Serving South Georgia Since 1974
VA Disability Compensation for Veterans.
Veterans'
Disability
Effective December 22, 2006, President, George W. Bush signed historic legislation that permits Veterans to hire lawyers at the administrative level to represent them in claims for Disability Compensation. This historic legislation removed a legal prohibition against hiring attorneys at the administrative level that had existed since the Civil War.
Previously, representation of disabled Veterans at the Administrative Appeal level was only available through non-attorney Veterans Service Organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans, and American Legion.
Attorney Keith Pflepsen of Woodall & Pflepsen, P.C., handles claims for Veterans Disability Compensations before the Regional Office of Veterans Affairs in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C. Mr. Pflepsen is also a member of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Veterans are eligible for service connected disability compensation if they can prove that they have an injury, illness, or disease that occurred during military service. Certain specified tropical and chronic diseases are presumed to be service connected. The Veteran must also establish that the illness or disease that occurred in service is causing the Veteran a current disability. The regulations for Veterans compensation contains a schedule of ratings that assign a percentage of disability for a myriad of listed diseases and conditions. The percentage of disability then translates into monetary monthly payments to compensate the veteran for loss in earning capacity. Veterans who are completely unable to hold down consistent gainful employment may be eligible for temporary disability due to individual unemployability.
Federal Law places a “duty to assist” upon the Department of Veterans Affairs to work with the Veterans. But many veterans are hesitant to completely rely on the VA bureaucracy. Keith Pflepsen helps Veterans navigate the appeals maze and will investigate and develop a well-documented claim under the Federal Regulations.
