Question:
If I was rated at 80%, should I never bother to try and go back for a higher rating? It really seems like a hassle and more trouble than it's worth. Do you have any thoughts on vaclaimsinsider.com? $1500 seems like a lot to pay for advice on my claim, but they seem credible.
Jim's Reply:
I can't tell you whether or not you could/should file for a higher rating if you were at 80%. There are way too many variables to be able to accurately forecast such a thing. I don't have any experience with the organization you mention but I can tell you that no veteran should ever pay any money out of pocket for help with filing a VA disability claim. First up...it's not legal to charge a veteran to help file a claim. "In general, no individual or organization may charge you a fee to help you file your initial application for benefits," according to the VA itself.
I teach DIY and all the info you need to file a well grounded claim is freely available on this web site, my VAWatchdog web site and the VA eBenefits site itself. Filing a claim for a service connected disabling condition or seeking an increase in a currently rated condition isn't difficult and shouldn't be a challenge if you can use a computer.