VA Adds Smoke From A Burn Pit To Presumptive Injury List Veterans who developed rhinitis, sinusitis, or asthma after being exposed to burn pit smoke are now presumptively entitled to monthly benefits. VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the decision was “the right move”. Further, McDonough hinted that he may add more conditions to …
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Case Backlog
VA Case Backlog to Remain Until at Least 2023 Officials blamed the coronavirus pandemic for their failure to significantly reduce the appeals logjam. They expect the case backlog to continue until at least 2023. “We don’t have the timeline yet. We’re working to set that,” BVA chair Cheryl Mason told the House VA …
Claims Backlog
Post-Pandemic Claims Backlog Worse Than Expected With rising immunity to Covid, many parts of life are getting back to normal. But that is not the case at the Veterans Administration. Officials expect cases to be seriously backed up until late 2022. The post-pandemic claims backlog is worse than expected. Before the coronavirus pandemic …
VA Disability Process
Is the VA disability process racist? The National Veterans Council for Legal Redress and the Black Veterans Project say maybe. They are suing the Veterans Administration, saying their disability determination process lacks “transparency and accountability.”
Form 21-4142
All About VA Form 21-4142 VA Form 21-4142 gives the VA permission to obtain your personal information from non-VA sources, like private physicians or hospitals. In many cases, a medical release form like this one is a standard part of the process. The issuing agency receives it, processes it, and keeps it on file. However, …
Apply For TDIU
Apply For TDIU How Do You Apply For TDIU Benefits? Frequently, the key to obtaining Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability benefits is successfully filling out VA Form 21-8940. It is an application for Individual Unemployability disability benefits for a service-connected condition that prevents you from keeping a steady job. This form has some glaring …
PTSD Disability Claims
Evidence in PTSD Disability Claims Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, disaster, or war. The symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, such as nightmares, depression, and flashbacks, often make it difficult or impossible to function at work, home, …
Court Allows Appeals About Veteran Caregivers Aid Program
If you submitted a caregiver aid application within the last 10 years and it was denied, you might have another chance to obtain financial benefits. VA didn’t allow anyone to appeal those decisions. Now the Court says they have to. A Marine suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in Southwest Asia which left him blind and, …
Lawmakers Express Concern Over C&P Backlog
The Compensation and Pension medical exam system has always had a delay. This year, between some structural changes and the coronavirus pandemic, backlog has tripled. Before the pandemic hit, the VA was well into the process of contracting C&P examinations to non-VA doctors. 60% of examinations were by contractors, rising to nearly 100%. During …
LA County Getting New Veterans’ Court
To better address the needs of veterans who have minor run-ins with the law, the City of Glendale plans to have a designated veterans’ court up and running by October 2021. Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers is a longtime veterans’ advocate. “This is something I think everybody knows I’ve been wanting to have for quite …
