PART THREE: LIST OF ATTORNEYS FOR VETERANS SEEKING VA BENEFITS

ATTORNEYS FOR VETERANS SEEKING VA BENEFITS

by Major Robert L. Hanafin, U.S. Air Force-Retired

Effective June 20, 2007, veterans are allowed to retain an attorney after the first denial by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the Notice of Disagreement stage

Since the passage of Congressional Legislation in 2007 allowing Veterans access to an attorney once our VA Claims have been denied, we are going to see a growing number of legal advertisements like these below that I found in Ohio and Washington States. Mind you, legal ads for Military and VA Malpractice Attorneys have been in our various Veterans Service Organization (VSO) newsletters and magazines but even they have been precious FEW in number and nowhere near the shear number needed to handle what could become a flood of legal actions against the VA.

The system is going to downplay the significance of this by saying Oh, it’s just part of the routine, and traditional appeal process. Hell, a few VSOs are going to downplay the signficance of this, but the FACT remains that those who seek and obtain half decent legal council will be more successful than an overworked NSO or VSO network.      

I’m not calling for the doing away of National Service Officers and such by a long shot, all I’m saving is that given the tidal wave of case that will come their way combined with their too close ties with the VA system, they could use the extra legal punch.

Ohio Veterans who are returning from Iraq, the Middle East and Afghanistan with injuries and illnesses may not be able to go back to work. Veterans of all branches of the U.S. military are eligible to receive Veterans’ Disability Benefits. The VA also provides specific benefits to the surviving family members of deceased US service men and women.

Many returning veterans and their families and children have tried to obtain disability benefits on their own by contacting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) only to find out how difficult the application process can be. The laws provide for almost no deadlines to ensure that the VA takes action on your claim, and some are left awaiting a decision for years.

Attorney so and so is an experienced Central Ohio attorney who understands the issues our returning Ohio veterans face. You’re trying to pick up your life, and may be struggling with an illness, injury, temporary or permanent disability. We’d like to help.

Contact a Central Ohio Veterans’ VA Benefits Lawyer Today. Call (740) 387-6727

Have you been denied VA benefits? We will gather all of the information and paperwork, assemble necessary medical and service records and file your appeal. We will manage communications with the VA, attend hearings and represent you throughout the process.

We invite you to contact us immediately so that we can help to make the VA benefits application process much easier for you, and help to provide a much greater chance of success. Let us take the responsibility for managing your VA benefit application and claim so that you can focus your attention on your family, and resuming your life.

Contact the law office of Marion Ohio Lawyer when you need someone you can trust to be on your side, or drop by our Marion, Ohio, office during regular business hours for a visit. We have convenient parking and a friendly staff.

http://www.marionohiolawyer.com/CM/Custom/Custom1.asp

AND THIS FROM WASHINGTON STATE – VA DISABILITY

http://www.rafalaw.com/VAdisability1.html

Disabled veterans seeking VA disability benefits are up against tough disability decision-makers. Winning benefits is an uphill battle in which you, the disabled veteran, are forced to shoulder the burden of proof. Our firm specializes in the area of Veterans’ Disability law. We understand how to fight when the VA denies your claim.

(Note the tone of this ad, it shows that the legal profession is beginning to understand that federal laws that give VETERANS the benefit of a doubt as the VA is chartered by Congress to do are being either intentionally ignored or sabotaged in the name of COST SAVINGS. VA violation of the only reason they exists to give Veterans the benefit of a doubt is the key to winning any legal battle. Major Bobby Hanafin)

When you call us for help, an experienced VA disability lawyer or Accredited Veterans Affairs Claims Agent will be assigned to personally handle every aspect of your case. The lawyer or Claims Agent will meet with you for a free, no-obligation initial consultation. If you prefer this consultation can be done over the phone. If you decide to choose us to help you, we will conduct legal and medical research, contact your doctors, write the VA decision makers, and if necessary, appear with you at a hearing either before the Regional Office appeals staff or the BVA travel board. (I assume this is a legal aid with similar training as a national VSO service officer, but ensure you understand any Claims Agent’s qualifications before contracting service. Major Hanafin)

No money up front, no fee unless you win

Our firm understands that people out of work because of disability seldom have money to retain needed legal help. For that reason we offer an initial free consultation and, should you choose us to represent you, we do not ask for an upfront retainer fee. Our fees are paid on a contingency basis — that is, you only pay if you win, after you get your benefits. No fees are owed from ongoing monthly benefits.

Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
VT Staff Writer – Editorial Board Member

Private attorneys proudly representing and assisting U.S. military veterans and dependents in achieving rightful VA benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit under the Veterans’ Judicial Review Act of 1988 and 2006.

Is a public domain and non-profit list of available private attorneys maintained as a public service in honor of the nation’s military veterans who seek representation for VA benefits. All listed attorneys are admitted to practice before the VA with required accreditation, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (unless noted). All are members of the National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Inc. (NOVA). For more information on NOVA, see www.vetadvocates.com . Such veteran’s attorneys are difficult to locate since there are only a few hundred in the entire United States.

Effective June 20, 2007, veterans are allowed to retain an attorney after the first denial by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at the Notice of Disagreement stage.

Veterans and dependents are invited to contact these attorneys about representation, attorney fees, expenses, and the procedural requirements for retaining an attorney. All names are listed with permission. (Thus far only 26 states are listed and none of the U.S. territories or protectorates except the District of Columbia)

States represented:

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARKANASA

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

CONNECTICUT

WASHINGTON, DC

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

HAWAII

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

OHIO in addition Piacentino & Piacentino

SOUTH CAROLINA

TEXAS

VIRGINIA

WASINGTON STATE in addition Robert A. Friedman and Associates

WEST VIRGINIA

STATES THAT DO NOT YET HAVE LAWYERS LISTED WITH ATTORNEYS4VETS (We will attempt to provide contacts of Attorneys who are familiar with VA claims. These are not intended to be legal advertisements or endorsements by myself, the Editorial Board of VT News Network, or VT management, but only as a public service to VETERANS and MILITARY Families):

The below listing of contacts are attorneys who are members of either the National Organization of Veterans Advocates (NOVA), National Veterans Legal Service (Lawyers Serving Warriors) Program, or as in Maine a private practice, and as such should have passed the recent VA requirements for certification.

Please ensure you understand pro-bono, eventual fees, and that the attorney has passed stringent VA certification. They do not have to be a member of NOVA, NVLSP, or any other number of increasing organizations that are now focusing on VETERANS as clients – THEY DO HAVE TO BE VA CERTIFIED!

(Note: for those who queston the VA Certification, I believe this was a compromise in order to get a few Veterans Service Organizatons on board who passionately opposed any legal expertise tapping into their hold over the VA Claims and Adjudication system via NSOs and VSOs. Also keep in mind that this will remain a never ending battle as some die hard VSOs will continue to attempt getting Congress to Repeal this law. Those that of course care more about BS Flag Amendments than Veterans Rights and Benefits. Major Hanafin)

ARIZONA for info on other attorneys in your state Google VA Claim Attorney (state)

DELAWARE

IDAHO

IOWA

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MISSISSIPPI

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW MEXICO

NORTH DAKOTA

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

UTAH

VERMONT

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

PUERTO RICO

PHILIPPINES

Note: for those areas that it was sort of difficult to locate an attorney that is certified to handle VA Claims and Appeals, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines come to mind, I defer to the National Veterans Legal Service Program (NVLSP), I based this on that organization having successfully won law suits on behalf of Puerto Rican and Filipino Veterans. If I’ve left a qualified contact out that is an oversight due to the limited number of attorneys who have been discouraged from trying VA Claims and Appeals cases.

Bobby Hanafin
The Mustang Major

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.