VA Disability Help
Denied or underrated by the VA? Find out if a law firm can review your decision.
If the VA denied your claim or gave you a lower rating than you expected, a law firm can look at the decision letter and the appeal options.
Calls are answered by an automated intake assistant and may be recorded with your consent.
See if a law firm can review your VA decision
Takes about 2 minutes. There is no charge to request a review.
Who can request a case review?
We help veterans, spouses, children, parents, or helpers who have a VA decision and believe something is wrong. Common issues include:
- Service connection denied
- Rating too low for the severity of the condition
- Wrong effective date on the award
- TDIU (total disability based on individual unemployability) not granted
- Secondary conditions not connected
- Board of Veterans' Appeals denial
Compensation is tax-free monthly pay for disabilities caused or worsened by service (38 U.S.C. §§ 1110, 1131). You generally need a discharge other than dishonorable, a current disability, an in-service event, and a medical link called a nexus.
See the full eligibility checklist and the states we serve.
How does a case review work?
The process has three simple steps. It is free to request.
- Answer a few questions. Tell us about your decision, the issue, and your state. You do not need to upload medical records or a DD-214.
- Milberg, PLLC reviews the request. The law firm looks at the information you provided and the decision letter date.
- The firm contacts you if it can help. If the firm can take the case, it will reach out. If not, you will be told. VA Disability Help does not provide legal advice.
Learn more on the how it works page.
Service, family and the decisions that follow
Every request comes from someone who served, or from the family helping them. A firm reviews the VA decision so you do not have to work through the appeal options alone.
Why does the date on the decision letter matter?
Deadlines are strict. For decisions on or after February 19, 2019, the Appeals Modernization Act offers three review lanes: Higher-Level Review, Supplemental Claim, and Board of Veterans' Appeals (Direct Review, Evidence Submission, or Hearing). You generally have 1 year from the decision letter to file (38 C.F.R. § 3.2500(h)). Staying within a year of each decision ("continuous pursuit") can keep the original effective date.
After a Board denial, you have 120 days to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (38 U.S.C. § 7266).
Board pending-age averages (not a promise of your wait time) are about 7 months for Direct Review, about 8 months for Evidence Submission, and about 2.4 years for Hearing (BVA, 2026).
Only about 3% of VA regional office decisions reach the Board. Most denied veterans never appeal.
See the full comparison on the appeal options page.
What does it cost to have a law firm review my decision?
Accredited attorneys and agents may not charge for work before the VA's initial decision (38 U.S.C. § 5904(c)(1)). After that, fees are usually contingent on past-due benefits. A fee of 20% or less is presumed reasonable; over 33⅓% is presumed unreasonable. At 20% or less the VA can pay the attorney directly from back pay (38 C.F.R. § 14.636). No back pay usually means no fee. Veterans Service Organizations are always free.
Any fee is set in a written agreement between you and the law firm, not by VA Disability Help. See the fees page for a worked illustration and more detail.
Who reviews the request I submit?
Milberg, PLLC (formerly Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC) is a national plaintiffs' law firm that reviews requests from this website. VA Disability Help is a marketing service that connects veterans to the firm. VA Disability Help is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Milberg, PLLC does not operate this website.
Submitting a request does not create an attorney-client relationship. Learn more about the firm on the partners page.
Is free help available if I do not want a law firm?
Yes. Free help with VA claims is always available from accredited Veterans Service Organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and The American Legion. County and state veterans service officers also assist. You can find an accredited representative at VA.gov.
See the full free help page for contact information and the Veterans Crisis Line.
Requesting a review is free. A firm decides whether it can help.