By Seth Chambers (Marine Veteran, Veterans Advocate, and Former VA Employee) One of the more common reasons for denials of musculoskeletal claims is a lack of evidence of the disability/injury occurring in service. Any time a Veteran enters a claim for service connection, the VA will review the Veteran’s Service…
While Sailors find themselves in many different roles all over the world, from the construction-related hazards experienced by Seabees to the cramped quarters endured by the Silent Service, there are common Navy disabilities and injuries that Navy Veterans are more prone to. In this article, we will outline some of…
Currently three types of temporary 100% disability ratings are available for veterans: hospitalization, convalescent, and pre-stabilization, according to the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). Depending on your situation, you may be entitled to receive a temporary 100% disability rating. Hospitalization Ratings You may be eligible to receive a…
Veterans applying for VA disability benefits often face many problems as they attempt to get their disability service connected. Many of our clients have expressed how difficult it was to get their claim approved. In this article, we are going to look at the three components of a disability claim:…
CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRIVATE MEDICAL OPINIONS Many Veterans with PTSD can benefit from a letter of support from their own private medical doctors, often referred to by the VA as an independent medical opinion. A document from a primary care physician or a psychiatrist could help some…
If you suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in service, the VA may grant you compensation entitlement based on cognitive, emotional/behavioral, and physical loss of functioning. For its most basic ratings criteria, the VA will evaluate your memory; judgment; social interaction; orientation; motor activity; visual spatial orientation; subjective symptoms; neurobehavioral…
In addition to VA disability compensation, several other forms of increased compensation may be available to you or your spouse. One specific type of increased compensation is known as “Aid & Attendance” and may be paid as an increase to a veteran’s disability compensation or as an increase to a…
Military records can be requested by Veterans, their next-of-kin (the surviving spouse who has not remarried, parent, child, or sibling of a deceased veteran, for example), or authorized representatives. TRICARE, the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, states that the three times you should request…
The VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities provides a basis for service connection and rating each disability. The Schedule of Ratings lists disabilities under different categories based on the part of the body affected. Under each category is a list of diagnostic codes, representing common disabilities of that body part. Schedule…
On February 19, 2019, the Appeals Modernization Act went into effect. The act changes how Veterans file new claims and appeal denied claims. Most importantly, new forms need to be used to file and appeal most claims. Below is the list of forms you now need to use. 526ez: Application…
