Service-Connection: The Gatekeeper Of Successful VA Claims

Waiting for a response from Veterans Affairs (VA) can be stressful, especially when dealing with disability compensation claims. Although there's many things that could stop a veteran from receiving benefits, it all comes down to whether you pass the service-connection test. Whether you're waiting on a response after months of no information, dealing with a denial or waiting on an appeal, take the time to understand the service-connection issue and what you can do to succeed with your claim.

What Does Service-Connection Mean?

VA disability compensation exists for veterans with injuries or conditions related to military service only. Although there may have been many confusing debates about promises by recruiters, public figures or general rumors, the VA doesn't simply hand out money to veterans when they're ailing. The VA does offer some healthcare benefits to veterans with other-than-dishonorable discharge types, but not the robust monetary and health compensation system available for service-connected disability veterans.

A service-connected disability is any condition that was caused by military service, which includes pre-existing conditions that were made significantly worse because of military service. The pre-existing condition part is situational and handled on an individual basis, but requires a strong argument and evidence to push into success.

If you're a veteran who has suffered because of military service, it may be obvious to you what happened. You may have even had multiple witnesses and even a medical record entry about the issue, but you need to know that the VA cannot assume anything about your claim.

There are some veterans and dependents of veterans who are willing to forge paperwork and create stories about bad experiences in order to take benefits that belong to veterans like you. You need to have your paperwork in order to show that you have a legitimate condition related to military service.

Service-connection doesn't mean combat-connection. It doesn't even mean duty-connection. Whether you were injured in combat, on a job site mishap, in a car accident during your off hours or while taking leave, as long as you were still part of active or reserve duty it counts.

You May Need An Attorney For Your Argument

If you've got a medical record entry that shows exactly how you're were injured or otherwise affected, you're already halfway there. You just need an up-to-date review to prove that you're still suffering from the condition. Again, the VA can't simply take your word for it. To keep funds available for you and your fellow affected veterans, go through the process of gathering your evidence.

You don't have to do this alone. A personal injury attorney like http://www.lawofficecolorado.com can help you if the VA seems to be too slow or if you don't agree with their results. It's not impossible for the VA's compensation and pension (C&P) examination to be rushed, to be performed by fledgling medical professionals without deep claims system knowledge or even to lose your information within the VA system.

A personal injury lawyer likely has access to medical professionals outside of the VA system who have experience with claims system documentation. It's one thing to work hard towards finding a cure for your problems – knowing how to organize observations in a language that results in claim success is completely different set of skills.

If you don't have medical record entries from the military--which many veterans deal with due to administrative mistakes or a lack of administrative personnel in remote or hostile areas--the attorney can help you research past information to build a stronger service-connection. Contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your claim and prepare for a better appeal.