Why Should I Work With An Attorney to Apply for VA Benefits?
Applying for the Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension can be both stressful and confusing. However, if you work with an attorney, the process can be a little less painful. Attorneys who are accredited to practice before the VA can help your family work through the entire process of applying for VA benefits, as well as helping to plan for other benefits that may be available, such as Medicare or Medicaid benefits.
There are many reasons why it can be helpful to have an attorney work with you to plan for the Aid and Attendance benefit. One of the most confusing parts of the application process can be determining whether the veteran or surviving spouse is actually eligible to receive the Aid and Attendance pension in the first place. For example, the VA has specific rules on how the amount of medical expenses you must have and the amount of assets you can have before being eligible. The VA also has extremely complicated rules on whether a spouse who has remarried is eligible for the pension or how you can apply for the pension if your spouse refuses to cooperate or participate in the application process. Attorneys who have experience with the VA will know these rules and can eliminate any doubts you may have about whether your loved one qualifies for the pension. Also, once you begin the application, you will discover that there are countless forms to complete, documents to request, and doctors and caregivers to contact before the process is over. Attorneys can help you complete these forms so that you won’t have to go through the hassle of completing them on your own.
A common complaint that we get from our clients is that it is very difficult to get answers from the VA or that it takes too long to hear back from the VA once the application has been sent. Attorneys who are familiar with the VA can communicate with the VA so that you don’t have to. In fact, attorneys may often know the answer to your question without having to ask the VA, making the process even simpler.
Finally, the most stressful moment of the entire process can be actually deciding that you’re ready to submit the application. You may second-guess yourself: Have I filled out all of the forms correctly? Am I missing something? Did I do enough to make sure my loved one will get the benefits they deserve? Working closely with an attorney can ensure that you give the VA all of the information it needs the first time you submit the application.
Applying for VA benefits can be a difficult process, but working with an accredited attorney can make the process easier, faster, and less confusing while ensuring that your loved one will get the benefits they deserve.
