Should you hire a veterans disability lawyer? If you’re not sure, let us explain the pros and cons. Plenty of veterans fighting to get the disability benefits they deserve ask this question. Before deciding what’s best for you and your claim, we’ll list all the facts to know.
Do You Need a Veterans Disability Lawyer to Apply for Benefits?
The simple answer is no. It’s not a requirement to have a lawyer in order to receive benefits. Some applicants will successfully secure veterans benefits the first time without professional help. However, that’s not a typical outcome for most disabled vets. For many, a VA-accredited lawyer gives the best chances for approval and maximizes their benefit amount. This is especially true for complicated claims or are appealing the VA’s denial.
If you’re thinking about getting a lawyer, it’s crucial to find one that’s VA-accredited. This accreditation means they have the VA’s approval to legally assist vets with their applications. This protects you and ensures that veterans benefits lawyer knows all current rules and regulations around the claims process.
What Can a Veterans Disability Lawyer Do For You?
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA-accredited lawyers can help prepare and present clams and represent appealed cases. This includes:
- Filing your initial application
- Collecting convincing medical documents that help prove your claim
- Handling your appeal, if the VA denies your claim
Ultimately, a veterans disability lawyer ensures your application’s error-free and includes everything you need to qualify. If the VA denies you benefits or pays less than you believe you’re owed, a lawyer can fight them for you in court.
How Much Does a Veterans Disability Lawyer Charge?
A veterans disability lawyer can also meet with you for free and answer all your questions before you apply. They can review your paperwork for errors before you file, or find and correct mistakes on forms before you appeal. All these lawyers work on contingency, so you’ll pay nothing for legal advice or professional help today. And if your claim’s approved, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee. If the VA already denied your claim, consult a lawyer before filing your appeal. If that attorney believes the VA wrongly denied you benefits, the government may have to pay your legal fees! Ask if your appeal qualifies under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). If it does, that means the VA will cover any legal fees once the lawyer gets your disability claim approved.
You May Qualify for Legal Assistance
Looking for an experienced veterans disability lawyer near you? We can match you with one who’s available to help you today. Attorneys in our network are eager to help you get approved for benefits. They also charge $0 for legal assistance if they can’t win you a cash settlement. In fact, they won’t take on cases they don’t believe qualify for benefits. So you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Sign up for a free phone call and get claim help by phone today.
Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online benefits evaluation now!
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.