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 …
Category: VA Benefits
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, …
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 …
How To Increase Your VA Disability Rating
Generally, a combination of a medical diagnosis, the disability’s symptoms, and its effect on the Veteran’s everyday life determines the amount of benefits the disabled Veteran receives. A change in any one of these areas could significantly, and positively, affect your VA disability rating. The amount of monthly financial benefits depends primarily on the disability rating. …
Five Surprising Facts About Veteran Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is one of the most common disabilities among veterans. When they go through traumatic events, many people have symptoms like depression, nightmares, and hypervigilance. If these symptoms persist for more than a few weeks, or they get worse instead of better, the person probably has PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is also one …
Breaking Down TDIU Eligibility Requirements
Breaking Down TDIU Eligibility Requirements All disability determinations involve a combination of medical and economic factors, this is also true for TDIU eligibility. The doctor never sits you down and tells you “You are 30% disabled.” That’s because it’s not just about your diagnosis. It’s about how your condition affects you and what it …
