VA Appeals in Puerto Rico

Starting a VA Claim in Puerto Rico

The process of applying for Veterans disability benefits can begin from any location in the US, regardless of where you served or where you currently live. You can apply directly online through the VA or get help from a Veterans Service Organization (VSO).

To get started, you need to complete VA Form 21-526EZ or apply online through the VA eBenefits portal. You may need to submit additional forms based on your individual circumstances. Additional forms that you may need to submit include forms for PTSD (0781 or 0781a) and TDIU (21-8940 and 21-4192). Once completed, these forms can be submitted to the VA. Initial claims can take a long time to process, so patience may be required.

It is important to start your claim as soon as you can to establish an early effective date. Once set, the effective date will not change regardless of how long it takes to fully adjudicate a claim, which may last several years depending on the individual claims you are filing. The importance of the effective date is that the Veteran should receive back pay from the final decision date all the way back to the effective date. You should also know that the effective date can be lost if you don’t maintain appeals for your claims. For example, if you have one year to file a notice of disagreement but wait too long to do so, you may be forced to reopen your claim, resulting in a new effective date.

One reason that Veterans fight so hard to appeal VA decisions is to keep the effective date in place and receive all the compensation for their disabilities. See below for additional information about appealing VA decisions in Puerto Rico. Each individual disability claim has its own effective date based on when it was first claimed, so an early effective date for a claim based on knee pain will usually not apply to an initial claim for PTSD submitted years later.

Selecting a VA-certified Disability Appeals Attorney

Don’t assume that every Puerto Rico VA disability attorney is equally equipped to help you bring firepower to your appeal. If you choose to get help from an attorney for preparing and submitting your claim, you should pick one that will stick with you for the duration of your case, and who has experience with appeals at every step of the process.

You may want to use a Firm with a long history of representing Veterans to make sure they will still be representing you if your case lasts for several years. Beware of firms that only began practicing Veterans Law after 2007 when it became more “profitable” for them. Often, the hardest aspect to gauge is how effective your lawyer will be at presenting your case with research, evidence, and arguments. More experience often translates to superior work product, but not always. You may want to read reviews and testimonials from a potential law firm before signing up. You may also want to ask about the level of research they perform on each individual case and what some of their most effective arguments have been in the past.

Also, you may want to focus on attorneys who have actually served in the military. Opting for a Puerto Rico VA appeals lawyer who has deployed or mobilized may help improve their understanding of your situation and eliminate the need to explain your military career to someone without similar experience. Fellow Veterans often make great wingmen when it comes to helping you work through difficult situations. When it’s time to fix bayonets and charge a position, will your attorney understand? Making the right decision on hiring a law firm can make a significant difference for the outcome of your case.

Serving Clients from Across Puerto Rico

Berry Law’s Puerto Rico VA disability lawyers represent Veterans throughout Puerto Rico, including those in:

• San Juan
• Bayamon
• Carolina
• Ponce
• Caguas
• Guaynabo
• Arecibo
• Mayguez
• Trujillo Alto
• Vega Baja
• Humacao
• Aguadilla Pueblo
• Rio Crande
• Cabo Rojo