Air Force VA Benefits Lawyers | VetLaw

If you served in the Air Force and developed a disability connected to your service, you may be able to access VA disability benefits.

Summary

• Air Force VA benefits lawyers can help veterans access disability benefits if they develop health issues connected to their service.
• To collect VA disability benefits, Air Force veterans need to offer proof of eligibility.
• Common service-related disabilities among Air Force veterans include hearing loss, cancer, back injuries, and mental health conditions.
• VA disability benefits cover medical needs, reduced income, and other costs, depending on the severity and duration of the disability.

The U.S. Air Force plays an essential role in mitigating security threats at home and abroad, which often involves Airmen putting themselves at risk of life-altering injuries to accomplish their tasks. 

A service-related disability, whether it be an acute injury or a condition caused by repeated exposure, can end your military career and have ramifications for your civilian life. Our team at VetLaw regularly assists Air Force veterans who have been unjustly denied by the VA to make effective appeals for disability benefits.

Whether you are trying to increase your disability benefits, add a Secondary Condition, or refute a denial, your best chance of success is with our highly-regarded veterans disability claims attorneys at VetLaw.

Set up a free case evaluation with us by calling (855) 500-4672 or completing a contact form today.

Why You Should Trust Our Team at VetLaw  

Clients come to us in crisis and leave with the financial support they need to care for themselves and their families. As upsetting as it can be to get denied by the VA, this is just a starting point for our skilled veterans disability appeals attorneys at VetLaw.

A key element to our success has been understanding that details matter. We will listen carefully to your experience, thoroughly document the consequences of your service-related injury, obtain evidence of a medical nexus, and manage the administrative requirements of your claim to maximize your likelihood of a successful appeal.

Our team of Air Force VA benefits attorneys is able to make sound judgment calls, juggle numerous pressing tasks, and remain attentive to client concerns throughout the VA claim appeals process until we reach a favorable resolution. 

If you want a dedicated, responsive, and skilled legal team to handle your VA disability claim, VetLaw is the clear choice.

VetLaw Has an Established Record of Results and Grateful Clients

At VetLaw, we credit our excellent outcomes to a tireless work ethic, a decade of hard-won expertise representing clients with the VA, and the amount of trust our clients place in our skills. We have an undeniable track record of success, but our client reviews put it best.

“Great firm to work with. Very understanding and will work hard to get you the benefits you deserve.”

“They were very professional and made sure that the VA got even my disability rate and everything right in order for me to have a higher rating along with complete medical care going forward. It’s been a process but with VetLaw it made it a bunch easier. Thank you for all you did.”

One of the highest compliments we can receive is a former client recommending our Air Force VA benefits lawyers to a fellow service member. Knowing that we have earned a client’s trust is not only flattering, it’s also motivating, pushing our team to do our best for each new client we represent. 

Who is Entitled to VA Disability Benefits?

As the VA processes an Air Force veteran’s disability claim, it is checking for specific elements to ensure that the vet’s disability is real, related to their service, and serious enough to warrant benefits. 

If you believe that you have earned VA disability benefits based on your service-related condition, start compiling service records, medical documents, and statements to corroborate the assertions of your case.

The VA may deny your claim if you submit inadequate evidence of the following:

• 2 years of active duty service or a completed contract, and a character of discharge that is Honorable or General
• A current medical condition, either physical or mental
• A verifiable service connection between the disability you listed and your service in the Air Force

Even when Air Force veterans can demonstrate that they fulfill these criteria, they still have another hurdle to overcome in order to claim VA disability benefits.

Only service-connected injuries and illnesses with a VA rating of 10% or higher qualify for disability benefits. Therefore, Air Force veterans must prove that their medical condition is serious enough to deserve VA benefits.

Air Force Veterans May Develop Illnesses or Injuries Due to Their Service

Many Air Force vets suffer from service-connected disabilities. This includes physical and mental health conditions that were pre-existing but were irritated by military service, issues that arose during military service, and medical problems that became evident after discharge.

Common service-related disabilities among Air Force veterans include:

• Hearing loss and tinnitus caused by working in close proximity to jet engines
• Cancer, weakened immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems, and other diseases from using AFFF firefighting foam to prevent catastrophic fires on airfields
• Back injuries from working in cramped spaces and bending over while operating or repairing machinery
• PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety from the intense nature of the job and traumatic events

Many of these service-connected disabilities are chronic. Consequently, Air Force veterans will continue to deal with the negative repercussions to their health, finances, and well-being long after the military has discharged them from active duty service.

