disability claim do so alongside a knowledgeable and experienced attorney. As the appeals process is long, an attorney can help speed up the process and help you get approval for the benefits you deserve.
If you are denied benefits you have every right to appeal a VA disability claim. It is wise to engage the services of a seasoned attorney, you are invited to contact Jackson & MacNichol, Attorneys at Law. Like us on our facebook page.
