Frequently Asked Questions
SOS Veterans assistance is a Veterans disability benefit rating marketing, PR, and management firm.
It’s a simple but complicated answer.
To our knowledge, not one company on the globe has what we have.
Our significant advantage over other companies in place specifically for our Veterans, is that SOS has a former VA appeals attorney on retainer.
Sure, other firms may be operated BY attorneys.
No secret there.
BUT, having one who was once on the inside is the advantage.
If you go to court, wouldn’t it be a huge advantage to have your judge be your former attorney?
How about taxes?
When having them prepared to file, wouldn’t it be an advantage to have a preparer who was once an IRS auditor?
You bet it would.
That’s our advantage.
And now, through SOS, it’s yours.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. All initial consultations are free. As we are completely virtual, we can serve you anywhere on the planet.
The BEST answer, is, “it depends”. There are a lot of moving parts with the required documentation, the medical opinions, the VA examiners, the merits of your conditions and the precise verbiage required to sway the VA to say “Yes”.
Great question! This VA issued >> chart << is your best source for that answer. This dollar amount is PER MONTH. FOR LIFE. TAX FREE. The real question now is, what will you do to get it?
GREAT question! Our unbiased answer is this; VSO’s are hard working volunteers or state-compensated employees for sure.
However, they have little if any real incentive to advocate actively, much less fiercely for you. They exist as a free option. Their overall process is to advise you to submit your ITF then “good luck”. They haven’t the resources required to effectively guide you in the safest direction with the highest probability of success. Any review on a veterans support social media platform bears this out. They’re simply overwhelmed.
Attorneys are notorious for “bait and switch” tactics. They’ll charge a client ZERO money upfront, or ever. HOWEVER, they will rip a large percentage (20 – 30%) of the veterans award for their services. Decide you don’t want to give them that percentage? Too bad. You’re required to sign a contract stating you will OR it gets used against you in court where you will lose. Great way to treat our veterans, right?
SOS is managed by business executives with decades of contract creation, negotiation and successful client closings and are a Veteran owned business. We have the knowledge and resources to pursue avenues of success until we get you to membership in the coveted “100%” club. We aren’t percentage based because we feel that’s abusive. Rather, we are disclosed up front, flat fee menu based. You KNOW what you’re paying for.
Always remember, NO entity or individual can ever GUARANTEE results. SOS is no different. We base our success on the success of each individual Veteran.
Once you’ve received a rating and cash flow is knocking on your door every month, that’s when we advise creating a legacy strategy to protect those valuable assets. Without one, upon your death, your loved ones could be left destitute and possibly homeless.
No worries. As you may or may not know, approximately 80% of certain branches of American military personnel files were destroyed in a fire at the national personnel records center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO in 1973. We can assist you with locating yours using our approved contract sources.
SOS employs a free secret strategy in aiding the Veteran in obtaining their medical records.
We file your initial notification to the VA alerting them to the fact that evidence is being gathered to support any and all claims you intend to seek compensation for. That critical filing sets the tone of getting on the radar of the VA. The dozens of specialized VA forms and hundreds of medical documents are managed, prepared and submitted by us on your behalf.
Again. It depends. We prefer you stay engaged with us until you achieve membership in the coveted “100% Club.”
Only YOU will be advised of status from the VA. You are notified via your VA eBenefits account. We rely on you to notify us every time you receive communication from the VA as many of their requirements are perishable. If you miss responding to any of them, it could be disastrous.
Breathe. Then remember SOS has contract attorneys experienced in VA procedures for compelling VA through the legal system to overturn any denials for our veterans. If you ever need these services, we refer you to an attorney to interview, then employ to represent you.
Great question! Every day, week, month and year a Veteran delays in properly filing and fighting for their benefits, is time which cannot be recovered. The proper filing of notifying VA of your impending claim(s) can assure past due amounts you.
YES. The internet is an amazing tool. We can conduct your initial consult and subsequent appointments with us remotely via Zoom or even the old-fashioned telephone. Keep in mind, while some physician/technician examinations can be conducted virtually, if an in-office appointment is required, you will need to meet with the physician or examiner.
There are eight steps that disability claims follow:
- Claim Received. Your claim is moved to this stage once it has been received by VA.
- Under Review. A Veterans Service Representative is reviewing your claim to determine if there is a need for additional evidence. This includes the results of your Compensation and Pension Exam, which VA will schedule.
- Gathering of Evidence. If the Veterans Service Representative deems that your claim requires additional evidence, he or she will request it from the appropriate sources.
- Review of Evidence. All evidence is received and is under review.
- Preparation for Decision. At this stage, the Veterans Service Representative has recommended a decision and is preparing documents detailing that decision.
