The Strategic Use of Medical Experts in VA Compensation Cases

Disabled veterans face an uphill battle in obtaining service connection for their service-related injuries. To win these cases requires a critical understanding of veterans affairs (VA) law and the strategic use of medical experts. Although the VA has a duty to assist that often requires it to provide medical exams for claimants, these VA exams often serve as a predicate for a denial of benefits. In this course, presented by experienced veterans’ benefits practitioner Eric Gang, you will learn how to effectively use medical experts in VA compensation cases in order to win your client’s case.

 
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key aspects of veterans’ benefits law that you must know to win service connection
2. Discuss what constitutes a winning case theory and how you can decide on this theory to win your client’s case
3. Determine when medical experts are needed, how to know which expert to hire, and what your expert’s report must contain to be considered acceptable by the VA
4. Explore how to choose and hire experts
5. Know what to do when the VA has an unfavorable medical opinion
6. Review how to present your case to the expert and how to cultivate a relationship with that expert for future cases
7. Develop best practices for paying for the expert and strategies for keeping costs down