The process of applying for veterans disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be difficult and time consuming. That is why you want to make sure you do not have your benefits denied as a result of a simple mistake. Here are five mistakes you should make sure you avoid when making your veterans disability application:
- Failing to properly fill out your paperwork
- It may seem ridiculous, but by far the biggest reason that people have their veterans disability application denied is because they fill out their paperwork incorrectly. This may be as a result of failing to fill in important information, putting in incorrect information, or omitting necessary forms, among other errors. When this happens, your application may be denied without it ever getting considered.
- Missing important deadlines
- Another surprisingly common issue is when people miss important deadlines. You need to ensure you file your veterans disability application promptly, and make sure to respond to any further communications from the VA as soon as you can. If you do not, you may find your application denied, despite its merits.
- Condition doesn’t qualify as a disability
- Another issue that some people run into is that the medical condition they suffer from is not considered a disability by the VA. While the VA tends to be fairly broad-minded when it comes to considering veteran disability, they are not always entirely up to date when it comes to modern scientific understanding. That is why you may find your veterans disability application denied, even if you suffer from a significant disability.
- Disability is not service related
- Another issue that some service members deal with is that the VA determines their disability is not related to their military service. This can happen if your disability has a cause outside of your service, or if you do not have sufficient evidence connecting your disability to your service. If that happens, your application may be denied, regardless of the severity of your disability.
- Lack of medical evidence
- Finally, you may find your veterans disability application denied if you lack sufficient medical evidence to back your claims. If you were treated by a VA hospital, or during your military service, this should rarely be an issue, but it can become a serious problem if you were treated at least partly by private care. In these cases, you may need to put in extra effort to collect medical records from all of your physicians to prove your case.
The attorneys of Sullivan & Kehoe place a special focus on assisting disabled veterans. Our veterans’ disability lawyers are still available for remote consultation on your legal issues. Call our office at (800) 395-7830 to schedule a consultation in our New York City, Garden City, Kings Park, Riverhead, or White Plains office, or visit our contact page.
