Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

  • 0

Lawyer Up?

Rate this question


usdart

Question

I made inital contact with Woods and Woods and explained my situation briefly. They will be contacting me when they can.

What is the average fee for these cases?

Will they work on it for part of the Compensation I may get?

Does it speed up or slow down the process?

I just want to have my ducks in a row if possible when we speak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 10
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I made inital contact with Woods and Woods and explained my situation briefly. They will be contacting me when they can.

What is the average fee for these cases?

Will they work on it for part of the Compensation I may get?

Does it speed up or slow down the process?

I just want to have my ducks in a row if possible when we speak.

Yes, if they take your case on it can be on a contingency basis, I believe it's 20 percent of any retro granted.

If you have to go on to the CAVC - then the lawyer will probably collect from EAJA.

Carlie passed away in November 2015 she is missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

20% retro is well worth it if otherwise you face 5-15 years of runaround at the VA. If I could have hired a lawyer who would have given me some guidance 20 years ago I would have gladly paid it out of retro. When I found myself in over my head in CUE claim I immediately went out shopping for a lawyer. In my original CUE the VARO just ignored all my arguments and citations to CAVC cases. The VA just said "NO, there was no CUE". I knew I was going to need a lawyer because I knew my case would never be decided at lower level where CUE occurred.

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

John is on the money. Most Firms, especially the big names, will usually charge nothing up front and 20% in the rear, which is well worth it. Good luck and keep us posted.

100% PTSD

100% Back

60% Bladder Issues

50% Migraines 
30% Crohn's Disease

30% R Shoulder

20% Radiculopathy, Left lower    10% Radiculopathy, Right lower 
10% L Knee  10% R Knee Surgery 2005&2007
10% Asthma
10% Tinnitus
10% Damage of Cranial Nerve II

10% Scars

SMC S

SMC K

OEF/OIF VET     100% VA P&T, Post 911 Caregiver, SSDI

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Legally, the most they can charge is 20% of your retroactive pay. If they charge more, they have to send you a waiver to sign for them to get more. I did this with Bosley and Bratch and am regretting it now. Of course, I can fire them if I want and you will have the same option. A lawyer definitely helps to get through all of the legal jargon, but I haven't seen where it expedites any decision making. At least not here at Bay Pines in Florida. I lost my BVA hearing with a lawyer, but got a remand on one issue. Increase your chances, Lawyer up and good luck!

s/ Mags

We kept our promise and served honorably. Now it is time for the VA to keep their's!

I am not an attorney or VSO and offer my opinions free of charge. Any advice I provide in my posts is from experiences I have had with the VA or I have the knowledge that others have encoutered. I accept no liability for this advice should you chose to follow it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I decided to wait for the decision on my C&P exams. There is no since (in my tiny mind) to give up 20% when I have not been denied anything yet.

Things seem to be going my way and I don't think I need an extra layer of paper at this time. Must remain patient and vigilant.

Anyone agree with that? If not, Why not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

You have no choice. You cannot hire a lawyer until you have a VA decision in you hand.

J

A Veteran is a person who served this country. Treat them with respect.

A Disabled Veteran is a person who served this country and bears the scars of that service regardless of when or where they served.

Treat them with the upmost respect. I do. Rejection is not a sign of failure. Failure is not an option, Medical opinions and evidence wins claims. Trust in others is a virtue but you take the T out of Trust and you are left with Rust so be wise about who you are dealing with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • spazbototto earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Paul Gretza earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Troy Spurlock went up a rank
      Community Regular
    • KMac1181 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • jERRYMCK earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Our picks

    • These decisions have made a big impact on how VA disability claims are handled, giving veterans more chances to get benefits and clearing up important issues.

      Service Connection

      Frost v. Shulkin (2017)
      This case established that for secondary service connection claims, the primary service-connected disability does not need to be service-connected or diagnosed at the time the secondary condition is incurred 1. This allows veterans to potentially receive secondary service connection for conditions that developed before their primary condition was officially service-connected. 

      Saunders v. Wilkie (2018)
      The Federal Circuit ruled that pain alone, without an accompanying diagnosed condition, can constitute a disability for VA compensation purposes if it results in functional impairment 1. This overturned previous precedent that required an underlying pathology for pain to be considered a disability.

      Effective Dates

      Martinez v. McDonough (2023)
      This case dealt with the denial of an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) 2. It addressed issues around the validity of appeal withdrawals and the consideration of cognitive impairment in such decisions.

      Rating Issues

      Continue Reading on HadIt.com
      • 0 replies
    • I met with a VSO today at my VA Hospital who was very knowledgeable and very helpful.  We decided I should submit a few new claims which we did.  He told me that he didn't need copies of my military records that showed my sick call notations related to any of the claims.  He said that the VA now has entire military medical record on file and would find the record(s) in their own file.  It seemed odd to me as my service dates back to  1981 and spans 34 years through my retirement in 2015.  It sure seemed to make more sense for me to give him copies of my military medical record pages that document the injuries as I'd already had them with me.  He didn't want my copies.  Anyone have any information on this.  Much thanks in advance.  
      • 4 replies
    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use