We get paid nothing unless we successfully recover benefits on your behalf
If you are a disabled veteran seeking VA benefits, your current economic situation should not prevent you from seeking help. Disabled Vets will provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation.
More important, our VA benefits advocates will fight for ALL of the VA benefits you deserve.
What Can a VA Disability Advocate Charge a Veteran?
As a veteran disability claim moves forward, particularly into the appeals process, the complexity of what’s required to obtain VA benefits increases dramatically. Eventually, a claim may be formally heard in court. The VA says in its online and printed literature that a veteran pursuing an appeal should obtain help.
But the VA goes further to protect veterans. Any attorney, advocate or layperson (“agent”) helping a disabled veteran obtain benefits must be accredited by the VA’s Office of General Counsel (OGC).
Federal law also specifies:
- When during the claim appeals process the attorney or advocate may charge the vet
- What services an attorney or advocate may charge for
- How much an attorney or advocate may charge
Disability laws allow advocates to set fees based on a fixed fee, hourly rate, a percentage of benefits recovered, or a combination of such bases.
Disabled Vets charge a contingency fee, which means fees are charged only if we recover past-due benefits for the veteran. Then, we accept an agreed-upon percentage of the amount awarded as past-due benefits.
The percentage charged for individual cases may be based on factors the VA considers when determining whether fees are reasonable, including:
- The extent and type of services performed
- The complexity of the case
- The level of skill and competence required to provide services
- The amount of time spent on the case
- The results achieved, including the amount of any benefits recovered
- The level of review to which the claim was taken and the level of the review at which the attorney was retained
- Rates charged by other representatives for similar services
However, the VA considers it reasonable to charge between 20% and 33.3% of any past-due benefits awarded the vet, and by law requires “clear and convincing evidence” to approve a higher (or lower) fee.
The VA also requires a contract between the advocate and the vet that sets out “specific terms under which the amount to be paid for the services of the advocate will be determined,” and the VA must approve the terms of the contract.
Fees may only be charged for services provided after the filing of a notice of disagreement (NOD), which is the veteran’s first notice to the VA that he or she intends to appeal a benefits decision.
7 Ways Veterans are Protected When Represented by Disabled Vets
In addition to assurances provided by federal law when disabled veterans seek help with VA disability claims, working with Disabled Vets provide veterans a variety of protections as well.
- We will review your consultation at no charge to you. At that point, there is no further obligation to us. If you wish to retain Disabled Vets as your advocacy group, we will move forward under an agreement that must meet with the VA’s approval.
- Our advocates are accredited by the VA as a disability claims representative. This not only assures you of our professionalism, but it saves time by not having to submit credentials to VA’s Office of General Counsel (OGC). Time saved means benefit money to you sooner.
- Disabled Vets charge a contingency fee for all services provided to disabled veterans. This means the fees we receive are based on our success for you. We want you to have ALL of the benefits the U.S. government owes you for your military service and sacrifice. This include all past-due benefits and, more important, money you and your family will continue to receive each month.
- As your veterans disability advocacy group, after we ensure your VA benefit is what it should be, we will retain your files and be ready to assist when your situation and the benefits you deserve change. For many disabled vets, the VA disability claims process is ongoing as medical conditions deteriorate and multiply. As your needs change, we can ensure your reopened claim or claim for new benefits is handled as quickly and effectively as possible.
Get Experienced Assistance with Your Disability Claim
At Disabled Vets, our goal is to help disabled veterans obtain all of the benefits they deserve. We achieve this by working closely with vets, gathering evidence that clearly supports their claims, and handling any and all complexities that may arise.
Our veterans’ advocates are thoroughly versed in the complex and voluminous VA regulations regarding disability claims and appealing improper claim decisions.
We have helped thousands of disabled veterans fight the VA bureaucracy to get the benefits they deserve.
You don’t have to go it alone. Call Disabled Vets today.
