I still remember my accident like it was yesterday. One minute I was driving my daughter to school and the next I was waking up in a hospital bed. It was frustrating to deal with the emotional trauma of forgetting an entire week of my life, in addition to stressing about my small child. Fortunately, we were both able to recover, but it wasn't easy walking dealing with the medical bills that accompanied the accident. I found myself struggling with things as simple as answering the phone, because I was nervous about dealing with another insurance adjuster. Fortunately, by working with a lawyer, I was able to make sense of my situation. I know that you can overcome difficult challenges too, which is why I shared my story on this website.
Working Through Emotional Trauma
Veterans With Mystery Pains May Need To Look To The Past
Debra Hawkins
After leaving the military, many veterans may have assumed themselves in good enough health. A few aches and pains may still linger after a rough career or a lot of working out, but such things can be temporary. When years pass by and the pain seems to get worse (or at least not any better), you may begin to question whether you're just getting older or if something bigger is going on. If your work and personal life is being affected by aches, pains and difficulty moving that you just can't explain, think about your military career and take a look at how an injury lawyer could help.
Old Injuries May Still Be Eligible For VA Assistance
The Department of Veterans Affairs (also known as the VA) exists to supports veterans as they transition to a civilian lifestyle, and that assistance is at your side for life. Sure, the wait time can be a problem, but if you have nowhere else to go, the VA is there for veterans as a safety net.
Unfortunately, your problems may be a bit more than what a VA-managed doctor's office can handle. Even though the VA changed some medication policies following prescription drug abuse instances, the VA may still be too quick to hand you some medication to manage your problem. Instead of waiting for another basic doctor's office visit from the VA, start up a disability claim or appeal.
If you're eligible for disability benefits, you can receive monetary compensation and a higher tier of medical support with referrals. This means that if you're missing work because of your injuries or could use some extra cash to smooth over a difficult period in your life because of your condition, you can rely on compensation that isn't based on your income--just based on the VA's disability rating for you.
The medical benefits mean that you can utilize more of the VA hospital services at no cost to you. As mentioned, the standard tier of VA health benefits are basically like a doctor's office, while disability means that any medical procedures you need to survive and recover are handled for you. If the VA can't handle it, they'll refer you... wait times allowing, of course.
An Injury Lawyer Can Help You Win Your Claim
The VA disability system isn't easy to get through. You'll need to prove that you're both currently suffering and that your condition was caused by the military. Unfortunately, if you've waited a while before claiming disability, you may be at a disadvantage.
There's no specific number for what "a while" means. It simply means that the longer you're out of the military, the easier it is for the VA to assume that civilian life lead to your problems, not necessarily the military. For the best chance of success, you'll need official paperwork showing that you suffered from a specific problem or were involved in an incident. That proof will need to be linked directly to your problem that you've only just begun to demand assistance for.
Hiring a lawyer, like those at Owen Law Firm, may be necessary to frame your evidence into just the right picture that the VA can agree with. With an injury lawyer's medical colleagues, a detailed analysis of your old evidence and your current condition can be mapped out in the best way possible.
Contact an injury lawyer to discuss comparisons between your situation and successful claims or appeals, and to get help from the right team that can make your disability payments arrive with as few appeals as necessary.
Share