Benefits of Working With a VA Accredited Attorney

     I often get asked the question…Does a veteran need to hire an attorney to assist with his/her VA disability appeal? The answer to that question is no; a veteran can file an appeal of an adverse disability claim decision on his/her own or utilize the services of a Veterans Service Organization to assist.  However, there are many benefits to hiring a VA attorney.  All VA attorneys practicing before the Agency, Board of Appeals or Court of Appeal for Veterans’ Claims must be accredited with the VA.  Accreditation requires a State Bar Report of Good Standing as well as continuing legal education requirements.  Accredited VA attorneys cannot charge a fee until an initial decision has been issued by the VA. Unfortunately, in some communities there are companies that claim to be “consultants” and charge exorbitant fees to assist veteran’s with filing VA disability claims.  Those “consultants” are not VA accredited representatives or attorneys.  

    In February 2019, the VA implemented the Appeals Modernization Act, which is designed to offer a veteran more options when choosing to appeal a VA decision and to render those decisions in a timelier fashion.  A VA accredited attorney can assess a veteran’s claim and determine a strategy for which appeal option is best.  The labyrinth of navigating VA appeals can be time-consuming and frustrating to a veteran,  so a VA accredited attorney will assist in developing the medical and lay evidence of the record, research the applicable regulations and case law as well as draft legal arguments.  A VA accredited attorney will review the entire appeal and consult with the veteran to determine the issues to be argued on appeal to include service-connected disabilities, proper ratings for each disability, determine proper effective dates and ensure that all applicable benefits such as Special Monthly Compensation, Dependency Benefits and Educational Assistance Benefits are all reviewed, assessed and addressed.  A VA accredited attorney can remove the stress from a veteran wishing to pursue and appeal and will see the appeal through to its end.

 

Deana M. Adamson

Martin Jones & Piemonte

VA Accredited Attorney

Licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina

Website: www.mjpdisability.com

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