Unlike most other cancers, esophageal cancer is increasing in prevalence. This cancer is notoriously aggressive and invasive, and veterans diagnosed with service-connected esophageal cancer are typically eager to obtain disability benefits that will allow them to focus on treatment and recovery. An inappropriate claim denial, or a VA decision that results in an insufficient disability […] The post VA Disability Claims for Esophageal Cancer appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Sleep apnea is a common diagnosis among veterans, but it is still a challenging claim to make for VA disability benefits. VA rejects approximately a third of disability claims in general. On top of this, many cases of sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are a secondary disability—for example, caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), […] The post How Do I Get a Nexus Letter for Sleep Apnea? appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Veterans are waiting far longer for AMA decisions from the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) than the BVA claims. Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick has obtained data indicating that the average appeal before BVA has been waiting for an average of 43 months — 1308 days — despite BVA claiming that decision wait times are between […] The post CCK Shows Actual Wait Times for BVA Decisions Are Far Longer Than Reported appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Any veteran approaching 55 years old and researching VA disability benefits is likely to hear about the “55-year-old rule.” This rule is often cited as a way to protect a veteran’s VA disability rating, ensuring that it cannot be changed. Unfortunately, this policy is frequently misunderstood even among some veterans advocates. In this article, we […] The post What Is the 55-Year-Old Rule? appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Preparation for Notification is one of the stages of the VA disability claims process. It typically takes from 7 to 21 days, but it can be delayed for reasons that are often confusing. In this article, we will explore the Preparation for Notification stage of the process and some of the most common questions that […] The post Preparation for Notification: What Veterans Need to Know appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

According to the Food Research & Action Center, food insecurity affects roughly 7.5% of all veterans. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the Food Stamps Program, helps low-income families by offering funds to purchase food. These benefits help ensure that people have access to a nutritious diet despite financial constraints. However, it is […] The post VA Disability and SNAP Benefits appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Recent surveys have found that veterans comprise 7.5 percent of the adult residents in North Carolina. To serve its large veteran population, the state provides a variety of resources, benefits, and financial aid to veterans living in the state, in addition to benefits offered by VA. As a law firm that represents many North Carolina […] The post North Carolina State Veterans Benefits appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

In February 2024, scientists at Brown University began publishing results from a study on Agent Orange and how it damages the brain. The study sheds light on the actual mechanisms Agent Orange uses to affect brain tissue and cause neurodegenerative diseases. This information could prove extremely useful for veterans seeking to establish a connection between […] The post Agent Orange Damages Brain Like Alzheimer’s: Brown University appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

Veterans who cannot work because of service-connected disabilities may qualify for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). TDIU gives veterans benefits similar to a 100 percent disability rating even though their combined schedular rating does not equal 100 percent. However, schedular TDIU does have its own rating […] The post TDIU: What Is the 70/40 Rule? appeared first on CCK Law ..read more

For the first time since 1945, VA is performing a comprehensive review of its disability rating schedule. VA’s stated goal for the review is to better align ratings with advances in healthcare. The first revisions began to appear in August 2017. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) started implementing changes to the musculoskeletal system rating schedule on […] The post 43% of Recent Knee and Hip Surgery Claims Not Processed Correctly appeared first on CCK Law ..read more