The Veteran's former attorney, L.S., is not eligible for the direct payment of reasonable attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded by April 2024 and August 2024 Rating Decisions that established the Veteran's entitlement to service connection for COPD and a TDIU rating.
The deciding factor: The fee agreement between the Veteran and L.S. is not presumed reasonable as L.S. did not represent the Veteran through the entire appeal period, and the OGC determined that a 10 percent fee was reasonable based on the extent and type of services performed, complexity of the case, level of skill required, amount of time spent, and results achieved.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25109239
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