Those that serve within the navy put themselves in hurt’s approach to defend the nation in its time of want, and advantages offered by the Division of Veterans Affairs are in place to return that safety once they want it. Sadly, an rising variety of veterans are discovering their claims being denied.
The VA claims course of is rife with misinformation — a reality acknowledged by VA Secretary Doug Collins. Veterans who hope to benefit from the advantages they’ve rightfully earned via their time within the service should pay shut and cautious consideration to their claims, or danger turning into a part of the greater than one-third of claims which can be denied by the VA yearly.
Many veterans take the strategy of “simply file and see what occurs” as a result of that’s the solely steerage the VA system supplies, and it hardly ever works. No one teaches veterans what they really have to know to get the VA to approve their declare. It’s a results of a system that isn’t designed to teach the individuals it’s purported to serve, nor does it have the capability to take action.
The most important fantasy that veterans consider concerning the VA advantages course of is that the VA will “join the dots.” That doesn’t occur.
The VA’s system is constructed on a authorized normal — it requires proof, not assumptions. You possibly can’t simply assume that your service data will communicate for themselves; 1000’s of veterans get their claims denied, not as a result of they weren’t injured or don’t deserve it, however as a result of they don’t know what the VA must see to course of and approve their declare.
When reviewing claims for advantages, the VA is in search of particular issues. You want credible lay proof — a documented account of what occurred and the way it has affected you — together with a nexus letter from a medical skilled that ties your present situation to service. That’s all that’s required by regulation. You don’t have to have a prognosis in your navy medical data and even to have reported your damage when you had been within the service to win.
That mentioned, many veterans mistakenly consider a nexus letter is a “silver bullet” that ensures their declare will probably be permitted. A weak nexus letter with no rationale, no quotation of medical literature, and no connection to the veteran’s precise service historical past is nugatory.
It’s vital to keep in mind that the VA’s raters aren’t naive. They’ll spot a template letter from a mile away, and if you’re making an attempt to examine all of the packing containers to get your declare permitted, they are going to see proper via it.
To achieve success, veterans should perceive what makes proof legally ample and defensible, not simply what checks a field.
Fortunately, there are assets obtainable to assist veterans navigate the VA declare course of. It’s an advanced, typically intimidating course of, and one mistake can price you dearly. However each veteran deserves correct steerage and trustworthy illustration, and that’s what we attempt to do.
Veterans earned their advantages by giving the whole lot to their mission and repair to the nation. Don’t let a mistake get in the way in which of veterans getting what they deserve.
Jordan Anderson is a veteran and the founding father of VA Claims Academy/InsideSources
