Hey Fellow Veteran, Please Read My Full Story as a 100% P&T Disabled U.S. Army Veteran and VA Accredited Attorney in Las Vegas Who Now Helps You Win Your Benefits

Hi, my name is David Jacks, and if you're a veteran searching online right now for a VA disability lawyer, I want to welcome you like we're sitting across the table from each other. I am a 100% permanently and totally (P&T) disabled veteran AND a fully VA accredited attorney with complete access to the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS). That means I can pull up your entire file the same day you call, spot hidden errors, and fight for the highest possible rating without you having to wait months for answers. I re-built The Jacks Law Group specifically for veterans like us because I went through every frustrating step myself, and I never want another veteran to feel alone or taken advantage of by the very system that we were willing to give everything, including our lives, to protect.

I know exactly how you feel — the pain, the paperwork, the “no one will help me” moments. Let me share my complete story with you in my own words. I'm going to tell it all, no shortening, because I want you to see that I really have been where you are, and that's why you can trust me and my team 100%.

My Proud Service in the United States Army, the Injury I Hid so I could continue to serve, and My Honorable Discharge

I joined the United States Army in 1999 and served as a 91T(10) Animal Care Specialist. I took care of our military working dogs and as I was stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, I also took care of the U.S. Calvary. It was meaningful work and I loved it. I stayed an E-3 the entire time because of the four years of NJROTC I completed back in high school. During Basic Training I suffered a serious lower back injury. The pain was bad, but I hid it every single day because I wanted to serve my country and didn't want to disappoint my unit or my family. Eventually the injury could no longer be hidden and in 2001, I received an honorable discharge under medical conditions with an initial 10% VA disability rating for my lower back. That injury has followed me for decades, but it also gave me the heart to help other veterans now.

Coming Home to Las Vegas, the Devastating 0% Rating, and Why I Gave Up for So Many Years

When I got back to my hometown of Las Vegas, my command told me right away to go to the VA and have my back re-evaluated. I followed their advice, but it took until 2003 to finally get a Compensation and Pension exam scheduled. That exam happened to fall during my very first week back at a civilian job. I was terrified of getting fired if I asked for time off, so I missed it. Because of that, my 10% rating was reduced all the way to 0%. I figured that it would get rescheduled or something, but when I got that decision letter that reduced my claim to 0%, I sat there thinking, “If I'm now rated 0% disabled, that means I'm not a disabled veteran anymore.” By the time I learned I had one year to appeal, about five years had already passed. I had no money to hire an attorney and I honestly did not know that VA claims and appeals are done on a contingency basis. I thought only regular personal injury claims from slip and falls and car accidents worked that way. So, I gave up. I felt defeated, embarrassed, and completely on my own.

From 2003 all the way through 2022 I raised my family, went back to school while living with constant back pain, and worked hard to become an attorney. In October of 2011 I opened The Jacks Law Group and built a successful practice helping people with family law cases, criminal defense, personal injury accidents, immigration, other civil lawsuits, and litigation. All those years I was in pain and dealing with the aftermath of that zero rating, but I kept pushing forward, trying to forget the mistake I had made all those years ago by missing the C & P Exam.

The Life-Changing Moment in 2022 and My Personal Fight All the Way to 100% P&T

In 2022 something amazing happened while I was handling a divorce for a client who just so happened to be a C&P medical examiner. I told him my whole story, and how I thought I was screwed forever because of the missed appointment. He looked at me and said, “David, you are mistaken. Let me explain everything and show you how to re-activate your claim today.” The second that consultation ended, I drove straight to the VA Hospital in North Las Vegas, filed my Supplemental Claim to reopen my claim, and I signed up for VA medical benefits. While I waited for my next exam I started going to every VA provider I could and finally got the treatment I needed.  I got X-rays, MRIs, specialist visits, and other things I couldn't afford for years because I thought I had no health insurance. I even paid the fines to the IRS for "Not Having Insurance" under Obamacare when getting health insurance was mandatory or I had to pay a fine.

The VA now had a complete file and awarded me 20% for my lower back injury. I filed a Higher Level Review, kept getting every recommended treatment, and never refused any test. That review and raised my compensation to 40%. My wife encouraged me to study VA law deeply because I could not find an attorney to assist me with my initial claims. I did not want to do something wrong and get those claims off on the wrong foot or, god forbid, do something stupid and lose out on them and possibly have them reduce my rating back to 0%. My wife also encouraged me to file for all my other issues and the secondary conditions caused by my back because I could not tell how much my life had been affected by my military service.

After reading the entire 38 CFR and after doing a lot of research online and learning all I could at the VA.gov website, I developed every record through the VA system and got myself all the way to 90% on my own, but the math clearly showed I was way over 100%. So, as I was working on my claims at the appellate level, I retained another attorney who had Veteran's Benefit Management System (VBMS) access as I knew that even when I got that much access, that I would not be permitted to review my own records through VBMS. Upon looking at my file through the other attorney's access as he was reviewing my records, we spotted a clear and unambiguous error (CUE) made by one of the examiners. I filed the CUE claim and, after a total of 32 long months of supplemental filings and higher level reviews, the VA finally granted me 100% permanent and total disability. When that letter arrived I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and justice as the money and the benefits were not that important to me as I make decent money as an attorney... it was the recognition of being a disabled veteran, knowing that I finally was being recognized for my injuries that I received while I was in the military. That recognition meant the most to me as I thought for so many years that I was not a disabled Veteran even though I was hurt while serving my country and was forced to stop serving because of my injuries. Now, as a VA accredited attorney myself with full VBMS access, I use my experience and that same knowledge I learned to pursue my own claims, every day for my clients, with the same passion that I have for my own claims.

