Veterans, Explore Your Social Security And VA Benefits Simultaneously
Veterans are in a unique position when it comes to disability. The Department of Veterans Affairs exists to cover any service-related injuries with medical care at no cost to the veteran in many situations, but monetary compensation isn't a guarantee. Social security is an option, but dealing with two disability systems can be a challenge. It's possible to use the same evidence and research across both systems, but you need to be aware of the requirements and limitations with each situation. Here are a few details and scenarios to help you work through each disability system.
Injury Proof Is Always A Requirement
Every system has its own paperwork requirements and deadlines, but medical proof is generally the same. There are system-specific requirements that look closer at the evidence, but these levels of inspection are generally out of your hands.
There is a basic level of quality for any medical evidence entering a government or legally-contested system. Observations have to be made by licensed medical professionals, and claims about specific systems need to be made by licensed specialists.
The specialist part is where things get tricky, although both the Veterans Affairs (VA) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) should have representatives who can tell you what specialist would be necessary in their opinion.
One problem in both system is actually getting a representative on the phone with both the administrative and medical knowledge to make an informed statement about specialists. You may want to consult a social security legal team at this point, as they will either have direct experience with getting the right specialists or can research successful claims and appeals to figure out what worked in the past.
Why A Social Security Legal Team?
Not all disabilities are visually obvious, and legal evidence can be contested. Both the VA and SSDI systems are prime targets for fraud, and unfortunately your legitimate disability issue can be caught up in scrutiny and denied if you don't know the ins and outs of the system.
Working through disability paperwork for a legitimate, but difficult to prove claim can be a full-time job in its own right. Add legal loopholes and exceptions and you may spend a lifetime just trying to debate the meaning of a single sentence. That's not necessary if you give the burden to a team that spent years in the education system and in the legal system to know these exceptions as casually as knowing how to tie their shoes.
It saves time, and even if an attempt is unsuccessful, it brings you closer to success or being routed to a different system. Contact a social security disability professional, such as Glen Cook Social Security Attorney, and have youe military medical record, service record, and any past medical evidence outside of the military ready.
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