VA Disability assistance

[mwhich50]

I have not been reevaluated for my VA disability % in 20+ years.
Do any forum members know where/who I can talk to about having my disability % reevaluated. I think I initially went to a military association in FWB when I retired.
I am also wondering whether a disability lawyer might be a smarter solution.
I live in Navarre. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ccc]

I highly recommend speaking to a lawyer. They can tell you if you have a chance or not. A buddy of mine was at 20% hired an attorney and got 100%, says best 15k he ever spent !

 

[rossi]

To me, FDVA, Florida Department of Veteran Affairs, Reps at the V.A. on Highway 98 by the Navy Hospital are Tops. I've heard opposite results about board decisions when attorneys get involved right when a claim is filed.

 

[ccc]

I'd be interested in this topic as well. I'm trying to file a lot of my VA claims on my own. I get a lot of my stuff denied or given 0% both service connected and not service connected. I'm kind of stuck and at a stand still. Not sure where to go from here.

You do not pay an attorney unless you win, if you get 50-60-100% disability over the period of your lifetime what is it worth to you?

 

[rossi]

Based on talking with other Veterans, claims with Attorneys involved almost always start soured and drag on.

Just my opinion based on others experience.

 

[pete repete]

i had something happen that had me hating the VA and i refused to go back for years. then i had a colonel talk me into getting re-evaluated. the florida veterans affairs helped me set it up and im glad i did.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

DAV Local Offices - Veterans Service Officers - NSOs - DAV.org

All services provided by DAV NSOs are free of charge. Your Local DAV National Service Officer (NSO) will help you file a claim. - DAV.org

www.dav.org

It’s weird how the search function on that site doesn’t seem to reflect “reality”, but just goto Google Maps and search for “DAV Office”.

It should show the Santa Rosa County Veterans Services at the “DMV” in Gulf Breeze.

It should also show the DAV chapter in Crestview and the DAV office in Niceville.

Why do I type all this? The DAV helped a lot with the VA paperwork when I was still active-duty, before retirement. They put the “list of what’s going on with you” into VA-speak for the forms. Think of them as motivated translator/interpreters between you and the VA. They are volunteers and usually vets themselves.

Well-worth a few phone calls to determine options.

Just remember: when you get the findings “re-evaluated” there’s always the risk that they can actually LOWER the assigned percentage.

 

[kirbwrx]

Reach out to Dwayne at Eagle Rising Veteran Consulting. They will look over all your records and previous rating and let you know what they think they can do for you. You do not pay anything unless they are able to raise your rating. The amount you pay will be based on what percentage they get you to. My wife is currently using them and I have three neighbors that used him. One went from 80 to 100 and another went from 20 to 80. The other is still waiting to hear back.

dwayne@eaglervc.org is his email if you are interested.

If they do not think they can help you then they will be honest and upfront and you will not owe them anything. This is a legit place that has been in business for a while. They send you to their docs in Pcola and have lawyers that help you as well.

 

[FrankT]

never use an attorney before processing thru a VSO(veteran service officer) first and being denied, there is no help from lawyers till that point and even then an appeal is better. you have state and county vso's as well as the VFW, AL, AMVETS, Disabled vets of America

 

[kirbwrx]

never use an attorney before processing thru a VSO(veteran service officer) first and being denied, there is no help from lawyers till that point and even then an appeal is better. you have state and county vso's as well as the VFW, AL, AMVETS, Disabled vets of America

100%, use the VA/VSO first. The attorneys and other groups are for when you get a 0% rating or they say something isn't service connected when you believe it should be.

 

[IronBeard]

SRC Vet Services is 850-981-7155

Veterans Services | Santa Rosa County, FL

Our Veterans Services Office has friendly staff to assist veterans and their families for any benefits they may be entitled to receive.

www.santarosa.fl.gov

 

[5lima30ret]

+1 avoid the lawyers they will just take your share of the $$$ and drag it out! Try your county's Veterans Service Officer they don't charge anything and are paid by your county.

