Are you a veteran? Have you been injured on active duty? Are you refusing to file a claim(s)? Please read this:

First and foremost, this isn't an ad or some sort of referral to a "percentage" claim-filing business. It's a snapshot of my own VA claim reality.

In my internet travels I've had occasion to read the views of many veterans who are due benefits for injuries/wounds they suffered, who refuse to file claims because of what they've heard (the hassle, the story that they always deny claims, the concept that they just want you to die first) or the guilt (I'm hurt, but it's not that bad and I don't want others to think I'm a weakling) or some variation of that theme.

I was one of you.

My TBI reached the point of resulting in having a memory like a fence post.

I've been to, for example, 8 or so NASCAR races around the country over the past 7 years or so. 

I know that I went.

But I can't tell you when for sure, who won, or where. (Except the first one: Daytona)

I reached the point at work where mandatory forms that needed to be submitted weren't. MY memory, in short, has become a disaster.

I got to where I could no longer work. But I still had/have a family to support and they deserve better.

So, I bit the bullet and filed.

It was excruciating. They took a stick and dug around my guts with it.

It was one of the most painful processes I ever underwent. 

But I did it anyway. I had to. It became my mission. And ultimately, I made it happen.

I get those perspectives but ultimately, my wife pointed out that it was essentially part of the deal.

And in fact, I felt the exact same way when it came to my own disabilities.

You sign up. You get screwed up on duty. They're supposed to take care of it/you.

I hope anyone reading this and pondering their options when it comes to benefits can come to understand, as I came to understand, that these benefits are an equivalent, to, say, comp time. They equal the benefits you received for, say, moving household goods and getting paid for damages, or mileage, or any number of other benefits we received as a result of damage to our "stuff" with a process that also extends to damage to us.

No, it's not a perfect system. Yes, it is a PITA dealing with the system sometimes. Yes, it can take a long time. Yes, it can be stupid/idiotic/moronic.

But a properly prepared/documented case typically does not take a long time. (3 months or so from submission) and the key to success is to remember that the VA adjudicator may not be a veteran and has no idea WTH you're talking about. You have to paint a word picture and back it up with documentation.

If you don't have documentation, there are ways around it.

But the more complete your case is (descriptions, records, buddy statements if needed) the more likely you are to get to success. The less work the adjudicator has to do because your documentation is up to par, the faster the case gets processed.
While many have filed on their own; some successfully... I urge those considering this step to find a VSO who knows what they're doing.

Most state/counties/veterans organizations provide VSO assistance for nothing. I did (can't anymore because I can't remember most of the regulations) but if, for whatever the reason, they fail?

Then look around the net and get a referral to an attorney. They get some sort of percentage of what they make sure you're awarded as in back pay. I urge that as a last resort.

But for Christ's Sake, don't blow benefits off for ANY reason, no matter how discouraging it may be.

Because at the end of the day, you both earned them and more importantly, paid for them.