Veterans who have returned from military service often develop physical, mental, and emotional problems that might take years to manifest. Because the Veterans Administration is an unwieldy bureaucracy that uses a complex combination of federal statutes, regulations, and internal policies when deciding claims, applying for disability benefits can be a long, frustrating process.
In this introductory CLE course, attorney Eric Gang will teach you the fundamentals of building a case for veterans benefits. Eric will teach you the following: how to identify the primary sources of law & benefits, basic eligibility requirements, the elements of proof for a successful claim and how & when to appeal. Additional topics covered include types of benefits, the three levels of the VA benefits appeals process, the definition of “active duty,” current disabilities, in-service events, establishing a nexus with service, proving nexus by presumption, proving a nexus by aggravation, secondary service connection, the Notice of Disagreement (NOD), requesting a Decision Review Officer (DRO), the Statement of the Case (SOC), Form 9, BVA certification & decision, appealing to the CACV and the three criteria of the Notice of Appeal.
Eric Gang has been in the private practice of law since 1998. He is the founding member of Gang & Associates, LLC, Veterans Disability Lawyers, a law firm that represents veterans worldwide in their appeals for VA disability benefits. A frequent speaker and lecturer in the area of veterans’ disability law, Eric maintains offices in New York City and New Jersey.