If you are a veteran with Camp Lejeune water contamination, the Veterans affairs department may deny your disability claim. It can be frustrating to learn that your claim is being denied when there is evidence supporting its validity. If that happens, you should consider getting help filing a lawsuit for water contamination from an experienced attorney who can help you investigate your claim and determine if you have a valid case.
Appeal The Decision
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If the VA denies your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, you can appeal the decision. An appeal is like a second chance to get what you deserve after appealing a denial in court. The only difference between an appeal and filing an actual lawsuit is that an appeal does not require any money upfront (although there may be fees associated with filing).
Panels usually hear appeals of judges or other government officials appointed by judges and make decisions based on their personal opinions about cases before them. This can take up to six months or longer, though most cases are resolved within two months of being filed at least once during this period due to backlogs created by increased demand from veterans seeking compensation-related help from VA offices nationwide.
Collect Evidence
If the government denies your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, you can appeal the decision. Collecting evidence through witness statements and medical records is a good way to document your case.
Take down names and contact information for anyone who can provide affidavits or statements about what happened at Camp Lejeune during a time when chemical weapons were being stored there. Also, collect any medical records or other documentation that might prove that people were exposed to harmful chemicals while they lived or worked at Camp Lejeune.
The VA Can Deny Your Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Claim
- You have 30 days to appeal the decision if the VA denies your claim.
- The VA can deny your claim if you don’t have enough evidence to support it. For example, suppose you’re claiming that Camp Lejeune water caused an injury or illness and didn’t document how much time spent in contaminated areas affected your health. In that case, this could be grounds for denial.
- There are also eligibility requirements that must be met before filing a Camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit against the VA:
- You must be younger than 18 years old at any time during service (including pre-service).
- Your disability rating must fall within one of these ranges: higher than 50%, lower than 50%, or indeterminate (we don’t know).
Understanding the Decision
The first step when appealing a denied VA disability claim is to understand why the VA made its decision.
- The VA will send a letter explaining the reason for the denial, including any evidence it used to reach its conclusion. If you have additional information or documents you’d like them to review, this is also an opportunity for you to request that they do so.
- The VA may list some of its reasons and evidence in its decision letter or on its website, where you can find them (in case they don’t make it clear). You also have the option of asking for clarification from an official at your local claims center if something isn’t clear enough about how they reached their decision or what kind of information was considered during processing; however, these requests should be made after receiving notice from Claims Service Processing Center that your appeal has been denied by Appeals Management Division based on medical standards set forth by law.
Conclusion
If the VA denies your Camp Lejeune water contamination claim, it’s important to understand why they did so. You should also know what options are available to appeal the decision.
