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Archive for the ‘Vet Groups & Networking’ Category
Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013
Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) are the latest asset to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as it continues to focus on elimination of the veterans’ disability claim backlog. The VA recently announced that it has developed a partnership with the Disabled American Veterans and The American Legion – two prominent national VSOs that have been providing services to disabled veterans for many years.
The main focus of this partnership is to promote the submission of Fully Developed Claims (FDCs) when disabled veterans apply for veterans disability benefits. A FDC is a claim that:
- is submitted with all available supporting evidence;
- includes any private medical records;
- has notice of federal treatment records; and
- is certified that there is no further evidence to submit.
Claims identified as “fully developed” are not added to the regular queue for processing; they are expedited for a quicker decision. The more FDCs that are submitted, the fewer veterans’ disability claims there will be added to the already backlogged queue of cases awaiting decisions.
Veterans Service Organizations often have local representatives helping veterans in the community determine if they are eligible to file a claim for disability benefits. By working closely with these organizations and improving the pre-development of new disability claims, the VA hopes that more fully developed claims will be submitted and it will be able to further decrease the backlog.
VSOs may provide assistance to veterans filing first-time claims for disability benefits, but their claims representatives often do not have the resources necessary to appeal a denied claim or unfavorable disability rating. A veterans disability attorney is the legal advocate for disabled veterans facing these situations.
The Law Offices of LaVan & Neidenberg, P.A. has a dedicated team of veterans’ disability attorneys to help develop and support your claim through the initial application all the way to appeals. Contact us today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: disability benefits, fully developed claims, veterans service organizations
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 14th, 2012
On Tuesday, July 31, during a workshop for Veterans Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) emphasized the importance of the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) initiative.
The initiative is designed to encourage veterans and those that assist them with VA disability claims to strive to submit a FDC to help reduce the backlog of disability claims the VA is currently dealing with. According to CBSNews, over 500,000 claims are awaiting decisions, which can take an average of 254 days to reach.
The VA considers a veterans’ disability claim to be fully developed when it includes all available supporting evidence, especially private and federal treatment records. These records can often take the VA up to 175 days to obtain, while the veteran themselves or their veterans’ disability attorney can often gather them much faster.
During the workshop, the VA encouraged Veterans Service Organizations to promote the submission of more FDCs. Currently, only about three percent of the claims filed with the VA are FDCs, which can process in about 110 days.
Veterans Service Organizations have outreach programs across the nation, but one of the best local resources for disabled veterans is still their area veterans’ disability attorneys.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: claims backlog, Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans disability claims
Posted in Disabled Veterans, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 6th, 2012
While combat situations have been proven to cause long-term mental and physical injuries, researchers, who have been funded by the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, are now looking at the moral impact that these events can have on a soldier’s well-being. According to mental health professionals, moral injuries can cause emotional stresses such as guilt, betrayal, shame, and grief.
To better understand the moral impact combat events can have on soldiers and veterans, the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University is working with retired military chaplains and psychologists to open the Soul Repair Center. The new center in Fort Worth will provide counseling and interaction opportunities with other veterans who share the same experiences.
The program hopes to help veterans suffering from mental disabilities cope with the moral issues they may be facing along with their mental and physical damages. By minimizing the moral impact, it is their hope that it will ease some of the mental damages done after active combat situations.
As more research is done for disabilities caused by mental trauma, more veterans may now qualify for veterans’ disability benefits that can give them means of receiving better care.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: PTSD, veterans mental disabilities
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2012
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has set a goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015 and a new partnership is set to make headway toward that goal. The VA is partnering with the “One Hundred Thousand Homes” campaign, which is a network of community efforts that help locate homeless veterans and connect them to VA resources for housing and disability benefits.
The 2011 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress revealed that veteran homelessness declined 12% since the beginning of 2010; 2 years since the Opening Doors plan to end veteran homelessness began in 2009. To continue supporting our veterans, the VA is working with 100,000 Homes to develop more supportive housing options with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Keeping a secure residence is a major problem for veterans living with disabling conditions. Inability to work due to their disability and an increased need for stable housing for health conditions has resulted in many disabled veterans having to deal with the challenges of homelessness.
When a disabled veteran is in need of assistance with housing, education, finances, and health, the VA is their first resource for these types of veterans’ disability benefits. To make the claims process as simple and quick as possible, working with a veterans’ disability attorney is often the best course of action.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: homeless veterans, veteran housing benefits
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Thursday, May 31st, 2012
The latest reports show that the number of female veterans has been steadily growing with an estimated increase from 1.8 million in 2011 to 2 million by 2020. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been actively responding to this increase by improving their women’s services at VA hospitals and clinics across the nation and a new partnership is seeking to target one of the biggest risks to women’s health: heart disease.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 8 million women suffer from heart disease, but only 1 in 6 are aware that it’s the number one fatal health condition for women. Cardiac care has long been a male-dominated area, and the VA is raising awareness for women’s heart health through the AHA’s “Go Red For Women” campaign.
