New York Veterans’ Benefits
Remarkable effort deserves remarkable compensation. The men and women of the U.S. armed forces spend their time—and sometimes their lives—in defense of family and country. There is no way that we could adequately repay them for their time and sacrifice. However, America’s citizens have established a comprehensive program of veterans’ benefits, governed by the Veterans’ Administration, that are intended to make some small start at compensation.
Yet the process can be bewildering for the uninitiated. The massive array of programs, processes, forms, and eligibility requirements can be daunting for those veterans and families seeking the compensation they’ve earned. Our attorneys, certified by the Veterans’ Administration, are intimately familiar with the procedures and have long experience advocating for government benefits.
The most common form of veterans’ benefit is medical care. Discharged or retired veterans are eligible for reduced-cost medical and prescription care, dependent upon the level of their disability and their time and experience in the service.
Many people aren’t aware, though, that veterans’ benefits extend well beyond the medical field, even for those vets who don’t qualify for medical coverage. The many additional benefits available to active or discharged service members include pensions (including “Aid and Attendance” coverage for individuals who need assistance to eat, bathe, or perform other basic tasks), educational support, home loan assistance, life insurance, vocational rehab, and pharmaceutical coverage. Additionally, the families of fallen soldiers are eligible for burial assistance and survivors’ benefits.
Unfortunately, the bureaucracy that often characterizes government programs can make it confusing and difficult to understand exactly what benefits are available, and how to apply for them. The VA website alone lists over 375 forms that may be called upon for your application.
Another problem is that the disability ratings in current use by the VA emerged from the World War II era. The effect of this on the benefits program is obvious: the ratings system has simply failed to keep pace with modern medicine. The result is that many claims involve disputes over the level of disability and, therefore, the compensation and care that are due the claimant.
Our experienced New York elder law attorneys are capable of walking clients through the adjudication system efficiently—which is essential, as the VA typically has hundreds of thousands of disability claims in review on any given day.
The concept behind veterans’ benefits is a simple notion, really. You’ve earned it. Our New York elder law attorneys are capable and ready to sit down and hear your story. Our consultation session is designed to identify which benefits you’re eligible to receive, and our mission going forward is to ensure that you and your family receive the maximum benefit to which you’re entitled.