Veterans Affairs Law

There are two types of veterans benefits. The first is service-connected veterans disability benefits for disabled vets with injuries or illnesses caused or worsened by their service. The other type of veterans benefits is non service-connected benefits, also called a veterans pension, granted to vets who served during wartime and qualify based on their age and/or need.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outlines the eligibility requirements for a veterans pension.

The amount of payment for veterans disability claims varies and is determined by an official VA disability rating system, which ranges from 0-100% depending on the level and severity of the disability.

If a veteran is denied a disability claim, or if he or she receives an unfavorable compensation rating, our accredited VA disability attorneys can assist them in filing a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) to appeal.

For employers, it is crucial that you do not retaliate against an employee who claims discrimination as you can be found liable of retaliation.

A C&P exam is a medical evaluation requested by the VA to determine the severity of a veteran’s disability as it relates to his or her claim. The C&P exam, also sometimes called a VA claim exam, is usually conducted by a VA doctor at a VA medical center. After a veteran is granted disability benefits, a reexamination can periodically be requested.

The C&P exam is a vital part of the VA disability process because the outcome can result in an increase or reduction in benefit compensation rates. Our team at Singley, Gindele & Rinaldi has experience in helping veterans prepare for C&P exam and dismissing unwanted C&P reexamination requests.

There are two main options when appealing a veterans disability benefits claim: the DRO process or filing an appeal directly with the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA). The DRO process often results in a quicker outcome than the traditional BVA process, and is therefore preferred and recommended as the first choice.

When a veteran selects the DRO process, a senior member of the appeals team at VA Regional Office (a Decision Review Officer) reviews the claim as brand new (de novo). This can result in the overturning of a denied claim or an adjusted compensation rating. A veteran may be requested to participate in a DRO appearance to obtain more evidence for their appeal.

If the DRO process does not result in a favorable outcome for the veteran, the claim can still be transferred to the BVA (Board of Veterans’ Appeals) via the filing of a VA Form 9 without having to restart the appeal process

FMLA covers all private sector employers who employ 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year – including joint employers and successors of covered employers.

First off, if a disabled veteran has dependents they may be eligible for increased disability compensation.

As for the loved ones of deceased or disabled veterans, compensation may also be awarded to living dependents if the deceased veteran lost his or her life in service, or was disabled as a result of service, which is called Dependent and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).

Need-based benefits are also available for survivors of deceased wartime veterans, including a VA Survivors’ Pension and educational and healthcare benefits.

The accredited New Jersey veterans disability lawyers at Singley, Gindele & Rinaldi can help veterans’ survivors appeal a denied claim and ensure they are accurately applying for all of the qualifying benefits they deserve.

The Aid and Attendance Benefit, also called housebound benefit, is extended to qualifying veterans and their surviving spouses to support the costs of necessary long-term medical care.

The accredited New Jersey veterans disability lawyers at Singley, Gindele & Rinaldi can help veterans and their spouses apply for Aid and Attendance Benefits.