Blog - Veterans Law Blog

Most Recent Blog Posts

The VAs Best-Kept Secret: Vietnam veteran survivor benefits claims never end.

Spoiler alert: Vietnam veteran survivor benefits do not die with the veteran if the claims are related to Agent Orange or herbicide exposure. To many of you that will come as a shock. To others, it will feel like a betrayal, as millions and millions of Vietnam veteran...

VA Appeals Modernization: Real change or just a new coat of paint?

by Chris Attig

In this post, I will give you an overview of what the VA is calling "AMA" or VA Appeals Modernization. Basically, there will be 3 structural changes to the current VA appeals process, what the VA will call the "Legacy VA Appeals process". This post covers the FIRST of...

When might you use the VA Higher Level Review Process?

by Chris Attig

What is the VA Higher Level Review Process? The VA Higher Level Review process is part of the new Modernized Appeal process (AMA). Under the AMA, veterans and survivors must choose between 3 paths if (after February 19, 2019) they receive a VA Ratings Decision they do...

Your Feedback to the Surveys was extremely helpful!

by Chris Attig

Over the past month, I've been surveying veterans who follow Veterans Law Blog. I want to learn what the VLB does well, I want to learn what the VLB is not doing well. I wanted to learn how the VLB could be better and get you more information and knowledge. In this...

How to Continuously Pursue a VA Claim under the AMA (Modernized Appeal) Process.

by Chris Attig

One of the critical concepts of the AMA is the idea of the continuously pursued claim. If you continuously pursue a VA Claim, you can keep your original claim effective date. So what does it mean to continuously pursue a VA claim, and how do you do it? Essentially,...

Sedentary Labor: Learn all about the VA’s favorite way to deny VA TDIU Benefits.

by Chris Attig

The VA has a whole bag of tricks for denying entitlement to VA TDIU benefits. This, in my opinion, is really a tacky thing for the VA to do. The veterans seeking a TDIU rating are often earning wages below the poverty threshold - if they are earning anything at all....

How do I Increase my VA Disability rating?

by Chris Attig

What is a claim for increased rating? When the VA grants service connection for your service connected disability, it will assign an initial rating. However, medical conditions are rarely static, and will frequently - almost always - get worse. So, when your...