Why I Completely Changed The Jacks Law Group to VA Claims and Appeals Only

During my own fight, I called around and could not find one attorney or organization that would help me with my initial claim because they said it had to be free and Veteran Service Organizations are paid by congress to do initial claims for veterans. However, I could not get any movement from several VSOs that I tried. I felt so discouraged and abandoned because they never called back. That experience is why I made the decision to pivot my entire firm.

Today The Jacks Law Group only handles VA disability claims and appeals so veterans in Las Vegas, Henderson and worldwide never have to feel the way I did when they call my office. I am a 100% P&T veteran and a VA accredited attorney with full VBMS access, and I promise you will get the personal, aggressive representation you deserve. My firm takes initial claims and does the initial work for free (Pro Bono) as required by congress, and we only charge 20% of any backpay of claims and appeals that are not initial claims and we get paid from the VA directly, though congress allows attorneys to be able to charge up to 33% if we would charge veterans the extra 13%. We NEVER have charged the veteran on top of what we are given by the VA because I changed my firm to help veterans, not hurt them.

I have nearly 15 years as a practicing attorney plus 6 years as a paralegal. I've handled thousands of different types of cases, served as a Pro Tempore Hearing Master in the Eighth Judicial District Court for Temporary Protective Orders since 2018, and I'm comfortable with every part of the legal system. But helping veterans is by far the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I truly believe I have found my calling in this field of law due to my own experience, and I want to help every single veteran who reaches out to me at The Jacks Law Group, if I can.

A Little More About My Background So You Know Exactly Who You're Hiring

I was born and raised right here in Las Vegas. I earned my Eagle Scout award, served in the Army, worked as a construction superintendent during the big growth years in our city, graduated from UNLV with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a focus on Public Law. I earned my Juris Doctorate from Arizona Summit Law School. I opened The Jacks Law Group in 2011, and have received honors like being named to the Top 100 Lawyers by MYVEGAS Magazine and the Clients' Choice Award from Avvo. I'm active in the American Bar Association, Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice, the State Bar of Nevada's Family Law Section, and I served on the Sunrise Mountain Advisory Board. I also hold certifications in as a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor, and I am a private pilot. But, what matters most in my professional life is that I am a 100% P&T disabled veteran who is now a VA accredited attorney, fighting every day for people just like you.

Important Warning to All Veterans: Protect Yourself from Illegal “Donation” or Upfront Fees for Initial VA Claims

I have to warn you about something that really bothers me as both a veteran and a VA accredited attorney. There are many companies and individuals out there who will try to charge you a “donation,” upfront fee, or any kind of payment to help with your initial VA disability claim. Charging for initial claims, no matter what they call it, even if they call it a donation, is illegal under federal law. Only after a denial or for certain appeal work can accredited attorneys charge a fee, and it must be approved. If anyone asks you for money to file your first claim or promises quick results for a fee, walk away and report them immediately. They are often practicing law without a license and taking advantage of veterans who are already struggling.

Here are the exact places to report them so we can protect other veterans:

• VA Office of General Counsel (Accreditation and Misconduct): Call 202-461-7699 or email [email protected]

• VA Inspector General Hotline: Call 1-800-488-8244 (Monday–Friday 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. ET) or file online at va.gov/oig/hotline

• VA VSAFE Fraud Prevention Hotline: Call 833-38V-SAFE (833-388-7233) or visit vsafe.gov
• Federal Trade Commission: Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov

• State Bar of Nevada (for unauthorized practice of law in our state): File online at nvbar.org or email [email protected]

• VA Benefits Hotline (general fraud): 1-800-827-1000

Please report these people. Every report helps shut down the predators and keeps our veteran community safe. At The Jacks Law Group we do things the right way. No illegal fees, no shortcuts, just honest hard work to get the results my fellow veterans deserve.

If You're Still Reading This, Please Give Me a Call Today

I hope my full story shows you that I'm not just another lawyer, I'm a fellow veteran who fought the same battles with the VA, won, and now I use everything I learned to help you win too. Whether you have a brand new claim, need an increase, secondary conditions, a Higher Level Review, Supplemental Claim, CUE claim, or any appeal, I am here for you with full VBMS access and a personal commitment that comes from my own experience.

You don't have to fight alone anymore. Pick up the phone and call The Jacks Law Group. Let's get you the 100% P&T or the highest rating you deserve. I promise I will treat your case like it's my own.

Call me today for your free, no-pressure consultation. We serve Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, all of Nevada, and veterans anywhere in the world. I can't wait to hear your story and start winning your story, with you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope it gives you hope and makes you feel like you've finally found the right person to help. Reach out anytime as I'm here for you.

David R. Jacks, Jr., Esq. -  100% P&T Disabled U.S. Army Veteran, VA Accredited Attorney with Full VBMS Access, and proud owner of The Jacks Law Group, PLLC, and your trusted VA disability lawyer in Las Vegas and Henderson.

"I couldn't find the help I needed, when I needed it, so I became the attorney I wish I had. Let me fight for you."  - David R. Jacks, Jr., Esq.

📞 (702) 834-6300

Serving Las Vegas • Henderson • North Las Vegas • All of Nevada • Veterans Nationwide