ptsd Finding A Good Attorney - How Is It Done?

[hedgey]

My husband's cousin is looking for an attorney to help take on his claim (well, sort of). He's in upstate NY and has been denied his claim for HTN and GERD as secondary due to medications he takes for his SC back. He also has been diagnosed with PTSD but hasn't filed a claim since he can't face the challenge of pulling together the evidence.

I've told him to get a lawyer, but he says he just doesn't know where to start looking. His VSO is worthless, he says, and he's heard nothing good about the other VSO's available in his area. He's at the end of his rope and says he wants to just let it go, but I can't stand to see him do that!

So what's the best way to find a good, honest, pro-vet attorney? He doesn't have a social network to ask around in, and he says he can't face doing interview after interview.

I can't help him with his case, I have more than I can manage with my own and my husbands... but can anyone help me point him in the right direction?

[Berta]

SC has been granted for GERD as secondary to VA prescribed NSAIDs.

Other meds would need proof that they cause the GERD -and this could possibly be found in the list of side affects and contraindications for the meds.But he might need an Independent medical opinion that states hs GERD is secondary to the meds.

What meds does he take?

[hedgey]

SC has been granted for GERD as secondary to VA prescribed NSAIDs.

Other meds would need proof that they cause the GERD -and this could possibly be found in the list of side affects and contraindications for the meds.But he might need an Independent medical opinion that states hs GERD is secondary to the meds.

What meds does he take?

Boy, I'm not sure what medications he's taking. He's really upset about getting denied because his VSO led him to believe the claim would be "more or less a slam dunk", and now that it's been denied, the VSO is shrugging his shoulders.

He's feeling overwhelmed and not able to manage anymore fighting over things. That's why he's looking to find a lawyer or some kind of advocate (a real advocate, not a county or state-paid drone who gets paid regardless of how helpful he is) to handle things for him.

Needless to say, he's feeling pretty despondent.

[Pete53]

There are no slam dunks at VARO and no one should ever tell a Veteran that there are. If denied it takes away the motivation to carry on.

I do think its fair to tell Veterans that there chances are good.

[john999]

If every vet with a slam/dunk who got denied could line up they would reach the moon. Eventually, good evidence will win but it could take a long time.

[LarryJ]

If every vet with a slam/dunk who got denied could line up they would reach the moon. Eventually, good evidence will win but it could take a long time.

When someone asks me what I think their chances are, I just relate my own personal experience(s).............dating back to 1964.

Then I tell them what the current week's backlog is.

That is the only truthful and righteous thing to do.

They do not leave my office very happy and I'm sure they bad-mouth me after they leave. It is, for me, a no-win situation and I am CERTAIN that I will not receive the Most Popular VSO Award.

But, I can go home, get up the next morning and look myself in the face in the mirror.

Of course, I hear, here on hadit, how terrible the VSO's are. You know, how they draw their pay regardless of whether they actually help the veteran. And, that upsets me.

I pay for my own gas, my own cell phone, my own stationery, everything, and I get paid not one red cent. So it upsets me to hear folks belittle their VSO's, although I am sure some do deserve it.

Let me recount a day in my life, just last week: I was called at 5 am, seems one of "my" veterans was brought to the VAMC suffering with chest pains and he would not talk to anyone but me (don't ask, I don't know). So, I rush getting the 45 miles between my home and the VAMC.........they admit him, and I actually, REALLY saw him up to his room and FLUFFED HIS PILLOW............then it was 8 am and time to see another vet........then it was get in my car and drive 50 miles in the opposite direction to see a vet at home (he is home-bound) about his hearing aids that don't work.........then it was drive the 95 miles back to my house...............yada, yada, yada.

So, I'm here. Everybody has to be somewhere, right?

But, to end this little diatribe on a positive note:

I just received my two new hearing aids this afternoon and I can REALLY hear. It's wonderful!

I just didn't realize that my typing on this keyboard was that noisy!

Thank you, Dallas VAMC!

[Chu Lai69]

When someone asks me what I think their chances are, I just relate my own personal experience(s).............dating back to 1964.

Then I tell them what the current week's backlog is.

That is the only truthful and righteous thing to do.

They do not leave my office very happy and I'm sure they bad-mouth me after they leave. It is, for me, a no-win situation and I am CERTAIN that I will not receive the Most Popular VSO Award.

But, I can go home, get up the next morning and look myself in the face in the mirror.

Of course, I hear, here on hadit, how terrible the VSO's are. You know, how they draw their pay regardless of whether they actually help the veteran. And, that upsets me.

I pay for my own gas, my own cell phone, my own stationery, everything, and I get paid not one red cent. So it upsets me to hear folks belittle their VSO's, although I am sure some do deserve it.

Let me recount a day in my life, just last week: I was called at 5 am, seems one of "my" veterans was brought to the VAMC suffering with chest pains and he would not talk to anyone but me (don't ask, I don't know). So, I rush getting the 45 miles between my home and the VAMC.........they admit him, and I actually, REALLY saw him up to his room and FLUFFED HIS PILLOW............then it was 8 am and time to see another vet........then it was get in my car and drive 50 miles in the opposite direction to see a vet at home (he is home-bound) about his hearing aids that don't work.........then it was drive the 95 miles back to my house...............yada, yada, yada.

So, I'm here. Everybody has to be somewhere, right?

But, to end this little diatribe on a positive note:

I just received my two new hearing aids this afternoon and I can REALLY hear. It's wonderful!

I just didn't realize that my typing on this keyboard was that noisy!

Thank you, Dallas VAMC!

Bravo, good for you Larry. Thanks for all you do. PS, I have a great VSO from the VFW in St. Louis. The guy is great and works very very hard for every single VET that walks through his door.