To protect the health of veterans and its staff during Covid 19, the VA is no longer holding hearings at Regional Offices (ROs). If you are currently in the disability appeals process, you may be wondering how the COVID-19 outbreak will affect your case. Undoubtedly the process will be slower, but the VA is offering a work-around, holding virtual hearings with the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).
We’re only just beginning to understand how COVID-19 is changing our lives and our way of doing business. At Jackson & MacNichol, we are working hard to provide our clients with the same level of results-oriented service during the pandemic. To this end, we have been conducting virtual BVA hearings to ensure that our clients’ cases do not fall behind. For more information about how we can help with your appeal, call us today at 1(888) 492-2941.
Most BVA Hearings Were Remote Even Before the Pandemic
The BVA gives you the critical option of requesting a hearing as part of the case review process. Most often, these hearings take place through a teleconference session held at your Regional Office. Before COVID-19, the hearings would take place in person because the BVA’s veterans law judges used to travel regularly to the Regional Offices to hear cases or veterans could travel to the Board’s office in Washington, DC for live hearings.
Now, none of these hearing options are available. Veterans law judges work exclusively from home, and the Regional Offices are essentially closed for business. This means that the teleconference must be set up on your end. While many veterans have been able to set up a teleconference with the BVA from the comfort of their own homes, your lawyer may also be able to set up a BVA teleconference from their office if needed.
To set up a successful teleconference with the BVA, you need a laptop, tablet, or smartphone that has:
- A fast, reliable internet connection
- Decent camera
- Reliable microphone
- Speakers or a headphone output (if you have headphones)
In addition to these hardware requirements, your device must support the software application that the VA uses. Some older devices might not support it. For example, if you want to use an Apple iPhone, it needs to be an Apple iPhone 7 or newer to use the teleconference app. If you are curious about whether your device will work, you can visit this page to learn more about the app.
Why You Want a Lawyer By Your Side During the Hearing
You have the legal right to have a lawyer represent you during any hearings or conferences that occur as part of the BVA or other VA hearing or appeals processes. By asserting this right, you can ease the stress of going through the process, while increasing your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. At Jackson & MacNichol, we have already done dozens of virtual hearings from our own offices. To learn more about how we can help with your appeal, call us today at 1(888) 492-2941 for a free consultation.
Visit Site
Learn More