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VA Benefit Overpayment Notices to Resume
This month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that they will be resuming benefit overpayment notifications and all veterans who received benefit overpayments in 2020 are now responsible for paying them back. According to an article published by 8 News, “The VA announced Wednesday that it is resuming its mailing notification letters to…
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Veterans With Serious Cases of COVID-19 to be Eligible VA Disability Benefits
As part of new legislation approved by Congress this month, veterans who have tested positive for COVID-19 while on duty and suffered disability or death, will be entitled to VA benefits. According to an article published by Military Times, “A provision in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement…
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Lawmakers Push for Military Records Processing to Resume
After an almost complete halt in operations due to the pandemic, congress members are desperately urging the National Personnel Records Center (based in St. Louis) to resume military records request processing. According to an article published by Military.com, “Led by Reps. Van Taylor, R-Texas, and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., the group expressed dismay that the center,…
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VA Blames Agent Orange Care Study Delays on Pandemic
Early last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that their goal was to make a decision on whether to extend care and benefits to veterans affected by Agent Orange. Now, more than a year later, the VA has announced that the decision won’t be made for at least six more months. According to an…
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VA’s decision to shutdown in-house compensation and pension exams raises concerns
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ plan to shut down in-house compensation and pension exams is raising serious concerns amongst ex-employees and lawmakers alike. According to an article published by Stars and Stripes, “In addition to concerns about the backlog, lawmakers are worried about the quality of exams performed by contractors. [Senators] argued that contractors had…
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VA Continues to Deny Healthcare to Veterans With Toxic Exposure
According to Dr. Patricia Hastings, chief consultant for post-deployment health services at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), more scientific information is needed in order for the VA to confirm or correctly assume the possible or known long-term adverse health effects caused by toxic exposure. However, according to an article published by Stars and Stripes,…
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Wolf and Brown Secures Service-Connection for Vietnam-Era Veteran
Matthew J. Brown, Esquire, the accredited VA attorney for the Veterans Department at Wolf & Brown, successfully secured a favorable decision and settlement for a Vietnam-era veteran, who has been denied service-connection since 1968. The crux of the veteran’s appeal was whether he was “boots on the ground,” serving in the Republic of Vietnam, during…
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Vietnam Veterans Continue Fight for Agent Orange Benefits in Court
Stephen Kinnaird, a veterans attorney, recently argued in court that the U.S. Veterans Administration should automatically pay retroactive Agent Orange benefits without requiring veterans to file new claims. According to an article published by Courthouse News Service, “Kinnaird’s clients sued the government in 1986 for denying claims for benefits based on diseases that it subsequently…
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Investigation Reveals K2’s Dangerously High Radiation
A recent investigation found new evidence linking rare cancers to service members who served at Karshi-Khanabad, or K2, a former Soviet base in Uzbekistan. According to an article published by CBS News, “After 9/11, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says about 10,000 troops passed through K2 over a four-year period, supporting missions hunting al…
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VA partners with Apple to Provide Veterans Expanded Access to Virtual Healthcare
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has teamed up with Apple to expand access to virtual health care for veterans by providing them with free cellular-enabled iPads. According to an article published by the VA, “To standardize the program and provide Veterans a consistent, quality experience, VA will exclusively distribute iPads to Veterans. iPads offer…
