When it comes to your veteran’s benefits, it is imperative that you choose the right lawyer to help. While you must go through the initial application process yourself, you are likely to be turned down/denied the first time. You may have done nothing wrong or may have had technical errors involved. Either way, it’s best to consider lawyers specializing in VA law because it is much different than other legal areas.
Why Hire Someone
While there are seemingly endless reasons to hire a lawyer to help you win your VA disability claim, they all are similar in that you believe an attorney gives you a more favorable result or that you can’t obtain benefits alone.
Some people claim that a VSO is just as helpful as a lawyer. While VSOs are available for free, they have a ton of cases to handle and may not give yours the consideration it needs. While lawyers do make money if you win your case, they can only take a percentage, and there is a cap. Plus, they have legal experience and know how to handle themselves in a courtroom.
When to Hire Someone
Some people are confused about when to hire a lawyer. You can retain an attorney at any point in the proceedings, but laws state that they must work pro bono (for free) until you receive your RD (ratings decision) and file your NOD (notice of disagreement). Once you’ve filed your NOD, they can represent you. Therefore, many attorneys want you to wait to hire them until you file the NOD.
Make sure the attorney you choose is well-versed in VA law and spends time with you to learn about your particular issues. That way, they have a better idea if they can win the case and not waste their time and yours.
Visit Site
Learn More