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Archive for July, 2011
Friday, July 29th, 2011
Many soldiers returning to the U.S. following deployments are returning with various physical and mental ailments. Aside from common mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many soldiers are returning with physical problems outside those “wear-and-tear” injuries normally associated with deployments.
Troops have been returning from that region of the world with strange and rare physical problems since the first Gulf War. Most recently, troops have been returning from Iraq with a very uncommon respiratory disease. Constrictive bronchiolitis has been discovered in multiple returning soldiers and may very well pose serious respiratory health problems for those soldiers throughout their lives.
Researchers studied 38 soldiers who had been diagnosed with constrictive bronchiolitis and found 28 of those soldiers were exposed to a 2003 sulfur-mine fire. Sulfur dioxide is a toxin and was present at levels of up to 125 parts per million in the smoke emanating from the fire.
People exposed to sulfur dioxide are more likely to develop some type of respiratory disease. Therefore, it is possible the mine fire produced a residue that may be responsible for causing the constrictive bronchiolitis. Researchers note, however, respiratory diseases were found in other soldiers deployed to other areas as well and they were not limited to the area surrounding the fire.
Constrictive bronchiolitis can cause physical limitations, and can escape detection in standard physicals and check-ups. Of the 38 soldiers in the study, 50% left the military with disability ratings.
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: Constrictive Bronchiolitis, Iraq, Respiratory Disease, Respiratory Health Problems, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Disability | 1 Comment »
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
A high number of soldiers are returning from deployments with such mental health conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many are having trouble being treated because of the nature of their mental conditions. Unfortunately, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not have enough qualified therapists to treat the numerous mental issues veterans are experiencing.
Most therapists do hot have military experience, and that makes it difficult to relate to their patients who are seeking help because of their military experience. Therapists unable to provide the requisite empathy for their patients often sabotage their own attempts at therapy.
Attempts have been made to close this likely harmful gap in therapy. Some veterans’ organizations are providing training for therapists, and other organizations, like the Soldiers Project, offer free counseling from licensed counselors who are also veterans.
That there are not enough therapists with combat experience to help all the veterans needing help is not the VA’s fault. The unfortunate consequence, however, is inadequate care being provided to 1000s of veterans in need. To remedy the issues, some psychology schools are offering specialization in military issues.
Although many veterans take issue with learning how to deal with the horrible issues from which they are suffering in a classroom, the fix may very well be better than nothing. The focus of the specialization will not be recreating war experiences, however. Instead, the specialization will train psychologists on how to properly treat combat’s psychological effects.
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: Mental Health Conditions, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sec. Eric Shinseki recently announced the launch of a new pilot program providing childcare for veterans. The program will provide drop-in child care free of charge to prevent both male and female veterans from missing doctor appointments.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash) sits on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and strongly supports this childcare program. Sen. Murray pushed for this program because of the unfortunate situation presented to many female veterans across the nation. Often female veterans return from deployment and are immediately put into roles caring for young children. Because of those demands, many forgo seeking out needed physical and mental health care.
The child care services were covered in the Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, and will be provided in the VA medical facility.
The pilot program will initially launch in 3 locations:
- Buffalo, NY;
- Northport, NY; and
- Tacoma, WA.
Female veterans are approximately 10% of the total veteran population. On the whole, however, they use VA health care services at a much lower rate. It is hoped by making doctors and therapists more available, more female veterans will take advantage of their entitled benefits.
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 (VA), female veterans, Veterans disability
Posted in Veterans' Dependents, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, July 25th, 2011
The Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act passed through the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee earlier this year. Under that act, veterans and their families exposed to toxic and contaminated water while stationed or working at Camp Lejeune would receive all necessary health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). What didn’t pass was any plan for how to fund that health care.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced a bill he believes is a step toward finding a fair solution to how to fund the extraordinary amount of health care that will likely be required for the roughly 1 million veterans who moved through Camp Lejeune between the years in which the contamination was present. Burr’s bill is being opposed by the VA, the DoD, and almost everyone else.
