Veteran benefits

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Clearwater AL

Extremely helpful member
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PALS
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12/2018
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Get Real
(It was suggested I post this here.) :)

Maybe this will help some Veterans who read this sub forum.
It may be old news to many, I’ve been out of it for a while.

*No matter how old you are (Vietnam Vets) you can still
file a claim if you are having a health issue… do some
research at the VA website to conditions that have been
added or related.

So many Veterans got fed up, disgusted, discouraged trying
to file a claim they gave up and walked away from benefits
they really are entitled to. Go back and try again. You earned
those benefits. Too many now don't even want to talk about
their service. Like so many WW2 Veterans once did.

First and for most… if you are having difficulty with your
claim do not ask/write your Congress person for help.
If the VA is processing your claim they have to stop and
answer the him/her… who often knows nothing about the
matter and really has NO influence over the VA as much
as they may think they have some influence.

Yes, there are Vetrans who will claim their Congress
person helped them. It didn’t make any difference, the
VA went by their thing.

Veteran organization representatives (DAV – VFW –
American Legion and etc) can be helpful, somewhat but…
they are not lawyers. They aren’t really skilled in reading
documents, medical reports, editing supporting evidence.
This is where a lawyer can better address the issue and
find the loop holes in the VA’s own regulations.
And... better clarify doctor reports/tests submitted.
They can’t edit the report but they can add separately the
mitigating factors supporting the claim.

Often Veterans when they fill out their “Support of Claim”
“in their own words” write too many little details of what
they are feeling or experiencing are not skilled in writing
composition and end up contradicting the issue/symptoms
they are filing a claim for. Like what we see here in the
“Could This be ALS” sub-forum.

Filing a claim with the VA is a very complicated issue.

Now, I’ll admit… things may have changed since I had my
dealing with them years ago. From going to Washington DC
to the Court of Veterans Appeals with a lawyer and winning
my claim and after. I HOPE SO.

Really important… if you have filed a claim and it was
denied and you got fed up or just accepted it… there now
are law firms who specialize in Veteran Affairs. Yes, they
will get paid but it will be a portion of your retro active
compensation award going back to when you first filed.
BUT… now at least you will have your monthly
compensation if they win your case/claim.

I was able to speak with someone who was in the inner circle of
a VA Regional Office where the Administrator of the office said
concerning Veterans filing Disability Claims said. Quote…

“Every T will be crossed, every I will be dotted, every doctors
report will be verified including his credentials, the Veterans
military records will be scrutinized, the claim will meet every
single article of the guide lines of the Veterans Administration
before I authorize a dime in compensation to these guys.”

Like it was HIS money! (“…before I authorize a dime.”)

Fortunately the son of bitch (sorry) retired.

Again, hopefully things have changed for the better with the
VA. BUT… I’ve heard the VA was going to change for 40
years over many Presidents. Yet today, many of the same
problems are still chiseled into the seemingly concrete system.

Finally, let me clear… the Veteran organizations do a lot of
good for Veterans. But… when it comes to disability claims
for compensation if they say, “Well, according to VA regulations”
consider contacting one of the Veteran legal firms. They are
there because they have been successful.
 
Al gave a lot of good information. I’d like to add a bit more. Since 2012, any veteran who is diagnosed with ALS is considered to be 100% disabled by VA standards. The medical records must say diagnosis: ALS. It will not be approved it says suspects ALS,

There are veteran advocacy groups that are tremendous. They literally fill out forms and get compensation quickly to the disabled veteran. We use Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). There’s an office in every state. It was in January when we filled out all the forms at our county VA office and were told we’d hear from the VA in 3-6 months. In February we heard about PVA. Three days after our first call to PVA we had the first check deposited our account!!! I could continue, but I think you get the picture. Leslie
 
I'll second the recommendation of PVA. They got my neuro at Mayo to drop "probable" from my diagnosis and had me approved within 2 weeks. I began getting checks within a month or two.

Ed
 
Yes, pretty much the same here. Initially went to the local VA advocate office via the VFW, but two months later we contacted the PVA. Within a week, all issues were resolved and the initial disability check was deposited the same month, retroactive to the date of diagnosis.
 
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