Through this partnership, the VA will be promoting education of how heart disease can impair female veterans and promote more screening and preventative care at VA clinics. The AHA’s campaign already provides many online resources for women to learn about cardiovascular risks, healthy lifestyle changes, and to connect with other women in similar situations. Working with the VA, this information will be tailored specifically to female soldiers and veterans to help them avoid becoming disabled from cardiovascular conditions.
Suffering from a heart attack, stroke, or other heart diseases can cause permanent disability from long-term damage. In some cases, environmental exposures during active duty may be the cause of heart disease in female veterans, which may qualify them for veterans’ disability benefits.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: female veterans, Heart Disease
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Monday, May 14th, 2012
A conclusion has been made in a year-long case against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) involving the delayed handling of cases where disabled veterans are seeking mental health services.
In May 2011, the original case brought against the VA by 2 veterans’ groups cited that the department was negligent in providing timely service to veterans in serious need of mental health support. They claimed this led to nearly 6,500 veteran suicides that could have been prevented with prompt care. The case was ruled in favor of the veterans’ groups, but the VA appealed the decision.
Now, a Monday, May 7 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the previous ruling, finding that the VA’s conduct was not considered unconstitutional. The court cited that only the President or Congress would have the power to enforce changes to speed up the assessment and treatment of mentally disabled veterans.
Many veterans’ groups believe that when veterans suffer from mental health disabilities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, they become more prone to attempt suicide. The belief is that if these veterans could get immediate mental health evaluations and treatment, the high suicide rate among veterans would drop drastically.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: veteran suicide, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in General, US Military Legislation, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking | No Comments »
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
On Wednesday, May 8, a press release from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) confirmed the end of copayments for veterans seeking mental health care through the Telehealth system.
Disabled veterans who undergo counseling through video conferences with remote VA mental health professionals will no longer pay for these services. The Telehealth service is not limited to psychiatric care. Video conferences can help VA health specialists discuss treatment and symptom management for veterans with disabling conditions that make travel difficult.
Veterans in remote areas that live hours from the nearest VA clinic can participate in a Telehealth conference first before they determine if travel is necessary. This has reduced travel expenses for both military families and the VA, saving a substantial amount of the health care budget over the years since the Telehealth system was implemented.
The remote counseling has provided thousands of disabled veterans with a convenient connection to their health care team at VA hospitals. While the Telehealth system does not replace traditional care at VA clinics, it is being used extensively for consultations and patient reviews that would have otherwise taken months for an appointment to be made and attended.
The VA’s Telehealth system is just one of the many services that disabled veterans can seek when they have been given a disability rating and approved for veterans’ disability benefits.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Telehealth services, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, VA News, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, April 16th, 2012
White House officials announced last week that new initiatives will train more than 3 million nurses to better recognize and treat the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and other seriously disabling mental health issues in soldiers and veterans. New lessons on symptom identification, signs of mental impairment, and disability treatments will be among some of the focuses the new curriculum will emphasize.
The American Nurses Association is planning on making the new resources available to professional development courses and medical journals so others can access the information as well.
This is just one of the many programs the White House has launched under its Joining Forces campaign, which celebrates its 1-year anniversary this month. The program has so far helped thousands of veterans find jobs, return to school, and has raised awareness for veterans’ advocacy in communities across the nation.
The main resource for veterans seeking assistance with disabling conditions is still the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides disability benefits to those who qualify. These benefits and resources available can help a veteran stay financially and emotionally afloat, as medical recourse is sought.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Veterans disability, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in General, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Thursday, April 5th, 2012
A recent boost in funding, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to its Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program (HUD-VASH), is hoping to benefit more than 10,000 homeless veterans across the U.S.
The HUD-VASH program is designed to provide veterans with permanent housing options, case management, and supportive services to insure they have a stable place for themselves and their families to live. HUD has allocated $72.6 million in new funding to help expand and support these services to our military families.
Obtaining permanent housing is a struggle many veterans face, especially those who are disabled due to their service. They cannot afford housing considering their disability may keep them from working. Many disabled veterans can suffer extra burdens to their health when they are unable to find permanent housing to take care of their needs.
While any veteran can seek assistance through the HUD or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), disabled veterans can often obtain expanded resources when they apply and qualify for veterans disability benefits. Help can be found through a trusted disability attorney when you want the veterans’ disability benefits application process to be handled properly.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: homeless veterans, veteran housing benefits
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
U.S. veterans face many unique challenges when they retire from military service and several federal programs are available to help them leap over the obstacles. Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $15 million in grants to be allocated to the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) – a unique federal program that focuses solely on employing homeless veterans.
Organizations at both national and local levels who seek to focus on hiring homeless veterans are applying for the grants, and the HVRP is holding 2 teleconferences that will provide information. On Thursday, April 5, new applicants can call in to find out about the requirements and attributes of a successful homeless veteran hiring strategy. On Friday, April 6, another call will be designated for returning applicants who are seeking additional grant money to continue to improve existing programs.
Homelessness, unemployment, and disability can all go hand-in-hand for many veterans. A combat-related disability can render a veteran unable to work and afford adequate housing. Many veterans are unable to obtain treatment for their disabilities, which is why it is critical for them to seek veterans’ disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: homeless veterans, veteran employment
Posted in General, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
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