Military Law & Veteran Benefit Appeals

Military Representation
Veteran Benefit Appeals

Military Representation

Growing up as a military dependent in the United States Air Force, I experienced firsthand the hardships that accompany military life. Military personnel and family members face sudden deployments and oversea assignments. Oftentimes these sudden departures lead to unforeseen legal problems.

For example, many soldiers face disputes with their landlord, who refuse to allow the soldier and his/her family from terminating the lease early; or, the landlord attempts to impose excessive fees for early termination. Other soldiers face impending foreclosure because of deployment, bank accounts garnished and vehicles unlawfully repossessed. In some cases, Reservists have been terminated from their current employment because of overseas assignments. In most cases, federal law prohibits these acts.

A family whose loved one is overseas serving this great country of ours should not be forced to undergo additional anxiety or stress. Many military families are either not situated near military legal assistance offices, or their local JAG office is inundated with other tasks and is therefore unavailable for immediate assistance.

I would like to do what I can to support the Men and Women in Uniform who bravely and willingly put on the uniform of freedom. Unless the matter is a complex one, I can provide active duty personnel and their family members with low cost legal services.

Please give us the opportunity to assist you by making use of this website’s Appointment tab for a confidential consultation. Or, give our office a call at (253) 517-8767 or email us at Info

Veteran Benefit Appeals & Other Veteran-Related Legal Issues

Did you know that you can recover disability benefits for an injury suffered during enlistment but discovered only after you were discharged? Or that a new study shows that troops suffer long-term brain damage from blast shock waves, which can lead to disability benefits? If your existing injury or medical condition is tied to your military service, you’re probably entitled to disability benefits.

At times, the Veterans’ Administration is hesitant to grant a claim. Thousands of veterans are denied benefits each month that they are rightly entitled to. Unfortunately, many veterans are unaware of their legal rights or how to go about obtaining those rights.

The general process for seeking disability benefits are as follows:

The veteran submits a written claim to his or her Regional Office for Department of Veterans' Affairs.
The Regional Office then sends a letter informing the veteran that their claim is either approved or denied.
The veteran then must mail a Notice of Disagreement within one year of receiving this denial. If the veteran fails to respond within one year, they forfeit their right to contest the Regional Office’s finding.
The Regional Office reviews the claim file and mails a Statement of the Case, which includes reasons for the claim denial.
The veteran must fill out and submit a VA Form 9 within 60 days of receiving the Statement of the Case.
The Claim is sent to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. If the decision is unfavorable, the veteran must file Notice of Appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims within 120 days of receiving decision.
Please be mindful of the deadlines, as a failure to timely file before the deadline passes will result in your inability to contest the agency’s findings.

I can help you file on time and assist you in contesting the agency’s findings. I can help you understand each step of the process, making your appeal easier and less anxious.

Please give us the opportunity to assist you by making use of this website’s Appointment tab for a confidential consultation. Or, give our office a call at (253) 517-8767 or email us at Info