Not all injuries and conditions result in immediate compensation. Some may not even be noticeable to you until years after the problem started. If you suspect old military events as the cause of your injuries, there are a few ways to link the injuries to military service. It isn't always easy, but with a bit of Veterans Affairs (VA) injury claim system insight, you can figure out what the system is looking for and how to make your claim more successful.

Some Conditions Need Detailed Linkage

Consider a broken leg. You could have broken your leg while working on a military bridge construction project. You may have fallen down a steep stairwell on a naval vessel, or you could have been damaged by flying debris from a mortar attack. Depending on how severe the final injury was, you may have had a speedy recovery within the military or a medical discharge.

With a medical discharge, the disability information is handled for you. If you managed to leave the military in reasonable health, you may not realize the extent of the damage until it's too late. This realization can affect your claim's viability.

If you know about your leg problems and complain about a limp or pain, your claim may have a better chance of success. It can still be denied if the VA doesn't feel that you're disabled to the point of compensation, but you can continue to appeal for compensation if the issue worsens or if you disagree.

If you don't notice the problem until a few years after leaving the military, proving a military connection can be difficult. You could have been involved in a car accident or a fall at your civilian job, which wouldn't be eligible for VA assistance.

To prove military connection, you'll need a claim that can walk VA claims personnel through your military career to your current condition. It isn't impossible, but it may take a legal professional who knows how to navigate injury claim systems.

Personal Injury Lawyer Can Enhance Your Claim

To link a claim that has months or years between military service and medical reports, you'll need official documentation that answers all of the VA's questions. Although you could spend your time arguing with every new statement from the VA, you may spend years waiting for VA responses and looking for the correct answer. A lawyer, like those at Halverson & Sheehy, PLLC, can handle the claim better with more research.

A personal injury law firm contains seasoned professionals who know how to assemble an injury claim that answers as many questions as possible the first time around. If you have a leg problem that was caused by an accident over a decade ago, you may need a medical professional who can match the old injury report to your current symptoms.

If you don't have any medical reports from the past, there may be more effort involved. A legal team can interview past duty stations, look for specific phrases or reports in your service record, or even track down your past colleagues to develop supporting statements. Depending on the condition, you may need a lawyer with a large medical network of professionals who can not only identify a problem, but place an estimated date that could support your claim.

Contact a personal injury law firm to begin research information for a successful claim.

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