Thomas Andrews considers it a pleasure to have assisted countless veterans and other South Carolinians in obtaining the benefits they deserve. If you are a veteran, he will fight the VA with perseverance and his knowledge of the complex VA system to help you. If you have been injured through the fault of someone else, he will fight the insurance company to gain you the compensation you deserve.
Thomas Andrews was born, educated and continues to work in South Carolina. He was a student in the South Carolina Honors College and graduated with honors from USC with a double major in English and political science in 1999 and with honors from the law school at USC in 2002.
While in law school, he was an associate articles editor for the South Carolina Law Review; chief research assistant to Professor David G. Owen, a nationally known authority on Products Liability law; and, as a finalist in the J. Woodrow Lewis Moot Court Competition argued before the South Carolina Supreme Court. After law school, Thomas worked as a law clerk to a South Carolina circuit court judge and then as a staff attorney at the South Carolina Court of Appeals. He worked at a mid-sized and small insurance defense firm before starting his own legal practice dedicated to assisting veterans in obtaining their VA benefits.
Thomas has focused his practice on helping veterans fight for their VA benefits, but he also is here to help you fight for your other rights.
Thomas spends most of his time helping veterans fight for their VA benefits. However, his clients frequently come to him with other problems. These are people who have been injured due to the negligence of others. Thomas is able to use his years working to help insurance companies to instead help people who have been injured.
Thomas is active in the SC Bar and previously served as the chairman of the SC Bar Solo and Small Firm Council and on the SC Bar Military and Veteran Law Council. He is currenlty a member of hte SC Bar’s House of Delegates. Thomas has not only taught continuing legal education classes to attorneys, but has worked at the University of South Carolina’s Law School teaching both legal writing and most recently served as an adjunct professor for the school’s Veterans Legal Clinic.
Outside of the office, Thomas stays busy helping his beautiful wife chase after their three young children. He contributes to his community by serving as the Mayor of Forest Acres. Forest Acres has over 10,000 residents and is located adjacent to South Carolina’s capital city, Columbia. As mayor, he has had an active role in helping ensure smart growth while also preserving the small-town atmosphere that has made Forest Acres a desired residential neighborhood. Thomas has previously served as the Senior Warden on his church's vestry and its chancellor. He was a senior judge with the South Carolina Barbeque Association, but now focuses his ambitions on trying to find the perfect mixture of time and smoke to turn pork shoulder and ribs into delicious barbeque. He is a member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, a former Eagle Scout with a child now active in scouting, and has served as the coach or assistant coach for more of his children’s baseball, softball and soccer teams than he can count.
Qualifications and Admissions
VA Accredited Attorney since 2009.
Adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law Veterans Law Clinic, 2021-2022.
Admitted to practice before the Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
A Sustaining Member of the National Organization of Veteran Advocates and former member of the Amicus Curiae Committee.
South Carolina Bar Military and Veterans Law Section, former council member.
Thomas takes pride in staying up to date on recent court decisions related to VA disability claims and even contributing to the law through his successfully advocacy in Hudgens v. McDonald, 823 F.3d 630 (Fed. Cir. 2016) and former participation as a member of the Amicus Curiae Committee for the National Organization of Veteran’s Advocates, in his role on that committee he has been asked to appear for and argue before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims on behalf of the entire organization.
