Advice about lawyer please

[Austin0520]

Hello, I am hoping someone can share advice for me regarding my lawyer. 

I got a VA certified lawyer in 2017 to help me with a CUE and an appeal.  I feel like he is too busy and he is not putting any effort into my claim. 

For example, one of my claims disappeared from ebenefits, and when I emailed him to let him know he told me it was still there and to be patient. Then a month later I emailed him about it again and he realized I was correct that the claim was no longer in the system.  He told me he would follow up with them, but never did.  He often does not respond to my questions until I have asked a few times.  The CUE has been rejected at least two times because the VA is saying he didn't submit a form he was supposed to submit, but he says they don't need the form.  

So, my questions are

1.  Is this pretty standard?  I am not sure what to expect, maybe I am expecting more than I should. 

2.  Should I get a different lawyer?  If so, how do I do that? 

Thanks for reading and I would appreciate any advice anyone has for me. 

[broncovet]

Lawyers who represent Veterans dont get paid to "hold Veterans hand", and help them through this crisis.  Dont expect them to do that.  Contact your psychiatrist/counselor, instead, who does get paid to listen to your complaints.  

The lawyers have a "system" to win your claim.  One of the things they do is to try to filter out the "probative" stuff, and the rest is noise.   That is, they seperate stuff that will make a difference in the outcome of your claim, and stuff that wont make a difference.  Its their judgement call.  

Your attorney did not feel this was probative.  

You dont have to agree with him..if you agreed with your attorney on "everything", then you wouldnt need an attorney, you could just represent yourself...after all, you would have as much knowledge as your attorney if you agreed with him on everything.  

My advice is to stick with your attorney, unless you have a compelling reason.  Its my opinion that you dont have a compelling reason.  

I have been through it.  You think the attorney is not doing anything..you wait..you win your claim.  Well, we dont know what he was doing.  Was he playing golf?  Video games? Maybe he was part of the time.  But he did what it takes to win.  

Like yourself, I emailed my attorney multiple "theories" on why I should win benefits.  Mostly they were ignored.  But I largely got the results I wanted, so who cares?  

A lot of it is about ego.  We all want to think we are Perry Mason, without a law degree.  Let your attorney do his job, and dont fret when he does not send you a detailed answer back to all your "benefit theories".  Its a nice way of saying "they wont work", without hurting your feelings.  

At the BVA, attorneys win 90 percent of the time.  Source: https://www.leadingresponse.com/attorneys-prevail-in-nearly-90-of-va-disability-appeals-cases/

Let your attorney do his job, and dont ask him to be your shoulder to cry on.  You can ask hadit members, we dont charge for our advice.  

Edited August 5, 2019 by broncovet

[broncovet]

Changing attorney's in the middle of a claim would be like changing spouses.  It rarely turns out as well as we think it will.  

[GBArmy]

Bronc, you must be 100 years old. You'd have to be that old to be as good at giving advise that you do! LOL

[Richard1954]

The only person who can decide to change lawyers is you.. I can tell you my opinion about lawyers but that won't help you... so my advice if you think your lawyer is not looking out for you  get a new lawyer and drop the one you have....

Edited August 5, 2019 by Richard1954