Evidence-first strategy
Every claim is built on a documented paper trail — service records, nexus letters, and buddy statements — before a single form is filed.
VA-Accredited Claims Agent
Albert Leroy
Thombs Jr.
Accredited VA claims agent — helping veterans navigate toxic exposure claims with evidence-first strategy and regulatory precision.
VA OGC accredited
Zero upfront cost
PACT Act specialist
38 CFR regulatory focus
No 21-22a = no advice
Why families trust this help
Real credentials. Real accountability. No sales pitch.
There is a lot of noise out there – unaccredited "consultants" who charge illegal fees and disappear. Here is the difference, in facts you can verify yourself.
Albert L. Thombs Jr.
VA Accredited Claims Agent #45147
U.S. Army veteran, 100% service-connected disabled, and founder of The VA Disability Advocate, LLC. He spent a decade fighting the VA for his own benefits – now he and a team of 10 advocates do it for veterans and families nationwide.
20+ years helping veterans
VA-accredited, and you can check
Albert L. Thombs Jr. is a VA Accredited Claims Agent, accreditation #45147 – a number you can look up yourself in the VA Office of General Counsel database. Accreditation is not a marketing badge; it is federal authorization to represent veterans.
Federally accountable
Accredited agents answer to the VA General Counsel and are bound by 38 CFR standards of conduct. That is a level of oversight the "claim sharks" who cold-call veterans simply do not have.
No upfront fees, ever
By law, no one may charge you to file an initial claim, and we never do. Registering costs nothing. Fees are recovery only: 20% of past-due benefits, never hourly, nothing on a first-time claim, under 38 C.F.R. § 14.636. Every fee is disclosed in writing first.
Free tools, no sign-up wall
Every calculator, worksheet, and benefit guide on this site is free and open – no account, no email harvesting, no paywall. The information belongs to you because you earned it.
Or call the office directly: 702-992-4883
Regulatory backed
Every decision references 38 CFR directly — no guesswork, no assumptions. If the regulation says it, we cite it.
Toxic exposure focus
PACT Act, burn pits, AFFF/PFAS, Agent Orange, radiation — I specialize in the cases most agents won’t touch.
No jargon, no confusion
You’ll understand every step. I translate VA bureaucracy into plain language because an informed veteran is a more powerful claimant.
Inadequate exams get challenged
A C&P exam that states a conclusion without the data behind it is not evidence VA can safely lean on. When a report skips the reasoning, I say so in writing and cite the case law that requires better.
About Albert Thombs
I became a VA-accredited claims agent because I watched too many veterans — people who gave years of their lives to this country — get denied not because their claims were invalid, but because nobody walked them through the evidence requirements. The VA system is not designed to be user-friendly. Regulations, nexus requirements, presumptive conditions, rating hierarchies — it takes time to learn and even more time to apply correctly.
My practice focuses exclusively on toxic exposure claims: burn pit presumptives under the PACT Act, Agent Orange and herbicide-linked conditions, AFFF/PFAS exposures at military installations, radiation-related diseases, and occupational chemical exposures. These are the most documentation-intensive claims in the VA system — and the ones where having an accredited agent in your corner makes the biggest measurable difference.
I work the regulatory framework directly. Every case I build traces back to statute and regulation:
38 CFR § 3.10238 CFR § 3.30338 CFR § 3.30738 CFR § 3.30938 CFR § 3.31138 CFR § 4.4038 CFR § 4.4538 CFR § 14.62938 CFR § 14.631P.L. 117-16838 CFR § 3.101038 CFR § 3.816
My goal on every case is simple: give you the most accurate picture of where you stand, what evidence you need, and what realistic outcomes look like — no false promises, no upselling, no guesswork.
How I work a case
01
Free intake review
30-minute call to review your DD-214, service history, current ratings, and exposure timeline — no commitment required.
02
VA Form 21-22a
Once you sign the POA, we’re official. I can access your VA file, communicate with the VA on your behalf, and build your case.
03
Evidence development
Service records, medical records, buddy statements, nexus letters, and exposure documentation — we build the full paper trail.
04
Regulatory mapping
Every condition mapped to the correct 38 CFR pathway — presumptive, direct service connection, or secondary connection.
05
Claim filing & tracking
Forms prepared, submitted, and tracked. I follow the claim from filing through decision and review the rating for accuracy.
06
Decision review & appeals
If the rating is wrong or incomplete, we file a Supplemental Claim or Higher-Level Review with the supporting evidence to correct it.
