Are VA Backlogs Slowing Your Claim Success?
Posted on: 19 June 2015
The Department of Veterans Affairs (known to many as the VA) is designed to assist veterans with transitioning to civilian life. One of the most popular forms of assistance is the disability compensation package, which includes disability payments and medical assistance. Unfortunately, since the system is designed to combat fraudulent claims and handles a growing population of veterans, there have been many delays that can slow down the claims process. Whether you're waiting on a decision or appointments to assist your claim, consider a few traits of the VA system that could explain the delays and what to do next.
Why Is The Claim System So Slow?
There are some parts of the VA claim system that are out of your direct control. In some VA facilities, there are organizational issues that lead to slow processing problems. There are even some scandals that plague the system, although these regional issues may not affect the entire organization.
Aside from issues that require greater political action, there are a few parts of your claim that could slow down the process as well. Even if you fill out all of the information on the claim, not having enough documentation can result in a slower response.
When the VA receives a claim, claims personnel must examine the evidence in order to deliver a decision. If you don't have enough information, it's not always a simple task of sending the claim back when there are many more claims in the system. Instead, the information given needs to be tested and put through the system for accuracy. Your claim may travel a different path than more robust claims.
It may take a while for claims officials to deliver a denial or request for more information. If you're filing an appeal or responding to a request, get in contact with a personal injury lawyer.
A Lawyer May Have The Missing Steps You Need
Your missing information could be as simple as attaching more medical record information, but for many veterans that documentation may not be available.
Leaving the military is not always an efficient, well-documented event. Your injuries may have gone undocumented, or paperwork could have been lost while changing duty stations. Even if you made copies of the information, the hectic nature of the military could leave you with a lot of problems and barely enough information to support a claim.
A personal injury lawyer has the experience necessary to research your career and find relevant information, such as interviewing previous duty station personnel or researching events near the time of your injury. The lawyer can also direct you to a medical team that can perform target medical exams and reports tailored to claim success.
A doctor without disability system experience may eventually discover the problem, but may lack the reporting and documentation skills to make a statement that the VA system understands. With a more targeted set of evidence, your claim may move through the VA system much faster--especially with legal pressure applied. Contact a personal injury lawyer like Richard M Altman to begin crafting a more comprehensive VA injury claim.
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