If you have not been officially designated as disabled by the VA then you cannot expect to receive disability benefits. The minimum disability that the VA will recognize is 10 percent and the injury or disease must be the direct result of your military service or a pre-existing condition was aggravated while you were in the service. When you left the service it must have been under circumstances other than dishonorable.
Applying for benefits:
There are three ways in which you can apply for veterans disability benefits:
* On-line, independently
* At any regional office of the VA, independently, or
* With the help of veterans benefits attorneys in North Carolina
You must first establish that you have a disability and then confirm that the disability is a direct result of your military service. You can expect to be given a physical examination, the results of which will be used to determine the extent of your disability.
You have to provide evidence:
Simply saying that you are disabled is not enough; you must be able to provide medical evidence. You also have to provide records that detail how your disability is tied to your service.
You are free to use your own physician to provide statements or you can elect to be evaluated at any VA facility. The medical evidence must be condition specific, this is where veterans benefits attorneys in North Carolina can be very helpful; they know the details of your condition and they know what evidence you need. If it is patently obvious that your condition is directly related to your years in the military there will be far less evidence required.
Is it wise to seek professional assistance?
The application can be quite detailed, if all the information that is needed is not provided up-front, your application may be delayed. If your claim is denied then you are facing the appeals process. It is easy to see why veterans benefits lawyers in North Carolina can be of significant assistance.
Veterans benefits lawyers in North Carolina can be very helpful, they can provide guidance during your initial claim and work with you should your claim be denied. You are invited to contact Jackson & MacNichol, Attorneys at Law.