Top 5 Reasons to Work with a VA-Accredited Advocate

–   Donnel Beckles, Managing VA Advocate, Veterans Help Group

Donnel Beckles is one of the leading Veterans Advocates in the U.S.  A proud member of the National Organization for Veterans Advocates (NOVA), he is accredited to practice VA law by the Department of Veterans Affairs.  With a wealth of knowledge and expertise in VA Disability law, he has dedicated his career to helping disabled veterans – and their survivors – obtain the compensation benefits they are due.  Donnel has successfully represented thousands in their VA disability claims and appeals. 

Today, Donnel shares his top five benefits of working with a VA-accredited advocate:

Depending on whether you’re filing a VA claim for the first time, appealing a decision within a year, or challenging a denial issued 20 years ago, the rules can be very different. 

The first challenge is to prove that a current disability is related to service. This is called proving service-connection.  After clearing this hurdle, VA must assign a disability rating between 0% and 100%.  This determines how much compensation VA must pay per month. 

Next, VA must decide how far back in time the award should go.  This is called the effective date.  For most clients, the best result is achieving the highest possible rating at the earliest effective date.  But those ratings and dates are governed by hundreds of rules and regulations. 

Hiring a VA-accredited Advocate can help ensure you get the benefit of these rules.

Unfortunately, most claimants who apply for VA Disability get denied at the first administrative level.  Here’s how a VA-accredited advocate can help you get approved:

1. The VA Office of General Counsel holds VA-accredited advocates to a high standard of conduct.  They must act with reasonable diligence and promptness, be truthful in their dealings with claimants and VA, provide competent representation, and otherwise comply with the ABA Model Rules of Professional Responsibility. Our veterans deserve nothing less.

2. An advocate can help claimants understand the nuisances in the VA Disability system, plug holes in the case by developing vocational, medical, and/or lay evidence, and develop a winning legal strategy.

3. That same advocate will help the client get prepared for hearings and Compensation & Pension examinations.  If the case goes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, then the advocate will argue on the client’s behalf before a Veterans Law Judge.

4. Aside from preparing and educating clients on how the system works, an advocate can save the client time.  

5. Perhaps most importantly, a VA advocate will track and meet sensitive deadlines on your behalf. Meeting deadlines is the best way to preserve the maximum benefit to the veteran. 

If your claim has been denied or you are currently working through the appeal process and need help, contact Mr. Beckles and the team at Veterans Help Group at 855-855-8992 or click here and see how our VA-accredited advocates can help get your claim approved at the earliest possible effective date. 

Since 2011, Donnel Beckles has been a leading voice for the disabled veteran community in seeking compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Mr. Beckles has led one of the nation’s most successful VA disability advocacy organizations (Veterans Help Group) since 2016 and has prosecuted thousands of VA Disability claims and appeals resulting in tens of millions of dollars of compensation awards.  Learn more about Donnel here.