Ernest M. Daniels
Fighting for What’s Earned: Beyond the Rating is a practical guide for veterans and their families who want to better understand how VA disability claims are built, decided, reviewed, and appealed-and what a VA decision actually means.Drawing on lived experience, years of research, and veterans’ education advocacy, U.S. Army veteran Ernest M. Daniels explains important topics including medical evidence, C&P examinations, effective dates, secondary service connection, disability ratings, decision-review options, Special Monthly Compensation, loss of use, dependency and survivor issues, and how to carefully audit a VA decision.The book also includes practical worksheets and tools designed to help readers organize evidence, recognize issues, understand deadlines, and ask better questions.Written in a clear, direct, education-first style, Beyond the Rating is designed for veterans, family members, caregivers, and others who want to become better-informed participants in the VA benefits process.This book provides general educational information and does not provide legal advice or VA-accredited representation.