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Important Update: New Presumptive Conditions for Gulf War and Post 9/11 Veterans
The Veterans Administration recently added new presumptive conditions for Gulf War and Post 9/11 Veterans including the following: Acute and chronic leukemia Multiple myeloma Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) Myelofibrosis Urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers As published on the VA.gov, the eligible veterans include the following: Gulf War Veterans: Veterans who served in Somalia or…
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Attention Veterans: Your Top 5 for 2025
A new year brings new and important considerations for obtaining veterans disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If you have or are intending to pursue disability benefits and/or appeals, consider our Top 5 for 2025 guide for navigating the complicated process. WOLF & BROWN’S TOP 5: 1. Continue to document the severity…
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VA appointment delays, cancelations, and access to medical care on display with pending legislation
According to Stars & Stripes article, VA must disclose delays to see a doctor and alternatives for private-sector care under new legislation, the VA would be mandated to “inform veterans seeking health care appointments about the availability of non-VA care.” Known as the Complete the Mission Act of 2024, the legislation aims to require the…
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VA adding new cancer types to list of presumed service-connected disabilities
On June 14, 2024, the VA reported on their website that three cancer types are now included in the “list of presumptive diseases” due to “military environmental exposure under the PACT Act”. The additions are male breast cancer, urethral cancer, and cancer of the paraurethral glands, all of which join a list of other cancers…
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VA making PACT Act progress with claims expected to rise
According to Government Executive, “The Veterans Affairs Department is quickly outpacing its expectations for processing new claims made through a law designed to provide health care coverage to veterans exposed to toxic substances, but [VA] Secretary Denis McDonough said Tuesday there may be more to come.” The PACT Act expanded VA benefits eligibility to veterans…
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VA Proposal to Reduce Your Disability Rating – What it Means
When the Veterans Administration (VA) proposes to reduce a veteran’s disability rating, it creates one of the most stressful times in a veteran’s life. By Matthew J. Brown, Esq. VA-accredited attorney and partner at Wolf & Brown Law Offices Routinely, our office encounters a situation where the veteran believed in good faith their service-connected disability…
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VA authorizes “fast-track” disability benefits for Agent Orange
According to Military Times, “The move represents another major expansion of toxic exposure benefits for veterans, this time for individuals suffering from illnesses dating back to the Vietnam War era. The changes follow mandates included in the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — better known as the PACT Act — passed by Congress in…
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VA provides end of year 2023 benefits update
According to the VA, Veterans have “applied for benefits at record rates over the past year — surpassing the previous all-time record by 39% … [delivering] $150 billion in benefits during 2023 alone.” The VA credits this increase in part to the historic PACT Act. The VA also reports “Because of this record increase in…
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GAO reports on Reserve members and disability benefits access issues
“Members of the National Guard and the Reserves can claim Veterans Affairs disability benefits. But they may struggle to prove that disabilities are service-related when they only serve part-time—making it harder for them to access benefits.” This is according to the GAO. According to their report, the VA “approved 11 to 20 percent fewer initial…
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“Glitch” blamed for delaying veterans disability claims for years
From AirForceTimes.com: “About 32,000 veterans’ disability claims were delayed — some as long as five years — due to a technical flaw in federal filing systems, Veterans Affairs officials acknowledged this week.” Although the number of claims is reported to be a “fraction” of the millions of claim filed since the beginning 2018, “Department leaders…
