You might not know it by looking at her, but Clifton Forge attorney, Kristen McConnell is much more than a V.A. accredited lawyer. She is a dog lover, especially when it comes to Labs, she owns an Air B&B, is family-oriented, has a heart of gold, and she, too, is a veteran alongside her husband, Ron McConnell. Ron, who works as the case manager at his wife’s firm, also handles the medical and records-review parts of his wife’s cases while Kristen takes care of the legal aspects. Even her son, Jed M. Cohen, does his fair share to help out. As McConnell’s Client Liaison, Cohen completes the well-oiled trio of “K. McConnell Legal, PLLC: Veterans Disability Claims and Appeals,” the law firm located at 316 Commercial Avenue in Clifton Forge.
Kristen McConnell moved into the quaint office next door to the post office at the end of 2021 before opening her doors on the first working day of January 2022. As Kristen remembers, it was snowing that day. A good omen, perhaps.
In the beginning, she had just 8 clients, but that quickly grew into the 300 plus —both online and locally— that she manages today. Her goal, she says, is to maintain that personal touch, make clients feel important —because they are— and let them know on a monthly basis how things are progressing with their cases. McConnell even sends birthday cards to her clients to let them know she is thinking about them. It is a small gesture that undoubtedly goes a long way with the veterans she represents.
McConnell, the only veterans disability lawyer in the area, opened up about how filing for disability works for veterans and how confusing it can be, especially with a new system in place that, at times, requires her to jump through extra hoops. But, at the end of the day, it is her desire “to get clients in and out within a year.”
A lot of veterans, she says, visit the VA (Veterans Affairs Medical Center) for their health care needs and eventually, may develop health issues as their bodies age, such as hearing loss. However, if that hearing loss is not service-related —an injury that occurs while in active duty— then she would be unable to file a claim on their behalf. However, she says “98% of the clients leave us better than they found us.”
Attorney Kristin McConnell went into detail about the cost of hiring a veteran’s attorney and how affordable it truly is, despite some people’s preconceived notions. Sometimes, it costs veterans absolutely nothing. “I think people get intimated… ‘Well, I’m not going to go see the attorney because it’d be expensive.’ And it’s not,” McConnell said. “Actually, it doesn’t cost you anything to walk in the door. It doesn’t cost you anything for us to work on your stuff, and if you don’t get paid, we don’t either, and I only take a percentage.”
Veterans should always be on the lookout for companies wanting money up front or money from upcoming disability checks. “Actually, it’s unethical and illegal to charge for new claims or on future benefits,” McConnell says.
As a veteran herself, she understands the frustration vets can go through as they work to get their benefits and it’s her desire to advocate for them. More than anything, she wants to help them reach the finish line. McConnell −who undoubtedly has made a powerful, positive impact on the lives of so many veterans− smiled from across the table, sipped from her coffee cup, and charmingly said, “It feels good to do good.”
Kristen McConnell’s law firm is open 5 days a week, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. She can also be reached by email at kristen@vtrnlw.com or by phone at 540-862-0019.