First, the bill will require the VA to will provide all necessary health care for those exposed families. The Department of Defense (DoD) would then reimburse the VA for the cost of the provided care. It is expected the health care will cost the DoD $4 billion over the first 10 years alone.
Second, Burr’s bill would require all taxpayer subsidies benefiting base and post grocery stores halted, and at the same time would combine every base store into one large retail system. Additionally, the bill would end some funding for transportation as well as “some base support dollars for exchanges.” The subsidy money would be used to pay for the cost of the VA’s health care.
The result would be groceries no longer being sold at cost on any base exchange. It is very likely the House will not pass this bill as the more people getting involved with it, the more people seem to be rejecting the bill’s funding plan.
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: Camp Lejeune, The Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, US Military Legislation | No Comments »
Thursday, July 21st, 2011
An agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Erik Shinseki, and U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan will benefit homeless veterans in Florida. HUD will supply public housing agencies in Florida with $3,773,463 as well as vouchers to be used to place 550 veterans in permanent housing.
HUD is supplying the money from their Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH), which is an initiative formed between HUD and the VA to get homeless veterans into permanent housing. The 3-year-old agreement has HUD funding local housing agencies and the VA providing all other services from medical treatment to specific care needs.
The idea of combining housing with case management and medical attention gives most veterans and their families what they need to re-establish themselves. The funding and vouchers will both work toward accomplishing President Obama and Eric Shinseki’s promise to end homelessness among veterans by 2015, which will require a dedicated and coordinated effort between federal, state, and local governments.
This is the first of a 2-part structured $50,000,000 funding schedule that will span the rest of the summer. Veterans, qualifying for the HUD voucher, will be able to move into privately owned homes, paying up to 30% of their income toward rent.
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 (VA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), veteran housing, Veterans disability, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in General, VA News | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently led a study that concluded soldiers awarded Purple Hearts lived longer than soldiers who never received the award. It’s believed Purple Heart recipients who aged without developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be able to give researchers a solid look into what makes some people resilient to combat stress.
The study evaluated over 10,000 veterans, who were atleast 65 in the 1990’s, that fought in both World War II and Korea. Researchers looked at the veterans’ survival rates through December of 2008. Medal recipients, including those with PTSD, were found to be alive at a rate of 2:1 over those non-recipients, including those with no PTSD, after 10 years of follow-ups. Also, soldiers awarded the Purple Heart, that never developed PTSD had higher mortality rates than those recipients who did develop PTSD.
Both the VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) have spent years studying psychological and neurobiological factors present in those soldiers who don’t develop PTSD. Various factors preventing the development of PTSD could be related to keeping the recipients alive for a longer period of time.
This finding runs contrary to multiple other studies, which have established links between PTSD and lower survival rates. This may be due to soldiers, who were injured in combat and developed PTSD, didn’t live to 65-years-old. This means the soldiers used for this study may have all been on the high end of healthy.
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: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Purple Heart, Veterans disability
Posted in General, VA News | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
According to Robert Metzler, a veteran of the U.S Air Force, he is the victim of medical malpractice during a routine colonoscopy at the Miami Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Hospital.
That malpractice consisted of clinicians performing Metzler’s colonoscopy with dirty equipment. According to Metzler’s complaint, the malpractice caused him to contract hepatitis C.
According to his lawyer, Metzler’s life is over due to the disease. Metlzer’s future will consist of him being exhausted all the time, losing sexual companionship, and having the threat of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer. On the other hand, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Rosen, a VA representative, believes Metzler could very well be free and clear of the hepatitis C within the next 12 months.
According to a report from the Miami Herald, more than 11,000 veterans received colonoscopies with dirty equipment across 4 VA hospitals. To date, 5 veterans have come up positive for HIV, 25 have tested positive for hepatitis C, and at least 8 have come up positive for hepatitis B.
Multiple suits have been filed in other states, and 11 have settled out-of-court in Miami alone. Metzler’s complaint is seeking $30,000,000 for the VA’s malpractice.
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: colonoscopy, medical malpractice, VA hospital, Veterans disability
Posted in VA News | 1 Comment »
Monday, July 18th, 2011
Last month, the Gainesville County Commission voted in favor of the proposed transitional housing for veterans being located at the Gainesville Hotel and Conference Center. The County’s Veterans Advisory Board (VAB), however, was never consulted on the facility prior to the zoning application being filed.
Moving beyond their anger and frustration for not being included, the VAB held a vote to support the facility. The Department of Veterans Affairs was approved a grant worth $1,900,000 to be used to buy the property for the facility. The VAB feared, by not approving the facility, that grant would be lost and the Alachua County Housing Authority (ACHA) would find themselves in a difficult position.
The ACHA will operate the transitional housing facility and veterans with mental conditions will be offered shelter for 2 years inside the facility. Those conditions will include multiple mental health disorders and substance abuse problems. During their tenure, veterans will be given counseling for their particular condition as they are transitioned into more permanent housing and permanent employment.
There has been community resistance to the location of the housing facility. Residents, while claiming to be supportive of helping veterans, don’t necessarily want such a facility in the area as it could be “detrimental to nearby businesses and neighborhoods.”
Despite the VAB feeling they should have been more involved in the process, it seems everyone is on board now; however, issues will continue between the local residents and those attempting to put in the housing facility. The important thing is supporting our veterans.
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 (VA), Transitional Housing, Veterans Advisory Board, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans | No Comments »
Thursday, July 14th, 2011
The nation’s 5 biggest electric companies sent representatives to meet with lawmakers to launch the Troops to Energy Jobs initiative. The initiative is a pilot program that will last 2 years, and will serve to help veterans returning from deployment find employment in the private energy sector.
The program helps veterans find jobs as part of an “accelerated transition.” The civilian energy jobs being targeted for these veterans are expected to multiply over the next 10 years. Alongside expected industry growth, approximately 40% of current civilian energy sector jobs will come available due to both attrition and retirement over the next decade.
It is estimated that roughly 200,000 jobs will become available for highly skilled employees over the next 5 years in the energy sector. Many employers responsible for hiring for these positions are finding military personnel ideal candidates.
Transitioning veterans possess many of the key attributes needed to “meet its workforce demands,” such as being:
- disciplined;
- civic-minded; and
- safety-focused.
The Troops to Energy Jobs initiative will hopefully provide veterans with the appropriate skills and opportunities with which to become employed by private energy companies. For those without the applicable skills, the program will provide training and proper certification.
The opportunity for so many veterans could not have come at a better time. Statistics shows that more than 13% of Post-Gulf veterans are unemployed, which is well above the national standard. More than $880 million was paid out in 2010 in unemployment benefits, compared to $450 million paid out 2 years prior.
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: Transitioning Veterans, Troops To Energy Jobs, Veterans disability, Veterans Unemployment
Posted in Disabled Veterans | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking a unique approach to improve services and benefits for female veterans. Instead of just providing a blanket of services, the VA is calling female veterans nationwide and asking them what type of services and benefits they would like to see provided as well as how the VA can improve healthcare services.
This is a major initiative on the part of the VA, and a necessary one. By 2020, female veterans are expected to make up 10% of the entire population of veterans and constitute 9.5% of the number of veterans using health care services from the VA.
Representatives from the VA’s Health Resource Center (HRC) are contacting female veterans that aren’t using VA services yet to enroll for their services and, at the same time, representatives will be contacting female veterans, of existing VA health care services, to provide information on how to access them.
In the very near future, every VA medical facility will provide complete care from a single provider for primary care. Currently , the VA does provide clinicians trained in every area of care for female veterans, to include preventive care and health screenings.
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 (VA), Veterans disability, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in General, VA News | No Comments »
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