- Pending Decision Approval. The Veterans Service Representative’s decision is reviewed, and a decision is made.
- Preparation for Notification. Your decision is being prepared for mailing.
- Complete. The award or decision is sent to you via U.S. mail, along with the details surrounding this decision.
VA allows veterans to check the status of their claims throughout the process in three ways:
- By visiting a local VA regional office;
- By calling VA’s national toll-free phone number at 800-827-1000; hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern Time.
- Logging into va.gov and using VA’s appeals tracker.
Online VA Appeals Status Tool: eBenefits
What is eBenefits?
eBenefits is a secure web portal provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in an effort to provide veterans, service members, and their families self-service capabilities in managing VA and military benefits. This portal allows veterans, service members, and their families an array of self-service functions such as checking the status of a VA claim.
How to Access eBenefits
In order to access eBenefits, veterans and service members must be listed in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and create a DS logon. If you are not in the DEERS system, your local VA Regional Office can assist you. This logon is how you will access eBenefits and it remains valid through the rest of your life.
Checking VA Claim Status
To check the status of a VA claim using eBenefits, veterans will need the following:
- DS Logon, which is the same logon as your eBenefits account;
- My HealtheVet account;
- ID me account.
If you do not yet have a login, create an ID me account at vets.gov. Once you are logged in, select the “Check your claim and appeal status” option to access the appeals tracker tool.
The main page entitled “Your Compensation Appeals and Claims” will show the type of claim that is under appeal (e.g., Appeal of Compensation Decision), the date you received the claim decision, the appeal’s status (e.g., VA adjudicator is reviewing your appeal), the issues on appeal (e.g., increased rating), and a “View Status” option that will lead you to detailed information about your appeal.
On the “View Status” page, veterans can view the current status of their appeal followed by a description of what happens during the next step of the process (e.g., The Board will make a decision). On this screen, you may also select “See past events” which displays a timeline of events that have already occurred throughout your appeal process.
Below this timeline, you will see the “Current Status” of your appeal. If your appeal stage requires action, an alert box will be highlighted in yellow under this portion of the webpage. This section will describe what action must be taken in order to continue on with your appeal and the date by which it must be completed.
Importantly, under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA), veterans will have one year to appeal unfavorable VA decisions. However, there are exceptions to this timeframe. For example, if veterans receive an unfavorable Board decision and choose to appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), they must do so within 60 days of judgment.
If veterans do not appeal within the timeframes outlined above, their decisions will become final. When a decision becomes final, veterans will lose their effective dates since the claim will no longer be continuous.
VA Claim Wait Times
Similar to the Legacy Appeals system, VA does not operate under any mandated deadlines. However, VA proposed several timeframe goals regarding the processing of decisions under AMA. Namely, in both the supplemental claim and higher-level review lanes, VA set forth a 120-day goal for issuing
Appeals Modernization
The Veteran Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 became law on August 23, 2017 (Pub L. 115-55). It is also known as the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA). You can read the law in full on Congress.gov.
The law:
- Modernizes the claims and appeals process
- Includes three decision review options for disagreements with benefits decisions
- Requires improved notification of VA decisions
- Provides earlier claim resolution
- Ensures you receive the earliest effective date possible
What are the new options for review?
You have three options for review:
Option 1: Higher-Level Review
Your claim is reviewed by a more senior claims adjudicator and involves:
- A higher-level de novo review (new look) of the decision
- No submission of new evidence allowed
- The possibility of overturning the decision based on
- A difference of opinion
- A clear and unmistakable error
The reviewer, who identifies or learns of a duty to assist error, can return the claim to the regional office for correction. At the time of application, you or your representative can request an informal conference to identify errors of law or fact in the decision.
Option 2: A Supplemental Claim
You can submit or identify new and relevant evidence to support your claim. VA will provide assistance in developing the evidence.
Option 3: Appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals
This option allows you to appeal directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. You can choose between three options:
- Direct review: You do not want to submit additional evidence or have a hearing.
- Evidence submission: You want to submit additional evidence without a hearing.
- Hearing: You choose to submit evidence and have a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.
YES! There are more Veterans than we will EVER be able to reach and assist.
Each state has a certification course available. For example, for those interested in becoming a Nevada Veterans Advocate (Certified Advocate) just take the FREE online course! (This certification is valid NATIONWIDE.)
1. Register with NVApps (If you don’t already have an NVeLearn account)
2. Take the NV Advocate Courses Online!
First, become certified. >> HERE << is the link for you.
As processes for the VA are national, a national certification is not required. Once certified, send an email with your contact information and copy of your completion certificate to: Consultants@SOSVetAssist.com
You’ll receive onboarding instructions from there.
