Columbus Veterans’ Benefits
Columbus Veterans’ Benefits
With everything our veterans have been through, they and their families deserve the benefits they are entitled to. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been known to delay or deny disability claims for minor errors, causing financial hardship for injured veterans and their families.
Our Columbus attorneys have extensive experience helping veterans and their families receive the benefits they deserve. Whether they are appealing a denied claim or an insufficient award of benefits, our attorneys can help you navigate the veterans' claim process.
In the case of a denied claim, our Columbus attorneys can examine the VA’s decision and provide you with representation during the appeals process to increase your chances of receiving a favorable decision.
To receive a free consultation from a Columbus veterans’ benefits attorney, please fill out our free case evaluation form today.
FAQ
Morgan & Morgan
- Post-traumatic stress disorder;
- Exposure to toxic chemicals;
- Cancer caused by exposure to harmful substances;
- Back and spinal injuries;
- Depression;
- Orthopedic or back problems;
- Gulf war syndrome;
- Hearing loss from prolonged exposure to loud sounds;
- Medical conditions caused by exposure to depleted uranium;
- Traumatic brain injury;
- Amputations;
- Tropical diseases, such as dysentery and malaria;
- Gunshot wounds;
- Shrapnel wounds from improvised explosive devices; and
- Knee, leg, and arm injuries.
Veterans: For purposes of qualifying for benefits, the VA defines the term “veteran” as “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air services, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.”
Surviving Spouses: A surviving spouse of a veteran may receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. In general, to qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, the veteran must have died while on active duty, active duty for training, inactive duty training, or have died from an injury or disease that was related to military service.
Surviving Children: Surviving children of veterans who are under the age of 18 (or 23 in the case of students) and who are unmarried may be eligible for benefits. In addition, certain disabled adult children may qualify for benefits.
- A hearing in Washington, D.C., where the Board of Veterans’ Appeals is located.
- A video conference hearing with your local VA office and the board member in Washington, D.C.
- A hearing at your local VA office with the board member present.
- Former prisoners of war;
- Veterans who have certain chronic or tropical diseases that become evident within a specified period of time after discharge from service; and
- Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.
Types of Disabilities That Qualify for Benefits
A veteran must be at least 10 percent disabled to qualify for benefits. Our attorneys can help veterans with the following types of injuries receive disability benefits from the VA:
Who Our Attorneys Can Help
Our Columbus veterans’ benefit attorneys have experience helping the following types of individuals qualify for benefits:
The VA Appeal Process
The veterans’ benefits attorney in our Columbus office can help you with all stages of an appeal, including:
Review by the Local VA Office: Your attorney may file a Notice of Disagreement with the VA regional office if your claim has been denied by the Columbus VA office. The Notice of Disagreement must be submitted within one year of the date that your local VA office mailed its original decision denying your claim. After the local VA office receives the Notice of Disagreement, it will create a Statement of the Case. The Statement of the Case is a detailed explanation of the evidence, laws, and regulations that were used by the local VA office in deciding your claim and the evidence contained in the Statement of the Case. As part of the review process, a decision review officer at your local VA office will review your claim. Your attorney may also request that a personal hearing be conducted. A personal hearing is an informal hearing presided over by the decision review officer who will review your claim. Your Columbus veterans’ attorney will evaluate your case to determine if a personal hearing should be requested in your case.
File an Appeal with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals: If your claim remains denied after the review by the Columbus VA office, your attorney may file an appeal with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. As part of the appeal of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, you have the right to a personal hearing.
The personal hearing may be one of three types:
At the hearing, your attorney may ask questions to help you explain your medical condition and how it was caused by your military service. The VA Board Member may also ask you questions during the hearing, and your attorney may submit any new medical evidence that supports your claim for disability benefits. Prior to the hearing, your attorney may practice questions with you to help you prepare. It is important that you be able to clearly explain the extent of your disability and how it is connected to your military service.
File an Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: The final step in the veterans’ appeal process is filing a lawsuit with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. If your claim has been improperly denied by the Board of Veterans Appeals, your attorney may file a Notice of Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Your attorney will prepare a legal brief detailing why you are entitled to veterans benefits and may present an oral argument to the judge in your case.
How A Veteran's Benefit Attorney Can Help
In many cases, the most challenging aspect of a veterans’ disability claim is proving that a veteran’s disability is connected to his or her military service. It is often the case that the disabling condition is not discovered until many years after the veteran’s military service has ended.
To help prove that the medical condition is linked to military service, our veterans’ disability attorneys may work with medical experts to establish a service connection between a veteran’s disability and their military service. Far too often, the VA initially denies claims because of administrative errors or the failure to supply sufficient medical evidence regarding the disabling medical condition.
It is possible to appeal a denied claim, but a Government Accountability Office report found resolving an appeal can take up to 25 months. Your attorney can prepare your appeal in compliance with all VA rules and regulations, so that it moves as quickly as possible.
The VA maintains a list of specific classes of veterans with certain conditions whom it presumes to be disabled and therefore automatically eligible for disability benefits.
Veterans who may automatically qualify for benefits include:
If you are struggling with the VA disability benefits claims process, our attorneys may be able to help. Please complete our free case evaluation form to learn how a Columbus veterans’ benefit attorney can help you qualify for benefits.
Related Pages
- Columbus
- Medical Malpractice Attorney in Columbus
- Car Accident Attorney in Columbus
- Workers' Compensation Attorney in Columbus
- Social Security Disability Attorney in Columbus
- Aviation Accident Attorney in Columbus
- Dog Bite Attorney in Columbus
- Labor and Employment Lawyer in Columbus
- Insurance Attorney in Columbus
- Mesothelioma Attorney in Columbus
- Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer in Columbus
- Slip And Fall Attorney in Columbus
- Product Liability Lawyer in Columbus
- Whistleblower Attorney in Columbus
- Wrongful Death Lawyer in Columbus
- Maritime Attorney in Columbus
- Birth Injury Lawyer in Columbus
- Brain Injury Attorney in Columbus
- Burn Injury Attorney in Columbus
- Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Columbus
- Overtime Attorney in Columbus
- Spinal Cord Injury Attorney in Columbus