e.greeley,
Since you're in the area, have you heard of the Veterans Law Clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law? If you would like some assistance with any part of your claims process, the clinic is a wonderful resource to take advantage of.
Here's a link from the USA Today about the school's clinic:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/200...ents-vets_N.htm
If you would like more info, please let me know!