Many veterans find themselves in confusing situations where their injury claim simply won't be accepted. Either through a lack of information or disagreement within the Department of Veterans Affairs, a valid injury could be rejected--often with a lot of frustration, anger and disappointment for the veteran. Don't give up! A few explanations of the way Veterans Affairs (VA) works and how to build up a claim can help you get back on track with your injury compensation, especially with an attorney on your side.

Why Are VA Claims Denied?

The VA's injury compensation system is designed to support veterans who were injured during military service. This means that the injury either happened while you were still a member of the Department of Defense as a military service member or that your condition was triggered during your service.

Injuries that happened before or after the military are not eligible for compensation in most cases. A veteran who breaks his or her leg after the service can't get money from the Compensation and Pension (C&P) program, and pre-existing conditions won't earn a disability payment if the VA is able to find out about your condition.

Unfortunately, if your injury doesn't have exact proof of being caused during military service, you may receive a denial. Being injured near the end of your military service may cause a lot of paperwork issues that may leave blank spots in your medical records or pending information. You may have even lost some paperwork for old injuries, and if your military branch failed to update your information electronically, your date-identifying information may be missing and your claim may be denied.

The good news is that a denial isn't final. Many VA officials--most of which are veterans themselves--would expect you to file a new claim with updated information. If you're having difficulty gathering the information needed, a personal injury lawyer can help.

Gathering Information With Legal Assistance

If you're lucky, you may have simply forgotten to add your medical paperwork that links specific dates to your injuries. If you're truly missing information or if the VA doubts the validity of your information, you'll need legal help.

A personal injury attorney can build a better argument for your injuries in such difficult situations. An attorney search for relevant information better and may have more connections to prove your case by contacting the proper officials.

In many cases, you may need to work with civilian doctors in order to get a more in-depth set of details about your injuries. The severity and timeliness of the injuries can be measured more accurately by civilian doctors than the often overtasked VA-staffed doctors, especially if your local VA facility is understaffed.

Don't deal with the VA system on your own if you're running into a lot of resistance. Contact a personal injury attorney to get the claim assistance you need. To learn more, contact Palmetto Injury Lawyers.