Why It’s Important to Appeal Your First Veterans Affairs Denial

Veterans law is a complicated area to navigate. The bottom line is that many veterans affairs (VA) raters analyzing claim applications deny benefits because that’s the easiest thing to do. As a result of this, your denial letter won’t make any sense. The letter might say that you weren’t diagnosed in service, or there was no in-service event. It might also say that you don’t have a current disability- even though you definitely do!

Frustrating denials like this are not because the rater misunderstood your evidence. Or, because the rater just failed to see things your way. These denial letters are so frustrating because the rater never considered the evidence in the first place. I have read countless denial letters where the VA rater clearly copied then pasted boilerplate language into a denial letter. I have seen typos, grammatical errors, misinformation, and a blatant disregard for the evidence.

Pursuing Your Veterans Law Claim

While it might seem like a hassle to have to appeal the denial- and you certainly might feel like the VA is running you through hoops- it is so important that you persevere through the process and pursue your claim.

This is especially important so you can get the benefits you deserve. But it is also important to ensure you have the earliest effective date as possible. A benefit’s effective date is usually the date you filed the original claim. So, if the VA takes a full year to process your claim, any compensation to which you are entitled will be backdated to at least one year! That could mean considerable retroactive benefits and money in your pocket. However, YOU MUST FILE YOUR APPEAL WITHIN 1-YEAR TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE!

How Our Veterans Law Attorneys Can Help

If you recently received a denial, and you need help moving forward, do not hesitate to reach out to our firm. We will make sure your claim has the best chance of success! Contact us today for a free consultation.