Scope of practice
The left column is what my accreditation authorizes me to do for a veteran. The right column is what can only begin once a signed VA Form 21-22a is on file with the VA.
What I can do
Represent you before the VA at all levels
Review and analyze your C-file and rating decisions
Prepare and file VA claims and appeals
Advise on regulatory pathways and presumptives
Coordinate nexus and medical opinions
File Supplemental Claims and Higher-Level Reviews
Provide educational guidance on the VA system
What requires a 21-22a
Specific claims advice for your case
Formal representation before the VA
Access to your VA file or eFolder
Communicating with the VA on your behalf
Preparing and submitting forms under your name
Reviewing confidential VA records
Providing formal written case analysis
Important — the 21-22a boundary
Why the 21-22a is non-negotiable
VA regulations under 38 CFR §§ 14.629 and 14.631 define the boundaries of accredited agent representation. Until a signed VA Form 21-22a is on file with the VA, I cannot provide case-specific advice, access your VA records, or represent you in any formal capacity. This isn’t a preference — it’s a federal regulatory requirement that protects both of us.
01
Free review call
General education about your situation — no advice, no representation.
02
Sign 21-22a
VA Form 21-22a filed digitally — takes minutes, activates full representation.
03
VA processes the POA
The VA records the appointment in your file. Processing time varies — the representation starts once it is on file.
04
Full case work begins
I access your file, review your history, and build the claim strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What veterans ask me most
How is a claims agent different from a VSO?
A VA-accredited claims agent (like myself) is federally accredited under 38 CFR § 14.629 to represent veterans before the VA for a fee. VSOs (Veterans Service Organizations like DAV or VFW) are free but often have high caseloads and limited bandwidth. The key difference: a claims agent dedicates exclusive, personal attention to your case and is federally accountable for the representation they provide.
How much does it cost?
Registering costs nothing. Under federal law (38 C.F.R. § 14.636), an accredited agent may charge a fee only after a favorable decision is issued, and only on the past-due benefits that result from it. Fees are recovery only: 20% of past-due benefits, never hourly, nothing on a first-time claim.
I was already denied. Is it too late?
Not usually. Most denials come down to an evidence gap — missing nexus documentation, incomplete service records, or an improperly rated condition. A denial starts the clock on appeal options: Supplemental Claim (new and relevant evidence), Higher-Level Review (legal or factual error), or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. A case review will tell us exactly what went wrong and what the realistic path forward looks like.
Do you handle PACT Act burn pit claims?
Yes — this is one of my primary focus areas. The PACT Act (Public Law 117-168) created presumptive service connection for 23 burn pit-related conditions. Covered service is on or after August 2, 1990 in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or the United Arab Emirates; or on or after September 11, 2001 in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, or Yemen — including the airspace above those locations. If you served in a covered location during the covered period, you may qualify without proving a direct nexus — we just need the qualifying service period and a confirmed diagnosis.
What is a nexus letter and do I need one?
A nexus letter is a medical opinion written by a qualified physician that connects your current diagnosis to your military service. For non-presumptive conditions — meaning conditions the VA doesn’t automatically accept as service-connected — a strong nexus letter is often the single most important piece of evidence in your claim. I work with medical professionals to develop these when needed.
How long does the process take?
VA processing times vary. Initial claims typically take 3–6 months. Appeals can take longer depending on the lane chosen (a Supplemental Claim is fastest; the Board is slowest). I set realistic expectations on every case — no false timelines, no promises I can’t keep. My job is to build the strongest possible claim, not to rush a weak one.
Can you help with secondary conditions?
Absolutely. Secondary service connection under 38 CFR § 3.310 allows you to claim a new condition that is caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability. For example, a service-connected knee condition that caused a gait change that then caused a hip condition — the hip can be claimed as secondary. Many veterans are missing substantial rating points from unclaimed secondary conditions.
Ready to build a stronger claim?
No cost. No commitment. Just an honest review of where you stand.
Free review request
Tell us where the evidence chain broke.
We focus on veterans the VA has already denied or under-rated. We do not take brand-new (initial) claims, and we do not take every case.
We review your situation first, then tell you honestly whether we can help before anyone signs anything.
Unit + every location
Every job actually performed
Hazards, routes, frequency, and protection
Current diagnosis and examiner language
Presumptive, direct, secondary, or aggravation theory
702-992-4883
Agent #45147 — accreditation is the anti-scam signal.
20+ years of experience
Complex exposure records need disciplined fact development, theory selection, and medical-opinion review.
A team of accredited advocates
Support for evidence organization, authorized record review, TERA development, and claim strategy.
