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Lawyer versus VSO

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The VSOs are more like go-betweens more than advocates. Am I wrong about this?

Is it true that lawyers cannot give legal advice about initial claims? This is what some lawyers say. If so, then so much for everyone having a right to an attorney. Going to an attorney to get confidential advice for payment for an hour would be beneficial for many. From what I understand there is no "attorney-client" privileged between client and VSO.

Unlike attorneys, the VSOs do not come across as "I will fight for every last one of your rights."

 

 

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There is nothing a lawyer or VSO can do for you on an initial claim that you can't do yourself for free.

The Earth is degenerating these days. Bribery and corruption abound.Children no longer mind their parents, every man wants to write a book,and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching. --17 different possible sources, all lacking verifiable attribution.

B.S. Doane College, Mgt Info Systems/Systems Analysis 2008

M.S.Ed. Purdue University, Instructional Development and Technology, Feb. 2021

M.S. Purdue University Information Technology/InfoSec, Dec 2022

100% P/T

MDD

Spine

Radiculopathy

Sleep Apnea

Some other stuff

-------------------------------------------
B.S. Info Systems Mgt/Systems Analysis-Doane College 2008
M.S. Instructional Technology and Design- Purdue University 2021

 

(I AM NOT A RATER- I work the claims BEFORE they are rated, annotating medical evidence in your records, VA and Legal documents,  and DA/DD forms- basically a paralegal/vso/etc except that I also evaluate your records based on Caluza and try to justify and schedule the exams that you go to based on whether or not your records have enough in them to warrant those)

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4 minutes ago, brokensoldier244th said:

There is nothing a lawyer or VSO can do for you on an initial claim that you can't do yourself for free.

Ok, but technically anyone can defend himself in a trial or do his own house closing too.

Being an initial claim, the claimant is de facto inexperienced. Shouldn't an inexperienced person be able to go to an attorney to get started on the right track? For a few dollars a person can have an effective strategy right from the start. Lawyers charge from $100 to $200 an hour. A few 1/2 hour sessions with an attorney an inexperienced person will more likely do it right the first time. It might be helpful to some.

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I suppose, but its not in their best interest. They can charge for you for anything they want to normally, but they won't represent until an initial denial because there is nothing in it for them to do so. A lawyer is prevented from charging fees by law until after a NOD is filed. Legally you can ask an attorney for help at any time in the process but they can't charge you for it, so, most don't.

 

And, again, there are so many resources with free information that have been vetted by others, or the veterans community, that there is no reason to spend money on something that is pretty simple. The backbone of any VA filing is  evidence, and lots of it. Not "this one time in the Army I had a........" and then file. Consistent treatment records are a necessity. A lawyer can can't get your records any faster than you can. The forms are pretty self explanatory so there is no need for a lawyer then, either. 

Edited by brokensoldier244th

The Earth is degenerating these days. Bribery and corruption abound.Children no longer mind their parents, every man wants to write a book,and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching. --17 different possible sources, all lacking verifiable attribution.

B.S. Doane College, Mgt Info Systems/Systems Analysis 2008

M.S.Ed. Purdue University, Instructional Development and Technology, Feb. 2021

M.S. Purdue University Information Technology/InfoSec, Dec 2022

100% P/T

MDD

Spine

Radiculopathy

Sleep Apnea

Some other stuff

-------------------------------------------
B.S. Info Systems Mgt/Systems Analysis-Doane College 2008
M.S. Instructional Technology and Design- Purdue University 2021

 

(I AM NOT A RATER- I work the claims BEFORE they are rated, annotating medical evidence in your records, VA and Legal documents,  and DA/DD forms- basically a paralegal/vso/etc except that I also evaluate your records based on Caluza and try to justify and schedule the exams that you go to based on whether or not your records have enough in them to warrant those)

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I think sometimes vets lump 'lawyers' into one criteria.

We probably all have a lawyer, who handled our will or real estate closings on our homes, however they do NOT have a clue on VA benefits.

The lawyers listed here somewhere who are members of NOVA, as well as many veteran lawyers who might not belong to NOVA, are the only lawyers who can really help with a claim that is in the appeal process...

2 lawyers I had , one to sue someone and one to handle a lease on part of my farm , both had VA claims pending and I was appalled ,at first, about how little they knew about the VA claims process.

And even as I tried to help them more, they both got civil law mixed of with what they thought they could expect from the VA.

We have No Discovery Rights at all, as claimants.That fact appalled them.

Brokensoldier gave you the nitty gritty.Most of us here are hard core claimants and if I had depended on vet reps, I would have never succeeded.

EVIDENCE wins claims. 

If you have the evidence you need , you will succeed.It might take time but persistence and evidence pay off.

 

 

GRADUATE ! Nov 2nd 2007 American Military University !

When thousands of Americans faced annihilation in the 1800s Chief

Osceola's response to his people, the Seminoles, was

simply "They(the US Army)have guns, but so do we."

Sameo to us -They (VA) have 38 CFR ,38 USC, and M21-1- but so do we.

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Evidence is what wins claims and you can generate your own evidence using IME/IMO.  In PTSD claims the VA requires that they make the initial DX of  PTSD.   This is an outrageous abuse of power.  They are telling us that only the VA can diagnose PTSD?   This is just a ploy to discourage vets from going outside the system to get decent care.   As much as I hate the way the VA operates you have to use the tools available to you.  You must use the VA's rules against them to win your case.

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