As an honorably discharged veteran, you served your country well and you earned certain benefits. These benefits include the right to receive compensation and medical care for any disabling medical condition that was incurred or aggravated while you were in service. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be difficult for the veteran to obtain the earned benefits guaranteed by law, especially if the medical condition was from an aggravated injury.
Like all bureaucracies, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is unyielding in how it applies federal law that governs a veteran’s right to compensation. If your disability claim is not clearly supported by your medical records—with the exact evidence VA requires—you will be denied benefits. This is evident in the high disapproval rate of over 70% for cases at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
Veterans need a team of recognized medical expert like our physicians who know the VA system. Our physicians often find relevant medical information in a veteran’s file that previously has been overlooked. Frequently, the veteran’s diagnosis is modified or changed, based on one of our physicians review of the full medical records. An accurate diagnosis leads toward a fair and rational analysis of the case. Our physicians thorough review allows them to give a better assessment of the veteran’s level of disability. Careful and early attention to the details of your case could save years of appeals, and help you arrive at a higher disability rating sooner. However, it is never too late to get an independent medical opinion.
Dr. Mitchell, who is a Board Certified Family Physician, is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and The University of Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa. He also has a Masters in Education and focuses his practice on educating his patients on preventive care and disease prevention. Dr. Mitchell served in the U.S. Navy where he was Chief Resident at Naval Hospital Pensacola and provided care to active duty, reserve, and retired members at other duty stations before coming to private practice.
Dr. Mitchell is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Northwest Georgia Physicians Association.
The disability claims process consist of eight steps, unless a claim does not require further evidence to make a decision than the claim will only go through a six step process.
