Veterans' Affairs: Benefitting from a Broken System

Veterans Affairs: BENEFITTING FROM A BROKEN SYSTEM 19 lmillion IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN VETERANS 45% ARE SEEKING SERVICE-RELATED DISABILITY CLAIMS. PROCESS TIMES FOR VETERAN DISABILITY BENEFITS COMPARED TO BOOT CAMP & DEPLOYMENTS MONTHS 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 PRIMARY CARE VISIT WAIT CLAIMS FOR PTSD INITIAL CLAIM RECEIVE DISABILITY RATING COAST GUARD BOOT CAMP AIR FORCE DEPLOYMENT MARINES / NAVY DEPLOYMENT ARMY DEPLOYMENT KEY AVERAGE WAIT TIME MILITARY TRAINING/DEPLOYMENTS IN THE TIME IT TAKES FOR MOST VETERANS TO RECEIVE THEIR DISABILITY RATING, AN ARMY MEMBER COULD COMPLETE 1.5 DEPLOYMENTS HOW TO FILE YOUR CLAIMS GATHER YOUR EVIDENCE Put together your medical evidence, including physician or hospital records. Include any dependency-relevant papers such as birth certificates for your children or marriage certificates. Ensure you have a physician report to establish that your condition arose during your period of service & to establish the extent of your impairment in accordance with VA rating criteria. REVIEW BEFORE SUBMISSION Confirm that any & all dates match your official documentation. Go through all paperwork for any errors or missed sections that need to be filled out. To ensure your claim gets processed correctly, it's smart to retain a lawyer. WORK WITH AN ATTORNEY Veterans only pay their attorney if their case is approved. If you have already been denied benefits, a lawyer can improve your chances of a successful appeal. K B G SOURCES: BUSINESS INSIDER | CENSUS.GOV MILITARY.COM | THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS