Gregory Bannister actively serves our nationโs veterans as paralegal for Wolf & Brown. The NJ Vet Wire recently sat down with Gregory to ask him a few questions about his work.
His experience and insight is valuable to veterans seeking disability benefits and highlights the importance of seeking the assistance of a VA accredited attorney.
What brought you to Wolf & Brown Law Offices?
Gregory: Iโve had a rewarding career in client services in various companies and industries. I was drawn to Wolf & Brown because I saw a real opportunity to help people. My family has a history of military service, so it has been particularly rewarding to assist veterans in navigating a complex and often frustrating VA disability process. Michael Brown gave me my initial shot at Wolf & Brown. I learned a lot about disability law from him and when given the opportunity to work with veterans, I moved into a paralegal and case management role that has been both challenging and satisfying.
What does a paralegal do most days at Wolf & Brown?
Gregory: Generally, I am working with clients โ and that takes many forms. I field questions about notices or questionnaires veterans receive from the VA. Or I am assisting clients in preparing for C&P Examinations; and overall, just answering any questions clients may have and helping them move effectively through the disability claims process. I’m also preparing claims and appeals for attorney review. Clients can see me as a two-span bridge between them, the attorney, and the VA.
What’s your first step in helping a veteran pursue disability benefits?
Gregory: We have an organized Intake process that helps me and the firm gather all of the critical information we need to understand a veteransโ specific situation and needs so we can prepare a successful claim and build an effective case on their behalf. All cases are not equal, so from the first conversation with a new client Iโm extra focused on the person and their circumstances.
What can a veteran client expect from you throughout the process? How often do you interact with and directly help a veteran through the claims and/or appeals process?
Gregory: Our interactions with clients are becoming more frequent as the VA has automated their claims review process, which has created more confusion, complications, and questions for veterans. They need our help navigating and understanding it.
Typically, our clients can expect to interact with our firm when they are scheduled for C&P examinations and prepping them for those exams; providing a case status; documenting any new medical updates such as a new treating source, or treatment plan; and overall just assisting clients whether it be helping prepare evidence or just being a calming voice in a process that is not Veteran friendly. One of the points we try to emphasize with our clients is open communication โ we always encourage clients to contact us when they have a question or update – we need our clients engaged with us and vice versa so we can succeed together.
In your experience, what are the critical steps a veteran must take to succeed in a claim, appeal, or other disability pursuit?
Gregory: Number one, keep and gather medical records. Documentation that shows diagnostic and treatment over time is critical. It is the ladder on which we climb to prepare a claim and make a case to the VA.
Equally important is notifying our office about any VA requests or examination notices. One aspect about this process that veterans are not aware of is that VA does not notify our office when they are scheduled for a C&P examination โ so, when a Veteran is contacted for examination, we stress to clients to contact our office and notify us so we can prepare accordingly. Working hand-in-hand with our office really helps not only keep lines of communication open โ but it is also beneficial to keep the claim organized, ensure important evidence is developed and submitted, and address any issues that may arise throughout the claims or appeals process.
Lastly, patience and understanding. The VA is not only overwhelmed, but itโs always evolving in its processes โ and by extension, that is creating a lot of confusion and extra work for veterans and advocates. Patience is important because these claims can take time, and the process does not always move as quickly or as predictably as a veteran would hope. At the same time, staying engaged, communicating with your representative, and continuing to provide the necessary information and evidence can help keep the claim moving forward and ensure that no important issue is overlooked.
What are the most frequent questions or concerns you hear from veterans?
Gregory: One of the more frequent questions is, โHow much is this going to cost me?โ or โWhat do you charge for attorney fees?โ Naturally, veterans want to understand the cost of our legal services. Overall, I advise veterans that our office works on a contingency basis โ plainly, it means that we cannot charge any attorney fees until after we file an appeal and we are successful on said appeal.
One of the more common problems we are seeing is that bad actors are charging veterans to file initial applications. So for all the veterans out there, please know that by law no one can charge you for the filing of an initial application for disability compensation.
Another common source of concern is the C&P examinations. For many veterans, the prospect of undergoing an examinationโparticularly when it involves discussing painful or difficult experiencesโcan be overwhelming. We help veterans understand what to expect and prepare them for the examination, and navigate the post-examination process so they can approach it with greater confidence and peace of mind.
Finally, what insights can you share about working with the VA and pursuing disability claims?
Gregory: Again, patience and understanding! In previous years, the VA worked at a more local and decentralized level. Today, the system is highly centralized and increasingly reliant on technology and automated processes. The increased reliance on centralized processing and technology can make the claims process feel more impersonal and, at times, can create additional challenges for veterans trying to understand who is handling their claim and how decisions are being made.
Add into the mix VA-contracted examiners who may have limited familiarity with a veteranโs particular history or circumstances, and it is easy to understand why veterans can feel frustrated or overwhelmed by the process. This is why having an advocate who understands the system, carefully reviews the evidence, and makes sure the veteranโs individual circumstances are properly presented can be so important.
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NJ Vet-Wire is a publication created by Wolf & Brown Law Offices to help educate veterans on the process of obtaining disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans disability compensation is part of a total benefits package to which members of the armed forces may be entitled. In our role as VA accredited attorneys, we help our clients navigate the system to their best advantage. Denied benefits claims are not the end of the road.
Contact us for a free consultation.
Learn more about Gregory Bannister.
Related Articles:
IMPORTANCE OF HIRING A DISABILITY ATTORNEY
C&P EXAMINATIONS – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
WHOโS ELIGIBLE FOR VA BENEFITS?
Resources:
VA Disability FAQs