Why We Do It

Too many veterans give up — not because they’re wrong, but because they can’t afford to prove they’re right.

The Reality Veterans Face

Under 38 U.S.C. §§ 5901–5904 and 38 C.F.R. § 14.636, VA‑accredited attorneys and claims agents can only be paid after the VA has made an initial decision on a claim. The idea is to prevent predatory practices and ensure veterans aren’t charged before they’ve even been approved for benefits.

VA rules written with good intentions, but in the real world, things look very different.

The Practical Reality

Before the VA ever makes a decision, there’s an enormous amount of heavy lifting that needs to happen:

Pulling and reviewing Service Treatment Records (STRs)
Building a winning claim strategy
Gathering new medical evidence and independent medical opinions
Drafting personal statements and nexus letters
Preparing and filing multiple VA forms

This is specialized legal and investigative work — requiring significant time, skill, and resources.

And here’s the problem:

Under the VA’s rules, most advocates can’t bill for this work until much later — if they’re able to bill at all.

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The Unspoken Industry Truth

To build a strong VA claim, advocates — accredited and unaccredited alike — often invest weeks or even months of work before the VA ever makes a decision. This includes reviewing Service Treatment Records (STR), developing a winning strategy, gathering medical evidence, and drafting personal statements.

Because the VA only permits contingency fees after certain claim milestones, many professionals use a two‑part fee structure:

Flat Fee – Covers the critical, labor‑intensive case preparation phase.
20% Contingency – For standard retroactive awards tied to the Intent‑to‑File date or appeals.

Why a two‑part structure? Not because all advocates are greedy — hopefully not, anyway. The truth is, the VA claims process involves separate, highly specialized phases of work, each with its own rules, timelines, and adjudication standards. Some advocates care deeply about the veterans they serve but also need to be compensated fairly for the time‑intensive work they do. Others… not so much.

Flat fees vary by case complexity — from a few hundred dollars to many thousands — and they exist to ensure advocates are fairly compensated for the most critical, early‑stage work that is otherwise unpaid under VA regulations.

That’s why one of VBSi’s most important roles when preparing financial assistance is to vet and approve only reputable advocates — those who charge reasonable, transparent fees and deliver genuine value. We deliberately weed out the ones who overcharge, cut corners, or treat veterans as a payday instead of a responsibility.

The VA Benefits Paradox

The VA’s rules are meant to protect you. But without the upfront work, your claim may never get started — no matter how strong your case.

The paradox? Many veterans are locked out of their benefits, staring through the fence at something they’ve already earned but still can’t access.

This happens. It’s why We Do what we do.

The Veteran Questioned Everything…

She wasn’t sure she even had a case.

She had questions and doubts. Gaps in memory. And, like many MST survivors, she wasn’t sure anyone would believe her – let alone if anyone was listening.

But the Advocate Did.

The advocate took the time to listen — carefully, respectfully — and asked the hard, sensitive questions no one else had ever asked. Not to relive the events, but to build a case rooted in truth and evidence.

Her service records didn’t tell the whole story, but her symptoms did. The medications. The fatigue. The anxiety. The counseling sessions.

It was all there — buried in years of records and overlooked notes.

The Strategy was Developed & Executed.

Over the next several months, the advocate built the claim from the ground up:

A detailed personal statement – putting a voice to the events.
Verified MST documentation through medical evidence.
Created the timeline from in-service events through treatment history.
Prescription data and provider notes that tied it all together.

The Outcome.

After months of filing appeals and briefs, the Veteran’s claim was approved and now has a combined VA rating of 90% including for PTSD due to MST.

Monthly Tax-Free Compensation: $2,298
Annual Tax-Free Income: $27,586
Retroactive Backpay: $29,425
Estimated Lifetime Benefits (to age 80): $990,715.20
(not including future COLA increases)

Because someone finally stopped, listened — and followed through.

All made possible, by donors like you.

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Break the Paradox

Help a Veteran Fight for Their Benefits
Far too many veterans are locked out of the benefits they’ve earned — not because they don’t have a strong case, but because they can’t afford the upfront costs to get started.

Your gift removes that barrier through direct VA assistance.

It funds the critical early‑stage work — gathering records, building strategy, and filing the claim — so a veteran can finally take their case to the VA with skilled representation.

Your support gives a veteran the power to start — and win — their VA claim.