Veterans Help Network - Info on the US Court of Appeal for Veterans Claims

In 1988 congress established The US Court of Appeals For Veterans Claims to hear appeals from Veterans claims that have been denied by the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).
The Court of Appeals For Veterans Claims is NOT part of the VA!! It is a separate entity!

In 1992 Congress created and implicated a program to help Veterans get a lawyer to represent the Veteran at no charge.
The Veteran does not have to have an attorney, however it is in their best interest to have one. The laws are very specific, as well as the practice and procedures in a court of law, and only a practiced attorney will be familiar with them.
It is the Veterans responsibility to find a lawyer to represent them. It has been Veteran's Help Network's experience that after a Veteran has faxed or mailed his completed form to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, that the court posts this on a list. Several attorneys then are notified and can obtain that list to send the Veteran information on their skills and services, thus making it very easy to find a lawyer. There is a large list of lawyers that do send out solicitations to the Veteran's address on the form.
There is a $50.00 filing fee for this court. However, there is a form to show financial hardship, and that fee will be waived. Below are links to the forms. You have to have adobe acrobat reader to open the files. If you do not have it, you can download it here.
Notice of Appeal
Declaration of Hardship Form
The Veteran MUST have a denial from the BVA (Board of Veterans Appeals) before you may use this avenue to fight your claims. It must be filed within 120 days of the BVA's denial of the Veterans claim.
If the Veteran is finding that they're running out of time, all they need to do is print their Name, Home Address and telephone number on paper, and also write "I want to appeal my BVA decision, today's date is 00/00/2004" Then sign your name.(always put your case number on each and every page)
You can fax, mail, or even hand deliver your forms or letter to the following, before your 120 days are up.

The U.S. Court Of Appeals for Veteran's Claims

Their Official Web Site Link

Mikes's On Going Court Story

Mikes's On Going Court Story