Veteran Disability Lawyers in Montgomery AL | Alabama Veterans Disability and Benefits Attorney
Are you a veteran, or a group of veterans in Montgomery Alabama looking to file an appeal for service-connected disability benefits?
Wettermark Keith lawyers can help ensure your appeal meets the established criteria to increase your chances of success. We staunchly believe that as a wounded warrior of our great country you’re entitled to receive compensation for your time in service and we work tirelessly to ensure you get what you’re owed.
Our disability attorneys in Montgomery can help re-open a denied claim by petitioning your name and case for a second review. We represent plaintiffs at all levels of appeals, starting from the basic regional office appeal, to the Board of Veterans Appeal, and even the Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims.
The US Veterans Disability Appeal Process
As a claimant whose disability benefits claim has been denied you have the right to appeal via an attorney against any decision rendered by the Veterans Benefits administration. Bear in mind though that the petition process for veterans in Montgomery, AL, and the larger US differs from the typical judicial appeals process.
To begin with there are currently two systems for VA disability appeals namely, the “Legacy” system and the “AMA” system. AMA or the “Appeals Modernization Act”, is the newer system which was officially implemented on August 23, 2017. Any decisions by the VA disability administration made after this date make any subsequent appeals to fall under this new program and thus the appeals are therefore subject to its processes.
How a Wettermark Keith Attorney Can Help
Our veterans disability attorneys understand the differences between the two legal systems and have extensive experience representing clients in both. Regardless of which system your claim falls under, rest assured our Alabama veterans disability lawyers will provide you with the best representation possible. For a deep understanding of both systems, consult your veteran Montgomery, AL, lawyers.
AMA Legal Appeals Process in Alabama
Since AMA is the most current legal system and the one most veterans going forward are going to deal with let’s have a brief look at what it entails. In AMA veterans, through a US attorney, have the option to choose one of three appeal lanes depending on what’s most appropriate for their case.
There’s the higher level review lane, supplemental claim lane, and the notice of disagreement (NOD) lane i.e. appealing to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
Higher-Level Review Lane
In the higher-level review lane the veteran claims will receive a “new look”. This means that a senior claims adjudicator will review the entire veteran’s file and scrutinize the records that were submitted for the initial decision.
In this lane, veterans are not allowed to submit new evidence. If the new official still denies the claim veterans can appeal their case to the supplemental claim lane or the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) lane.
Supplemental Claim Lane
In this lane, veterans need to submit new and relevant evidence to support their legal claim which will be reviewed by the VA regional office adjudicators.
If the adjudicators deny their claim they can appeal to the Notice of Disagreement lane. (NOD). NB: If they started their appeal with the supplemental claim lane their attorney also has the liberty to appeal the case to the higher-level review lane.
Notice of Disagreement Lane
In this lane, veterans take their cases directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Here US veteran law judges review and adjudicate the claims. Veterans must choose one of three dockets for their case to review, namely: the direct docket, the evidence docket, or the hearing docket.
In the direct docket, the case is reviewed as is with no submission of new evidence. However, in the hearing and evidence dockets evidence is allowed.
If the plaintiff chooses any of the latter options their attorney has up to 90 days after their initial NOD appeals application to submit new evidence to the judges. If their appeal is still denied by the board they can appeal further to the Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims (CAVC) within 120 days. They also have the option to file an appeal to the US supplemental claim lane.
How Wettermark Keith Attorneys Can Help with Alabama Veterans Disability
Understanding which lane is best to start with for your claim appeal can be quite frustrating. Watermark Keith lawyers in Montgomery can help you navigate the legal complexity and provide expert guidance for the best outcome.
Montgomery VETERANS DISABILITY SOLUTIONS
FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Not sure you need a veterans disability lawyer? As a military veteran, you can consider hiring a US benefits attorney in Alabama to help you file an appeal if your initial claim was denied. That’s because lawyers understand all aspects of veteran law and have knowledge of all the amendments which they can use to your advantage.
Why Veteran & Social Security Disability Claims are Typically Denied in AL
VA disability applications are typically denied due to incomplete information and/or lack of sufficient evidence in the form of documentation. This includes:
1. No C&P Exam
Short for Compensation & Pension, the C&P is a medical examination performed by a VA health specialist to gather evidence on one's disability and to assign the injured party a disability rating. Without a C&P exam, any VA disability claim will not be successful.
2. Lack of Service Connection
Military veterans must prove their disability was caused by their time in service. For this, they need to provide medical treatment records before, during, and after they enrolled in the military.
3. The VA Doesn’t Consider the Disability Serious
Through the C&P exam, the VA assigns a rating for each disability. Veterans with a 0 percent disability rating are not eligible for any benefits and will therefore have their claims rejected.
4. Lack of a Disability
If you cannot prove medically, in Alabama, that you actually suffer from a disability your VA disability claim application will be denied.
At Wettermark Keith we can help you search and gather all the necessary legal documentation to help your appeal succeed. We can also help you appeal your social security disability payments in Alabama by proving you deserve a higher disability rating if your condition warrants it.
Our Attorneys Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve
At Wettermark Keith we can help you search and gather all the necessary legal documentation to help your appeal succeed.
We can also help you appeal your social security disability payments in Alabama by proving you deserve a higher disability rating if your condition warrants it.
Some Wettermark Keith
Perks
When you join our law business you’ll also receive lawyer profile social access as well as the ability to view lawyer profile information on our database to find and choose your preferred counsel.
Upon request you can also receive a custom lawyer profile email to communicate with your attorney.
Rest assured all profile email lawyer accounts are secured with the latest security protocols so all your data is highly protected.
With over 20 years of legal experience, you can rest assured your case is in more than capable hands.
Some Wettermark Keith
Perks
When you join our law business you’ll also receive lawyer profile social access as well as the ability to view lawyer profile information on our database to find and choose your preferred counsel.
Upon request you can also receive a custom lawyer profile email to communicate with your attorney.
Rest assured all profile email lawyer accounts are secured with the latest security protocols so all your data is highly protected.
With over 20 years of legal experience, you can rest assured your case is in more than capable hands.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE
CONTACT Montgomery VA DISABILITY LAWYERS
To learn more about our law firm, our services, how to access our veterans law resources, and more, contact us today.
You get a free consultation and we won’t charge you a dime until we’ve won your case.
