Resources
VA Accreditation Information
The news is full of stories about the VA claims backlog. Can I help?
Yes. Accredited attorneys can help veterans navigate the process of applying for VA benefits. Pro bono attorneys must be accredited to assist with VA benefits claims. Information on becoming and staying accredited can be found here. No fee is required to become accredited.
How can an accredited attorney help CVLC?
Accredited attorneys can assist veterans in numerous ways. They can answer a veteran’s questions about a specific claim for benefits. They can help a veteran secure a VA pension. Accredited attorneys can prepare a veteran’s application for VA benefits. They may appeal a denial of a veteran’s initial benefits application.
A list of additional resources for gaining accreditation and representing a veteran before the VA can be found here.
A certification letter template can be found here.
An audio recording of CVLC’s Intermediate Level VA Benefits Training can be heard here.
Discharge Upgrade
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center Discharge Upgrade Manual
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center Discharge Upgrade Manual – Supplemental Guide for PTSD
1972 DoD Task Force on the Administration of Military Justice in the Armed Forces: V1 and V2
VA Benefit Claims
Writing Winning Letters of Support for VA Benefit Claims
Maximizing VA Benefits for Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma
Medical Legal Partnership
Pro Se Resources
Connecticut Network For Legal Aid
Report on How the VA Wrongfully Excludes Veterans with Bad Paper
Underserved – Report from Swords to Plowshares, National Veterans Legal Services Program and Veterans Legal Clinic at the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School
Report on Transitioning Troops to Civilian Employment
Denying Credit: The Failure to Transition Troops to Civilian Employment
*CVLC is pleased to share chapters of David Addlestone’s Military Discharge Upgrading, and Introduction to Veterans Administration Law: A Practice Manual, with the permission of the copyright holder and great thanks to the generosity of Mr. Addlestone.
Disclaimer: Connecticut Veterans Legal Center does not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in the manual. This document is provided for educational purposes only and is not meant to be legal advice. This manual has not been updated since 1990.