Veterans Benefits: Basics of Eligibility & Claims Agenda
- Introduction (10 minutes)
- Why veterans need lawyers
- Overview Of VA Benefits Process (60 minutes)
- (Short) History of veterans' benefits
- Types of benefits
- Entitlement
- Eligibility
- "Service Connection"
- Duty to assist
- Benefit of the doubt
- Rating process
- Typical claims
- Considerations in Agent Orange and PTSD claims
- Appealing Denied Claims (45 minutes)
- Disagreeing with a decision
- Choosing an appeal path
- Deadlines and filing considerations
- The Board of Veterans' Appeals
- To the Veterans Court . . . and beyond
- Break (15 minutes)
- Veterans' Appellate Advocacy (45 minutes)
- Unique aspects
- Tips for advocacy before the Board
- Tips for advocacy before the Court
- Fees
- Developing Issues (10 minutes)
- Fiduciary appointments
- Information security
- Representative designations
- Due process concerns
- Q&A (10 minutes)