It can be frustrating to have your application denied by Veteran Affairs. It is estimated that 30 percent of applications are approved the first time. Veteran Affairs has to be selective about who they approve benefits for because they do not have a lot of money. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take if your benefits have been denied.
Find out Why Your Benefits Have Been Denied
It will be a lot easier for you to get the decision reversed if you know why your claim was denied. The letter will have a reason for the denial. For example, you need to provide additional information to the Department of Veteran Affairs. In many cases, providing the information requested is enough to get the benefits that you need. It is a good idea to make a copy of everything that you send to the Department of Affairs. You need both digital and physical copies.
File a Claim
You can file a claim. You will have up to a year to file a claim. This is known as a notice of disagreement. You may be tempted to provide a lot of information, but there is no need for you to do. You just need to provide general information.
Request a Senior Rating Specialist
If you do not want to file a notice of disagreement, then you can request to have your claim reviewed by a senior rating specialist. One of the advantages of having your claim reviewed by a senior rating specialist is that you will not have to provide any new information. The senior rating specialist will determine whether any errors occurred.
Hire an Attorney
Veteran benefit denial law is complicated. That is why you don’t want to go through this process alone. You need to hire an attorney to help you get the benefits that you deserve.
Your attorney can make sure that you have all of the information that you need to support your claim. They will also make sure that the Department of Affairs has not done anything unethical.
You may still be able to get your veteran benefits even if you have been denied. However, you will have to find out why you were denied. You can also file a notice of appeal or request a senior rating specialist. It is also a good idea for you to talk to an attorney.