Anyone else having issues with third-party VA disability fees?

Military Law Discussions
1

Hey everyone, I’m a veteran and recently filed a claim for VA disability benefits. I used a third-party firm to help me out, but now I’ve found out that by law, they can only charge me up to 33% of my back pay. They’re trying to charge me five times that, which is WAY over what’s allowed. Has anyone dealt with something like this? I’m not sure what to do next. Any advice?

2

Whoa, that’s crazy. Yeah, I’ve heard of this happening before. The VA has some protections in place for stuff like this. I’d definitely call them up and let them know what’s going on. Maybe even reach out to a veterans’ group for help?

3

@Bell
That’s good advice. You might want to look into the VFW or DAV too. They usually have free help for situations like this.

4

I went through something similar. You have the right to dispute those fees. The VA should help you out if they’re overcharging you.

5

Zach said:
I went through something similar. You have the right to dispute those fees. The VA should help you out if they’re overcharging you.

Yeah, they can definitely get involved. Just make sure you keep all the paperwork from the third-party firm.

6

Oh man, that sounds rough. Have you tried talking to the firm yet? Maybe they don’t know they’re overcharging you. If not, I’d reach out to them before anything else.

7

Ben said:
Oh man, that sounds rough. Have you tried talking to the firm yet? Maybe they don’t know they’re overcharging you. If not, I’d reach out to them before anything else.

Not yet, honestly. I’m worried they’ll just insist on the full payment and I’ll get nowhere. I might call the VA first.

8

If you haven’t already, definitely document everything! It’ll help you out later if you need to make a complaint.

9

No1Juror said:
If you haven’t already, definitely document everything! It’ll help you out later if you need to make a complaint.

Yeah, I’ve been keeping everything in writing just in case. It’s been pretty stressful though.

10

I had the same issue a while back. If you’re getting charged over the legal limit, you can file a formal complaint with the VA’s office. They’ll investigate it and make sure you’re not being scammed.

11

Tariq said:
I had the same issue a while back. If you’re getting charged over the legal limit, you can file a formal complaint with the VA’s office. They’ll investigate it and make sure you’re not being scammed.

Good to know! I’ll look into that. Thanks!