Mr. Light applied for service connection and received a 10 percent rating with no argument for his hearing impairment. However, his request for benefits for his back injury was denied. For the next five years, he kept his claim alive through continuous appeals, until at last it reached the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. That was when The Veterans Consortium assigned volunteer attorney Chris Attig to the case. “When Chris came on board, things sped up and I got more judicious treatment,” Mr. Light remembers. “It also was much more comforting knowing I had someone on my side, fighting for me.” Thanks to Mr. Attig’s efforts, the case was remanded to the VA regional office, and a few years later Mr. Light received his first positive benefit decision. “This award has changed all our lives greatly for the better. Thank God!” he says. He was approved for service connection on his back, with a total rating of 70 percent and an effective date of five years prior. when he initially applied for service connection. As a result, Mr. Light will receive $100,000 in past-due benefits.

• Did you receive a “final” decision from the Board?  Learn more about appealing a case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

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