A STATE politician wants the Federal Government to urgently reverse its decision to axe a lifesaving national legal service that helps veterans fight for entitlements and compensation - and asked the SA Minister for support.

While the Defence and Veterans Legal Service (also known as DAVLS) was established to help those involved in the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, its duties have extended to providing free and confidential legal support to thousands of veterans.

However, its funding is scheduled to end in September, and One Nation MLC Sarah Game said its closure could cause “immeasurable damage” to veterans' hopes for much-deserved compensation, in turn leading to negative physical and mental health impacts.

“After researching DAVLS and its work, I'm fearful of what its closure will mean for so many veterans,” said Ms Game.

“It could leave them without access to free legal help and - without engaging expensive lawyers and/or advocates - potentially mean many of them will simply never see the money they deserve.”

Ms Game said the shutdown of DAVLS had “already begun”, including in South Australia.

“Staffing numbers have halved, and I understand the Adelaide office has been among those to downsize,” she said.

“The workers, which includes legal practitioners and other staff, aren't to blame. They need employment security as much as the next person, and since news of this imminent funding cessation surfaced, they have been seeking and finding other jobs.

“Already DAVLS has lost much expertise and, if it is forced to close in September, all that substantial goodwill built up with veterans' organisations will be lost, not to mention the knowledge and experience banked over the past few years.

“Even if the service is resurrected sometime in the future, following recommendations handed down from the Royal Commission, it will start from ground zero.”

Adelaide woman Maria Barclay, who served with the ADF for eight years and now volunteers at Australian War Widows, was among those to make a submission to the Royal Commission - and made a passionate plea for DAVLS to be rescued.

“The cessation of funding of the DAVLS, soon after the (Royal Commission's) final report is to be released, is in my opinion a breach of duty of care for those who gave their heart and soul in sharing their experiences,” Mrs Barclay said.

Ms Barclay echoed fears that the closure of DAVLS would force more veterans to employ costly lawyers and fee-for-service advocates, often taking up to 10 per cent of lump sum payouts, while also increasing the backlog of stalled claims.

She also said the claims process was confusing for both veterans and the dwindling band of ageing voluntary advocates.

“So, where do new claimants go for direction if DAVLS closes,” Mrs Barclay said.

“It begs the question, how can an operation the size of a Royal Commission about defence and veteran suicide place their participants at risk of the issue they are attempting to fix by shutting the doors of an independent national legal resource?”

Ms Game has written to SA Minister for Veteran Affairs, Joe Szakacs, about the looming DAVLS closure, urging him to lobby his federal counterpart, Matt Keogh.

One Nation's Sarah Game has called for funding for a veterans' legal service to continue beyond its September deadline.