Filing a Veteran’s Administration disability claim in Texas can be tedious. It’s also confusing for many people; if you don’t do everything correctly, your claim may end up being denied by the government, and you have to start over again. When completing a claims form for VA benefits, follow these tips to help improve your chances of compensation.
Prepare before you file
The quickest way to get a decision on a VA disability claim is to gather all supporting documentation, including:
- Doctor and hospital reports from military and civilian sources
- Copies of your DD214 or separation documents
- Marriage and children’s birth certificates
Always submit copies, never originals, of your documents. If you are in doubt about whether you’ll qualify, submit anyway. You have several ways to file your claim. These are:
- Online via the vets.gov website
- With a veteran’s service organization that provides free assistance for correctly filling out your forms
- At a VA regional office with a VA employee
What happens after you file
The VA will review your claim, which can take months. Before making a decision, the VA may send you a letter asking for additional information or to notify you of your claim’s progress. You may also have to submit to another medical examination to back up your claim.
Appealing a disability decision
If the VA initially denies your claim, you can file an appeal. The time frame that you have to file is limited, but that shouldn’t deter you from attempting to get the benefits you deserve.
In many cases, you may have inadvertently missed an important detail that caused the VA to deny your claim. As with initial claims, make sure that you get help when filing an appeal. It’s in your best interest to be as detailed as possible.