St. Johns County Veterans Attorney
N. Albert Bacharach, Jr. is a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accredited attorney with fifty years of experience fighting for veterans, the disabled, and their families. He filed his first appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (formerly the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals) in 1990, the court’s first full year of operation, and has been winning cases there for over 34 years. We represent veterans throughout St. Johns County — including St. Augustine, St. Johns, Ponte Vedra Beach, and Nocatee — in VA disability claims and appeals, PACT Act toxic-exposure claims, VA medical malpractice cases, and Social Security disability claims — at every level, from the initial claim through the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Serving St. Johns County’s Military Community
St. Johns County’s military roots run deeper than almost anywhere in America. St. Augustine — the nation’s oldest city — is home to the St. Francis Barracks, headquarters of the Florida National Guard, and the county’s communities from St. Johns to Ponte Vedra Beach are filled with active-duty families and retirees from Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport. Thousands of veterans have chosen to make St. Johns County home.
When St. Johns County veterans are denied the benefits they earned — or receive a rating that is too low — we fight to make the VA get it right.
How We Help St. Johns County Veterans
- Claims for higher disability ratings
- Claims for earlier effective dates
- Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE) motions
- Appeals to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA)
- Appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC)
- Appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- TDIU — Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability
- PTSD and Military Sexual Trauma (MST) claims
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) claims
- Agent Orange, burn pit, and PACT Act toxic exposure claims
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children
- Social Security Disability (SSDI) and SSI claims
§ 1151 and Federal Tort Claims at the Leo C. Chase VA Clinic
St. Johns County veterans are served by the Leo C. Chase VA Clinic at 100 Deerfield Preserve Boulevard in St. Augustine — part of the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. Inpatient and surgical care is referred to the system’s hospitals in Gainesville and Lake City.
More than 22,000 veterans live in St. Johns County, and more than 14,000 of them served in the Gulf War era or after September 2001.
If VA medical care caused a new disability, 38 U.S.C. § 1151 requires the VA to rate and compensate it as though it had been incurred in service — and unlike a Federal Tort Claim, a § 1151 claim can be filed no matter how long ago the injury occurred. Federal Tort Claim suits arising here are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division.
Our Gainesville office is about two hours from St. Augustine, and most of this work is done by phone, email and Zoom in any event.
How VA medical malpractice claims work →
You Don’t Need a Lawyer That’s Right Around the Corner — You Need the Right Lawyer
VA disability claims are federal claims decided on the written record, so your attorney’s location matters far less than your attorney’s experience. Florida veterans’ claims are processed through the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office, and as a VA-accredited attorney Mr. Bacharach is authorized to represent veterans before all 56 VA Regional Offices nationwide, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and the federal appellate courts.
Most matters can be handled entirely by phone, Zoom, text, email, or snail mail; and when a hands on meeting is needed, our Gainesville office is about 90 minutes from St. Augustine.
No Fee Unless You Win
Our evaluation of your VA disability claim is free. We work on a contingency basis for VA disability matters — no attorney’s fee unless we win. There is no risk and no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a veterans attorney located in St. Johns County?
No. VA disability claims are federal claims, and VA-accredited attorneys can represent veterans anywhere in the country. What matters is experience with the VA system and the courts that review it — not a local street address.
I served in the Florida National Guard. Can I get VA disability?
Possibly. National Guard and Reserve members may qualify for VA disability compensation for injuries or illnesses incurred or aggravated during active duty for training or, in some cases, inactive duty training. These claims can be more complicated than regular claims, and experienced representation matters.
My VA claim was denied. What are my options?
You may seek higher-level review, file a supplemental claim with new evidence, or appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals — and from there to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and the Federal Circuit. Deadlines apply, so don’t wait to get advice.
What will a consultation cost me?
Nothing. Our evaluation of your VA disability claim is free, and for VA disability matters there is no attorney’s fee unless you win.
Ready for your Free Consultation?
Click on Request a Free Consultation
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Phone or Text: (352) 378-9859
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Email: Prospects@nabjr.com
Office: 4128 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM