| |
|
|
|
|
|
Archive for October, 2010
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Right before his death, British philanthropist, wounded warrior advocate, and owner of the Segway company, Jimi Heselden donated 1,000 Segways. Valued at over $5 million, the Segways were given to the Segs4Vets programs. That organization will then give those Segways to American veterans suffering disabilities due directly to their service in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Disability Rights Advocated for Technology (DRAFT) sponsors the Segs4Vets program. Founder and President of DRAFT, Jerry Kerr, spoke to Heselden’s generosity. Heselden’s donation will give three times the number of disabled veterans a chance at experiencing mobility from a Segway. Since 2005, Segs4Vets has given over 500 wounded veterans Segways.
Kerr and the other founding members were the first to discover the Segway’s adaptability to multiple environments. For those veterans who have limited movement and need help walking, the Segway in itself is much easier to use than a wheelchair. Kerr knows this first-hand, as 12 years ago he broke his neck.
Their flexibility has earned the Segway a devoted fan base among many disabled individuals. They are not, however, considered medical devices on any federal law book. According to Kerr, one big benefit of the Segway is it allows its disabled users to stand up and look other people in the eye. Segways allow disabled veterans to be as mobile as they were if they were not disabled.
For many veterans lacking the mobility to easily move around, the Segway gives them a new outlook on life. Anything that makes life easier on veterans with service-related disabilities will be much welcomed. It is a shame the receiving veterans could not thank Heselden in person.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disability Rights Advocated for Technology (DRAFT), Disabled Veterans, Segs4Vets, Segways, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, October 11th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have been working on a fully collaborative effort in designing a first ever, fully-integrated health care network.
Right now, the focus is on a fully integrated health care center. The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center couples resources from the North Chicago VA Medical Center and the Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes. Both military family members, retirees, and veterans will be able to receive health care alongside active duty soldiers and Naval recruits going through boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Station.
This health center is unique in that DoD and VA medical facilities have always separated their chains of command and their funding sources. The new Lovell Center, however, will operate with a single chain of command. According to the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act mandates, it will also have a single funding source.
The Lovell Center is going to stand as a lighthouse for collaborative efforts between the VA and the DoD. It will be the type of model for others to emulate and will provide state-of-the-art health care to those deserving the best possible care the military can offer, according to VA Sec. Eric Shinseki.
This new facility is very much a one-stop shopping health care clinic, except the building is spread over several different buildings and is split into two separate campuses. In the end, joined resources and couple capabilities save taxpayer money and allow for more convenient and capable services.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Health Care System, Veterans Health Care
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Board of Veterans’ Appeal awarded the widow of a deceased marine compensation for an uncommon cause. Her husband’s death was due to his exposure to toxic materials while in military service. The Marine was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California between 1968 and 1971. His widow was compensated because his progressive small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia was directly related to his exposure to toxic materials while stationed at El Toro.
For at least part of his time at El Toro, the Marine’s job was to transfer and deliver hazardous materials. The Marine was also constantly exposed to hazardous pollution from burning landfills. The VA found the exposure to the toxic and hazardous materials was “more than likely” responsible for the Veteran’s developing his leukemia and lymphoma. Ultimately, the VA found the veteran had been exposed to:
- Benzene;
- Aromatic amines; and
- Other toxic materials.
El Toro contained four landfills that burned hazardous materials that included industrial solvents, fuels, and waste. The Environmental Protection Agency placed El Toro on its National Priorities list of locations containing hazardous waste requiring cleanup.
El Toro’s groundwater has since been tested and has been found to contain Trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) among other contaminants. El Toro veterans are beginning to come forward and reporting serious health problems, likely due to their exposure to such carcinogens.
El Toro hosted thousands of soldiers and their families between 1968 and 1971. Given the amount and level of toxic materials El Toro has housed, the VA may have a very expensive problem on their hands.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, El Toro, Hazardous Materials, survivor benefits, The Department of Veterans Affairs, toxic exposure, VA Health Care System, Veterans disability
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently added new illnesses to their presumptive disease list. Heart disease is one of the newly added illnesses and the one that has taken the most criticism for being on the list. Heart disease’s place on the presumptive diseases list has been attacked because it is such a common disease and not one that is necessarily tied into exposure to Agent Orange.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, however, vehemently defends extending disability benefits to Vietnam veterans who developed heart disease. Shinseki’s defense is rooted in studies he claims demonstrate a definite link between heart disease and Agent Orange exposure.
Sec. Shinseki cited 9 studies the VA specifically examined. Of those 9, 6 of the studies illustrated links between Agent Orange and heart disease. These 6 studies more than suit the legal pre-requisites necessary to establish the link between the disease and the exposure and therefore qualify veterans for disability payments.
Many detractors are focusing on the cost of funding the veterans’ disability benefits. Sec. Shinseki, however, is bound by law to pay out disability benefits to veterans suffering from any disease scientifically proven to be cause by exposure to Agent Orange. Despite the concerns over the cost of the program, Sec. Shinseki claims his hands are tied.
On average, service members with these diseases will receive $1,000/month. Overall, the benefits will run the VA almost $67 billion over the 10 years. Some will always question the unknowns between heart disease and Agent Orange.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Agent Organge, Disabled Veterans, Heart Disease, Presumptive Diseases, VA health care, Veterans Disability Benefits, Vietnam veterans
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
The Florida National Guard controls the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in West Tampa. What to do with the armory, which is a historic site, has been the subject of much discussion over the last couple of years. Finally, U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) may have an answer: use it to house a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center.
Rep. Castor wrote a letter to acting Haley VA Center administrator Nancy Resissener proposing and supporting her idea. There are a large number of veterans in the immediate area of the armory, making the location very significant. A VA clinic in the middle of Tampa would serve a great number of veterans and would be very accessible.
Heritage Square LLC purchased the land in 2007. Leaving the armory building on the property, Heritage built a hotel and a resort on the armory land. Earlier this year the National Guard declared the property was once again for sale as Heritage was apparently no longer interested in the property.
The National Guard is under contract to give back ownership of the property to Tampa. Rep. Castor saw this as a prime opportunity to contact Mayor Pam Iorio and Councilman Charlie Miranda and ask both of them for help in making her vision for a VA medical clinic a reality.
Castor is pushing for a VA clinic in downtown Tampa. She sees building the clinic as a great accomplishment because it would bring VA health care to so many veteran in the area.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Department of Veterans Affairs, Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa FL VA Medical Center, VA healthcare system, Veterans Health Care
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Female soldiers played a much larger role in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars than was likely reported. More female soldiers mean more female veterans. More female veterans mean the Department of Veterans affairs (VA) has to expand their services to be able to provide for their unique needs.
The VA currently funds 500 community homeless shelters. Of those 500, there are only 7 providing family accommodations. This is critical because the number of female veterans using VA services doubled between 2004 and 2010. It is expected to double again by 2015. The VA is scrambling to find the resources to train their employees to properly handle female veterans. The VA is just now beginning to understand the resources and services they are going to need to provide for those female veterans who have seen combat.
Of all the women seeking VA treatment, 22% of them have suffered some sort of sexual trauma. Many female veterans feel unsafe in what they perceive as a male-dominated VA medical centers. While approximately 1 out of every 10 soldiers returning from Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), female veterans are 9 times more likely to suffer PTSD than male veterans.
The Women’s Prevention, Outreach, and Education Center (WPOEC) is in Menlo Park, California. The WPOEC’s staff is almost all women and therefore provides a unique recovery situation where women can seek treatment while bonding with other women. The Women’s Trauma Recovery Program (WTRP) is geared toward helping women recover in a supportive environment. Combined with the local VA hospital, these two programs form the VA’s only Center of Excellence for Women’s Health.
Female veterans have earned the right to receive benefits just as every other veteran. The VA must rise to the occasion to being able to provide the specialized and unique care they deserve.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: female veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder, Sexual trauma, VA Health Care System, Women's VA health center
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
|
| |
|
|
|