Additionally, it’s not uncommon for veterans to develop secondary conditions as a result of service-connected disabilities, further exacerbating these stressors.

Types of VA Disability Benefits for Air Force Veterans

VA disability benefits is a broad term that encompasses financial compensation for several services. The coverage you are eligible for depends on how severe your disability is and how long it is expected to last.

For example, two Air Force vets could both have Traumatic Brain Injuries sustained while on active duty, but receive vastly different benefits based on the level of impairment they experience. 

The main categories of VA disability benefits offer compensation for:

• Medical needs, including treatments, equipment, prescriptions, and even Aid and Assistance for caregivers
• Reduced income, on a temporary or permanent basis
• Other costs, including home renovations to make your house safe to navigate, or tuition and fees for college or technical school

Air Force veterans may also be entitled to Special Monthly Compensation benefits on top of their monthly disability compensation. SMC benefits are generally reserved for veterans with specific combinations of severe service-connected disabilities. The VA awards them in acknowledgement of their reduced quality of life and health.

Our Air Force VA Benefits Lawyers Can Assist With Your Veterans Disability Appeal

As an established nationwide veterans disability law firm, we have the resources to support your VA appeal from start to finish. However, this is just one reason why Air Force veterans hire VetLaw to file their disability appeals with the VA.

We also provide results-based legal advice rooted in our considerable experience as veterans disability claims attorneys. Our team of Air Force VA benefits lawyers believe it is a privilege to advocate for veterans.

We don’t take your trust for granted. With your claim in our hands, you will receive the benefit of our time and attention. We are committed to helping you secure VA disability benefits so you can rebuild your life.

Let the Air Force VA Benefits Lawyers of VetLaw Go to Work For You

Following a VA denial, you may be worried that you don’t have a case for disability benefits. Our experienced team of VA-accredited veterans disability attorneys is not only qualified to make that call, but we also have the ability to construct a persuasive appeal to the VA.

At VetLaw, we are in the habit of exceeding expectations. Our team of Air Force VA benefits attorneys is highly sought-after. This is because we understand what it takes to navigate complex cases and secure the disability benefits our clients deserve.

Schedule a free consultation by calling (855) 500-4672 or completing a contact form today. We will take the time to ensure you understand what your options are. Additionally, we’ll explain our role in the VA disability claims process so you can move forward with confidence

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an Air Force VA benefits lawyer charge to represent an appeal?

If your veterans disability attorney helps you convince the VA to grant your appeal, you should receive back pay benefits from your effective date. A portion of those benefits constitutes your Air Force VA benefits lawyer’s fee. 

This means you don’t have to pay anything until your appeal is decided. If the VA does not grant your appeal, we won’t charge you for our services. The VA benefits you earn going forward are yours alone; we only recover a portion of your back pay benefits.

Are Air Force veterans at a greater risk for disabilities related to AFFF exposure?

An individual’s risk of AFFF-related injuries depends on how frequently they were exposed to unsafe levels of the substance. The Air Force stocked AFFF at virtually every airfield because an uncontrolled fire near jet fuel poses a massive threat. The military is set to eliminate AFFF in 2024, but it is still used in emergencies.

So, on average Air Force veterans may be more likely to come into contact with AFFF firefighting foam because they are more likely to work at the airfield where it is present. However, individual personnel who served as firefighters in other branches of the military or worked on airfields may carry the same level of risk.

What is the likelihood of a successful VA appeal? 

Many factors contribute to the strength of an individual appeal. This includes the quality of the Air Force VA benefits lawyer you hire. The “average” success rate for VA appeals is just a general commentary on the process. 

Additionally, your chances of a successful appeal can be impacted by the path you choose. For example, pursuing a higher-level review versus a hearing with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals can impact your odds. Overall, the VA granted 38.9% of appeals in 2022.

Are veterans of the Air National Guard eligible for VA disability benefits?

Former members of the Air National Guard may qualify for VA disability compensation, under certain circumstances. Their service-connected disability must be related to active duty (Title 10 or Title 32) or active duty for training.

The VA also provides disability compensation to Air National Guard veterans who sustained a disability related to an injury, heart attack, or stroke during inactive duty training. To collect VA disability benefits, Air National Guard veterans must still fulfill the typical requirements for disability compensation.

Can the VA lower my disability rating for my service-connected condition if I’ve had it for a long time?

After you have had a disability rating for a specific length of time, the VA can no longer reduce it below a certain point without evidence of meaningful improvement or fraud.

The VA’s ten and twenty year rules outline the narrow circumstances under which the VA is allowed to lower a veteran’s disability rating after they have held it for ten or twenty years.