Veterans are often told that a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) and a VA-accredited attorney provide the same assistance with VA disability claims. From a legal and practical standpoint, that simply is not true.
While both are permitted to represent Veterans before the Department of Veterans Affairs, the scope of representation, level of accountability, and depth of advocacy are fundamentally different—and those differences can directly affect the outcome of a claim.
A VSO’s role is primarily administrative. VSOs help Veterans file initial claims, submit basic forms, and track claim status. This assistance is valuable at the beginning of the process, particularly for straightforward claims such as service-connection for presumptive disabilities.
A VA-accredited attorney approaches a disability claim as a legal case, not a paperwork exercise. Attorneys are trained to review the record for error, challenge flawed Compensation and Pension exams, obtain independent medical opinions, and frame evidence in a way that meets VA’s legal requirements. This is especially critical in cases challenging findings of pre-existing disabilities, character determinations, and interpretation of medical evidence.
Moreover, attorneys provide guidance on preparing for Compensation and Pension exams, review medical evidence with the Veteran, and work with Veterans to build a case strategy that results in a successful prosecution of their appeals.
Perhaps the most important difference is accountability.
The following are common complaints our firm hears from Veterans whom had previous representation with VSOs:
- “I cannot get ahold of them after they submit my paperwork”
- “They no longer work there, no one told me, and now I have a new VSO I’ve never met”
- “VSO filed claims for disabilities I don’t actually have”
From an attorney’s perspective, VSOs serve an important and vital role at the entry level of the VA system. But when a claim becomes contested, denied, or legally complex, the skills required to win the case change. At that point, the difference between a VSO and an attorney is not theoretical — it is often the difference between a denial and the full benefits a Veteran is legally entitled to receive.
By Matthew J. Brown, Esq. VA-accredited attorney and partner at Wolf & Brown Law Offices