Boston Veterans’ Benefits Attorneys

It’s only fair to provide our nation’s veterans the various services and support they are entitled to. After everything they’ve done, disability payments and treatment are the least we can offer them.

All too often, however, the brave men and women who defend our country aren’t given the care they deserve when they return home from their service. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sometimes delays or denies disability claims because of minor errors on application paperwork or failure to follow the its rules and procedures.

Morgan & Morgan’s office in Boston employs attorneys with considerable experience helping veterans and their families receive the benefits they so sorely need.

We are one of only a handful of firms practicing in this challenging area of law and are proud to assist Massachusetts veterans in obtaining compensation for their service-connected injuries, disabilities, and diseases.

If you are in a dispute with the VA over a denied claim, Morgan & Morgan may be able to help you. For more information, fill out our case review form for a free evaluation.*

Qualifying for Benefits

To qualify for benefits at the VA, a veteran needs to prove that they are at least 10% disabled. According to the VA, you’ll also need medical evidence of a disability as well as evidence that relates your disability to an injury or event that occurred during your service.

Our Boston attorneys have experience helping veterans who have the following injuries receive disability benefits from the VA:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Back and spinal injuries
• Hearing loss
• Gulf War syndrome
• 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
• Knee, leg, and arm injuries

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:

• 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
• Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange

How Can an Attorney Help Me?

A Morgan & Morgan veterans’ benefits attorney can help you file an appeal, as those appeals can be incredibly frustrating to endure by yourself. This appeal can include:

• 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. The Notice of Disagreement must be submitted within one year of the date that your VA office mailed its original decision denying your claim.
• Notice of Disagreement: After your VA office receives the Notice of Disagreement, it will create a Statement of the Case., which is a detailed explanation of the evidence, laws, and regulations that were used by the VA in deciding your claim.
• Claim Review: As part of the review process, a decision review officer at your VA office will review your claim. Your attorney may also request that a personal hearing be conducted. A personal hearing is an informal event presided over by the decision review officer who will review your claim. Your Boston veterans’ attorney will evaluate your case to determine if a personal hearing should be requested in your case.
• Filing an Appeal With the Board of Veterans’ Appeals: If your claim remains denied after the review by the VA, your attorney may file an appeal with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. As part of that appeal, you have the right to a personal hearing. which may be one of three types: 1. A hearing in Washington, D.C., where the Board of Veterans’ Appeals is located. 2. A video conference hearing with your local VA office and the board member in Washington. 3. A hearing at your local VA office with the board member present.
• Filing 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 you claim has been improperly denied by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, your attorney may file a Notice of Appeal with the United States 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.

Within this appeals process, we can build a case that proves your disability is, in fact, due to your service. This can be difficult to establish, as many service-related disabilities don’t become apparent until years after returning home. In cases like these, we may work with medical experts who can help us establish a clear connection between your disability and your service.

Oftentimes, the VA initially denies claims because of administrative errors or the failure to supply sufficient medical evidence regarding the disabling medical condition. Morgan & Morgan’s veterans’ benefits attorneys understand how these claims work and why so many of them are denied. Our ability to help walk you through the claims and appeals process can be an immense help to someone who is hurting from their disability and feels as though they are forced to go through this alone.

In addition to the general support we can lend, we know how time-sensitive these cases can be. Your attorney can prepare your appeal in compliance with all VA rules and regulations so it moves as quickly as possible.

Contact Morgan & Morgan Today

Veterans deserve the chance to live a good life after everything they’ve given to this country. If you or a loved one is dealing with a VA claim, we may be able to help. Please complete our free case review form to learn how a veterans’ benefits attorney can help you qualify.