 

[kirbwrx]

+1 avoid the lawyers they will just take your share of the $$$ and drag it out! Try your county's Veterans Service Officer they don't charge anything and are paid by your county.

This is not 100% true. Have you dealt with any of the companies that help you get your ratings fixed, or are you just going by what you have heard? They do take a cut of your payout, but it's a one-time payment. They do not drag it out because they want to get paid.

 

[rossi]

I agree with 5lima30ret. I haven't heard any sterling stories about above and beyond successes using attorneys. I do know of a few long drawn out, and not really beneficial cases where people throw attorneys at a board. I have heard from a few past VSO's that the interjection of an attorney kind of irritates them. The board holds the power.

 

[Metal Storm]

I started at the VA hospital in Pensacola and asked for help in filling and I was given the phone number to the DAV. I called and made an appointment and they had an office at the VA hospital. They refiled the original claim, filed new claim and I signed paperwork allowing them to act as my power of attorney. So far very happy with the DAV.

 

[5lima30ret]

This is not 100% true. Have you dealt with any of the companies that help you get your ratings fixed, or are you just going by what you have heard? They do take a cut of your payout, but it's a one-time payment. They do not drag it out because they want to get paid.

I filed my claim with my county Veterans Service Officer in Foley and was approved in about 4 1/2 months. No cost to me. A good friend filed through an attorney who specialized in VA disability. He waited over a year and got about half of what he claimed. He told me he would not go that route again! YMMV!

 

[mwhich50]

Thanks for all the help guys! I am going to try SRC Vet Services tommorrow.

 

[Ric-san]

Some good input here on these postings. I've been working on my V.A. disability rating for around 18 months now. I call it a 'journey' as it takes time. I'll share a few things I have learned in this time. Whatever rating you currently have, after (20) years they cannot roll it back (at 20 yrs and or unless its fraudulent) from what the DAV rep I've used who is at the Pensacola VA Clinic told me as one of the ratings I'm working on bumping is for my back which I currently have a 10%. I'll hit twenty years retired from the Marines in December. He said that because we plan on putting in for a rating increase soon as I have an appointment to see him this month to file. If you have a rating it seems more likely to have an increase due to aging out, meaning your condition has gotten worse. Also consider the PACT Act that was passed last year, it covers burn pits (Southwest Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa, etc), Camp LeJeune Water, Agent Orange, etc. Look it up. Basically, as long as you were in the area affected and have a campaign medal to prove it, then you are presumptive and do not need a nexus letter from a doctor to prove what you have. In the specific case of Camp LeJeune you just need proof you were there for 30 days or more. I believe that 9 or 10 forms of cancer are covered as well as other diseases/issues, link below. Yes, there are several companies that in exchange for a fee will help you with your specific case. You win you pay them, you lose, no fee. I work at Hulburt Field, and it seems that every vet there is working on an angle to increase their rating, several are at 100% and still working. If anyone that is interested in utilizing the DAV guys at the Pensacola VA Clinic, PM me and I'll pass on their info. I put in for four specific increases and only won two cases, for tinnitus and hearing loss. I worked in helos for my whole-time in.

https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

 

[Jeff C]

To me, FDVA, Florida Department of Veteran Affairs, Reps at the V.A. on Highway 98 by the Navy Hospital are Tops. I've heard opposite results about board decisions when attorneys get involved right when a claim is filed.

I have worked with the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA Clinic on HWY 98 in Pensacola for my disability claims and they are fantastic. Had a friend use a lawyer and it was just a lot of hassles for him. Guess he chose the wrong attorney. When he got with the folks at FDVA, he had his case resolved in his favor.

 

[Jonny]

I highly recommend speaking to a lawyer. They can tell you if you have a chance or not. A buddy of mine was at 20% hired an attorney and got 100%, says best 15k he ever spent !

100% the best money I ever spent got to 70 on my own needed Lawyers for the last 30% because the VA sucks. I will pm you the Lawyers I used