The sooner the better. The VA disability claims and appeals process is extremely complicated and technical. Every statement made will be closely scrutinized by the claims analyst. An experienced attorney will be able to present the case in a manner that is most favorable to the disabled veteran. According to a 2012 report from the VA Board of Veterans’ Appeals, those who file veterans disability claims without the assistance of a lawyer are more than twice as likely to be denied than veterans who have legal assistance.