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As a military veteran who proudly served his or her country, the last thing you might expect is to be rejected by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) when seeking federal disability benefits – or your claim being undervalued or ignored. Unfortunately, this is the experience described by hundreds of veterans who try to collect VA disability benefits in Florida.
If you have been wrongfully denied VA disability benefits as an injured veteran in Florida – or you wish to receive professional assistance when filing your initial claim – Stone Rose Law can help. Our Florida VA disability benefits attorneys have years of experience helping veterans demand the financial benefits that they deserve. Call (480) 498-8998 today to receive a free consultation.
As of the most recent statistics, more than 1.5 million servicemember veterans call Florida home. Florida has the third-largest veteran population in the country, behind California and Texas. Thousands of these veterans receive monthly payments from the VA for long-term injuries and disabilities, such as:
All of these conditions, and many others, can qualify a servicemember for VA disability benefits in Florida. To be eligible for this monthly payment, a veteran must have a disabling injury that is connected to his or her time in service. Unfortunately, veterans often encounter problems when trying to collect the benefits that they are due.
Veteran Affairs disability benefits provide financial compensation to veterans who suffered an injury or illness while serving in the military, as well as veterans whose service exacerbated an existing injury. The amounts of these benefits are calculated by the VA using a special equation that determines the applicant’s percentage of disability. Then, the percent is matched to a benefit amount based on the rates for that year. As of December 1, 2021, the percent disability rating is as follows:
You may qualify for a greater monthly compensation amount if you live with dependents, including young children, your spouse or a parent. If your condition worsens, you may also be able to file a claim to increase your disability rating and monthly payment. Our Florida VA disability lawyer can help you navigate the process of securing veterans benefits.
Filing for VA disability benefits is a relatively straightforward process. You or your lawyer can file online, by phone or by mail using VA Form 21-526EZ. You may need to support your application with documents such as medical records, a letter from your doctor and military service records. Once you submit your claim, the VA will review the application and may request that you schedule an exam to gather more information about your condition. Then, the VA will notify you if your disability compensation claim has been accepted or denied. Check out our VA disability calculator here.
Many veterans are surprised to discover that the VA often rejects disability benefit applications the first time around. If you receive a notice from the regional benefit office in Florida that your application has been denied, do not assume this means you are ineligible for compensation. You can appeal the rejection and fight for a different outcome. Filing an appeal requires submitting an official form expressing that you disagree with the decision and wish to appeal it. You may need to support your request with further evidence proving your disability and its service connection. A disability attorney will be an invaluable asset throughout the process, as they will have the experience and skillset necessary to investigate your case and provide tailored legal advice.
It is possible to get the VA to change its decision and approve a disability benefits claim that it previously denied through an appeal. Unfortunately, the VA can make this process unnecessarily difficult for injured veterans. You may need assistance from an experienced VA benefits attorney in Florida.
An attorney can help you go up against the VA’s administrators in a polite, professional and compelling way to improve the chances of collecting the financial benefits that you need. Once you hire an attorney, the VA is more likely to take you seriously and treat your claim fairly, including processing it faster and offering a more reasonable amount in benefits.
An attorney can help you file a VA disability benefits claim to decrease the odds of it getting rejected. If your application is still denied, your lawyer can assist you with the appeals process to negotiate for the results that you deserve. At Stone Rose Law, we provide these services at affordable rates – and only charge if our national VA disability benefits attorneys succeed in securing financial benefits for you.
Below you will find a list of helpful places for servicemember veterans living in Florida, including Florida’s VA regional benefit office, which is where all correspondence about your disability benefits claim will be to and from. For a more comprehensive list of all VA medical centers, clinics, vet centers and administrative offices in Florida, click here.
St. Petersburg Regional Office
9500 Bay Pines Blvd.
Bay Pines, FL 33744
(800) 827-1000
1201 NW 16th St.
Miami, FL 33125
(305) 575-7000
Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center
1601 SW Archer Rd.
Gainesville, FL 32608
(352) 376-1611
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 972-2000
Going up against the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is not easy. You can improve your chances of winning a VA disability benefits appeal with assistance from an attorney. At Stone Rose Law, we are dedicated to helping veterans in Florida receive the compensation that they need for their injuries and disabilities. We can help you prove that your injury is connected to your time in service, for example, or that your disability has worsened since the time you first started receiving benefits. We know how to collect and present compelling evidence to achieve our clients’ goals.
Discuss how our law firm can help you with a VA disability benefits claim or appeal today. Schedule a free case consultation in Florida at (480) 498-8998, or contact us online and we will get back to you as soon as possible.