Veterans who currently live in Kansas City and were injured while serving are entitled to disability benefits. Veterans are entitled to compensation for injuries and disabilities that arose in service. However, the VA often denies initial claims. If you have been denied a claim for disability benefits or received a lower than expected rating decision, an experienced Kansas City Veterans disability attorney at Berry Law can help.
kansas city veterans disability attorney
Berry Law is committed to helping Veterans in their fight for disability compensation. Why? The team at Berry Law is full of Veterans. Founded in 1965 by Vietnam Veteran, John Stevens Berry, Sr., Berry Law has been fighting for the rights of Veterans for over 50 years. The firm is now run by Army Veteran John S. Berry, and features attorneys from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. If you need a team you can count on, contact a Kansas City VA disability attorney at Berry Law today.
You can apply for disability benefits from anywhere in the world, regardless of where you currently reside or where you served. The Kansas City VA disability lawyers at Berry Law cannot help with filing an initial claim.
We often recommend Veterans seek the assistance of a local Veterans Service Officer (VSO) when submitting their initial claim.
Veterans wishing to file a claim for disability benefits have three options:
After submitting your claim, it generally takes 6+ months to receive a rating decision. However, you can expedite your claim if:
There are certain benefits for starting your claim for Veterans disability benefits as soon as possible. Once you submit your claim, you will be given an effective date based on the day the VA received your claim.
The effective date is important because this is the day you are entitled to begin receiving compensation once your claim is granted. So, if it takes 5 years and multiple appeals to win your claim, you will be entitled to compensation for the 5 years that elapsed since your effective date.
It is important to remember the effective date will not change unless you fail to keep your appeals open. Therefore, Veterans need to continually appeal unfavorable decisions, to maintain their effective date and ensure they receive the full compensation they’re entitled to.
If you submit a claim for a different disability later, that disability will be given an effective date.
In a perfect world, Veterans would be granted disability benefits after their initial claim. As most Veterans know, this rarely happens. Veterans who have their claim for benefits denied or receive an unfavorable decision have the right to appeal.
This is the first step in the claims process that a Kansas City Veterans disability attorney at Berry law can help.
Berry Law has helped thousands of Veterans across the country successfully appeal their rating decisions. The attorneys and staff understand what is needed to get a claim approved, and they have experience fighting for Veterans.
Recently, the VA implemented the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, otherwise known as AMA. AMA gives Veterans a tactical decision when appealing to the claim.
You can appeal your claim in one of three lanes:
Each lane has its advantages and disadvantages. A skilled Kansas City VA disability lawyer at Berry Law may help you determine which lane is most effective for your appeal.
Unfortunately, not all Kansas City Veterans’ disability attorneys are the same. When selecting an attorney for your appeal, there are certain things you should look for.
The team at Berry Law has been defending Veterans for over 50 years. As a team full of Veterans, Berry Law is committed to helping those who served. They have helped thousands of Veterans successfully appeal unfavorable rating decisions.
The Veterans disability attorneys at Berry Law have been accredited by the VA to help Veterans in their fight for disability benefits. The firm features attorneys from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
The team at Berry Law is dedicated to fighting for Veterans. If you need assistance appealing your VA rating decision, call Berry Law today.
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