This video is about how to increase your VA disability rating. So I can't tell you
how many times we get calls from vets that can't work and they need help
because their ratings are too low. Sure enough we review the claims file that we
get from the VA that's got all of the veteran's evidence related to their
compensation claims and all their past exams and their service-connected for
those conditions all right, but the VA is playing games with low ratings and now
the vets about to lose their home. If you think I sound a little angry you'd be
right. My name is Zack Evans, I work with Woods and Woods attorneys in Evansville,
Indiana and I represent veterans of the Armed Forces and VA disability claims. So
we have some other videos that cover the legal specifics of appeals and procedure
this video is more about how you the veteran can help your attorney or your
representative establish evidence or build up your claim to win an increased
rating fight. So, I cut my teeth as a trial attorney in the criminal justice
system before going to work for veterans and a mantra from my evidence professor,
a former Army jag has always stuck with me
and that's from my time in law school and then working as a trial
attorney in the criminal justice system that mantra is tell your story you have
to stick to your guns it's really easy to get caught up in everything that's
wrong with the VA's adjudicative process; unfair C&P exams, inexcusable
appeal backlogs that result in veterans waiting for years and years for what
they've earned from our federal government, and unjust denials. The best
way forward, your path to victory is to layout evidence that is affirmatively
in your favor. You must present evidence that supports
a higher rating. There are several ways that you can do this. First,
what is your account, what is your story about your condition whether it's a
mental health condition, whether it's a spinal disorder you have some arthritis
onset of fibromyalgia how has this affected you, when did it start,
how did it manifest, tell us what's happened to you oftentimes when we
review as advocates when we review your C file we have all these missing pieces
about how this has actually affected you so if we're going to win an increase
rating fight we need to start with your perspective because this is ultimately
about you. Secondly, what do your family and loved ones and close friends know
about the severity of your condition? Oftentimes, those closest to us can
provide a perspective on a disability or a problem that we may be dealing with
that even we ourselves don't see so if you spend a lot of time around a spouse
your parents maybe some grown children they might see some things that maybe
you miss or maybe you are unconsciously sort of pushing beneath the surface not
dealing with it and so ask these people what their perspective is on your
condition it can be extremely helpful. Third, can anyone from past or current
jobs give some insight into the way this has affected you while you're earning a
living after the military and the same could be said for buddies that you are
with that you served with as comrades while you were in the service this is
especially true if you received any sort of accommodations. These accommodations
statements can help your attorney advance what is known as a sheltered
work environment argument. So we're looking for how these conditions have
affected you while you were working in the free market. Fourth,
what do your primary care providers say about this condition? This can be
extremely helpful so if you have a private doctor that is outside the
confines of the VA system and they have been treating you for a period
of 10, 15, 20 years however long oftentimes their perspective on how
things have progressed clinically and from a scientific standpoint can be
afforded a lot of weight whenever we go argue that evidence in front of the VA.
So make sure you find out if your doctor is on board with maybe speaking with
your attorney, or providing a statement on your behalf so that we can kind of
guide what the best way forward is on your claim. So all of these, this is all
evidence this is all powerful evidence developing this kind of evidence and
providing it to your advocate is something that can put you in the
driver's seat to tell your story to the VA. So make sure that you provide this to
your attorney if you have one. Your attorney is your hired gun they're
trained for just this kind of fight and this type of evidence is the ammunition
that they need. If they haven't already asked you for evidence of these four
categories; your story, family and loved ones, past and current jobs, and primary
care providers, rustle it up anyway and give it to them. Now it's important to
note here communicate with the VA through your attorney. So if you have a
lawyer make sure that you're not submitting things in contravention
of your relationship with your attorney. This is really important, there's a lot
of strategic planning goes into winning these cases and you can unwittingly harm
your case if you submit evidence outside of this strategic timeline that your
advocate has set out to win your case for you. If you have any questions about
how to build these four categories of evidence to win your increase rating
fight, give us a call at Woods and Woods. We'd be glad to help you out.