Honestly no one can explain why the hell the VA keeps denying claims. But the only thing you can do is try your best and educate yourself on the VA laws so if you do get denied you have somewhere to stand.
4 Key Reasons Why They Deny Claims:
1.) Eligibility- this means you are entitled to VA claims benefits. Your probably thinking, well heck Rob I am already service connected why the hell did you put that?
Everybody’s case is different and the VA makes it difficult especially for reservist on receiving compensation for service connected disabilities. So just providing that your are entitled to the VA compensation is a sometimes a difficult place for reservist. But there is ways of being compensated even though you didn’t go to sick call. There are people you may have complained to, other friends or military personal that saw your injury during your reserve time.
2.)Medical Diagnosis of a condition or disability-
A lot of veterans like to self diagnosis, I was talking to a Vet one time and he told me “Rob I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome” so when were you diagnosed with IBS? I asked, then the Veteran said “Rob everytime I get anxiety I have to go to the bathroom, when I look it up on google it said according to my symptoms it was irritable bowel syndrome”, Vets let me explain a Medical Doctor needs to diagnosis you with IBS , not google. Believe it or not Vets have put in claims that they were not even medically diagnosed with thinking that the C & P was the time to get diagnosed. The other part is the nexus which I’ll touch on next.
3.) Service Connection or Nexus-
You need to prove either with medical or/and lay evidence that the diagnosis or disability was caused or made worse by your military service. This step is crucial and makes or breaks claims all the time. You need to include buddy letters, Independent Medical Opinions (aka Nexus letters) and sometimes you may need medical studies that have proven the connection between 2 medical conditions or disabilities. I can’t tell you how many BVA cases that I have read that were overturned because of lay statements, buddy letters, and Independent Medical Opinions/Nexus letters. I have read that the BVA overturns a claim previously denied but took into great weight to a brother of a vet who received a phone call when the Vet got hurt during a field operation. The vets brother wrote a statement in support of claim to validate that the injury occured during his time in service and that he received a phone call about the injury. As well when one injury leads to another it is call a secondary condition as the example above. ONLY a medical professional can connect those 2 injuries and the best course of action is to get a medical nexus letter.
4.) The consistent and reoccuring symptom-
There are Vets who wait almost 10 to 15 years sometimes even longer to file claims. They have to prove that the symptoms or disability has continued to impact their lives till this day. There are many ways of providing this evidence.One is a Independent Medical Opinion, which in my opinion are most likely the best way to prove it. Another way is to gather your medical documents from the moment you left the military till the day you submit your claim and go through and pick the medical note in your medical records associated with your claim.
If your VA claims have been denied for any of these reasons. Please contact us make an appointment today with one of our coaches.