VA Appeals Lawyers in Austin
In an ideal world, the VA would correctly grant disability compensation for a Veteran after they submit their claim. However, this rarely happens. When a claim for benefits is denied or given a lower than expected rating, the Veteran has the right to appeal. This is also the first step in the claims process that an Austin VA disability attorney on our team can help.
Under the new Veterans Appeals Modernization and Improvement Act (AMA), a Veteran has tactical decisions to make when appealing their claim. They can appeal their decision through one of the three appeals lanes:
Higher-Level Review
Under the Higher-Level Review lane, the Veteran has the option to let a more senior VA claims adjudicator review their decision. In this lane, a Veteran is not eligible to submit new evidence in support of their claim.
Supplemental Claim
Under the Supplemental Claim lane, the Veteran must submit new and relevant evidence in support of their claim. This option is great when a Veteran discovers new evidence that they did not have when they initially filed for disability benefits.
Appeal to the Board
Under the Appeal to the Board lane, a Veteran is given more tactical decision for appealing their claim. A Veteran can ask to submit additional evidence in support of their claim, ask to have a direct review, or request a hearing in front of a Veterans law judge.
Each appeal lane has its own advantages and disadvantages. When you are appealing your decision, it is important that you know what the benefits are for each lane. An experienced Austin VA disability attorney could assess your claim and determine which lane would be most effective for your appeal.
