While military veterans are able to seek treatment for respiratory conditions at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, many of these facilities treat only the acute symptoms and don’t investigate the long-term disabilities that some veterans may be facing. A rare respiratory disease, constrictive bronchiolitis, is difficult to diagnose and incurable, making it difficult for many disabled veterans to get the medical assistance they need.

Diagnosing this rare condition involves an invasive lung biopsy, which many VA hospitals are reluctant to perform as it’s a costly procedure. This has lead to many veterans potentially suffering from this disabling condition to have to seek a diagnosis from a doctor outside the VA hospital network – meaning high out of pocket costs that their veterans’ disability benefits or VA health care may not cover.

Disabled veterans and their families are seeking to draw attention to the many respiratory illnesses and disabling conditions that have been connected to burn pit exposure and desert air quality. Soldiers that served in the Iraq and Afghanistan War may have been exposed to several airborne toxins and particles that can cause shortness of breath, chronic bronchitis, and even cancers of the respiratory system.

Respiratory illness is just one of the many conditions a veteran may suffer from due to their military service. If you or a loved one is experiencing medical conditions that may be related to their service in the military you may qualify 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.

Lawmakers are looking at placing restrictions on schools that show a high enrollment of G.I. Bill students but low educational results and student satisfaction. Schools targeted in this evaluation may have the funding they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cut.

The newly proposed bill looks to change a federal law that prohibits schools from collecting more than 90% of their revenue from federal funding. While this currently applies to the grants and loans serviced by the Department of Education, it does not include the G.I. Bill funding that comes from the VA.

The goal of this legislation is to reduce the number of schools who may be abusing the funding incentives by attracting veterans to enroll, but not providing quality education in exchange.

There are many resources and benefits for veterans that are provided by the VA and through legislation like the G.I. Bill. If you are a veteran or disabled veteran you may qualify for veterans’ disability benefits such as these to obtain help with medical expenses, health care, education, and housing.

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.

On Tuesday, February 28 from 2-3 p.m. EST the DVNF will be hosting an online webinar with noted speaker Rod Dillehay, who has worked for more than 20 years helping recruit and screen candidates for high-salary positions. The webinar is free and open to veterans, retired members of the military, reservists, active duty service members, and related veteran caregivers such as spouses, family members, and Veteran Service Officers.

Some of the topics that will be covered in the series include:

• resume organization;
• how to translate military skills to resume points relevant to your employment;
• LinkedIn 101;
• getting your resume noticed online and on an employers’ desk;
• mistakes to avoid with online job applications; and
• cover letter tips.

This webinar is just one in the DVNF’s Veterans Employment Webinar Series – a great resource for veterans looking for work. There are many resources and benefits for veterans to find employment and financial support after having served our country.

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.

According to officials at the Pentagon and the Department of Defense, there’s full support for such a celebration, but right now is not an appropriate time. With troop withdrawals still a long way to go, and deployments still actively scheduled, the Pentagon wishes to wait until all efforts in the war zones are completed and the troops have returned home.

In the meantime, the White House will be hosting a special dinner honoring the Iraq veterans by inviting members of every military branch, rank, and state to represent their respective backgrounds. While the IAVA appreciates the gesture, they believe that this effort only honors a select few service members and does nothing to foster connections between civilians and veterans.

Small scale efforts to honor returning Iraq veterans have been seen across the country with a notable effort having recently taken place in St. Louis. A couple friends organized the event through Facebook, which gathered nearly 1,000 veterans and tens of thousands of civilian supporters.

The Pentagon officials recognized the efforts of the St. Louis group and praised small community events like these, stating that, “they’re the right size and scope for what military leaders feel comfortable with now.” As for a large-scale parade, officials are still holding off on making plans until all troops return home.

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.

A dedication ceremony for the Louisiana National Cemetery site will be held on March 24 at 11 a.m. CST. When completed in April 2013, the site expects to give burial options to 293,000 veterans and their family members. The first phase will be a 17-acre project and provide 2,500 in-ground crypts and 1,128 regular gravesites as well as a formal entrance, roadways, utilities, and infrastructure.

The second phase will complete the project with an additional 12 acres containing 1,000 columbarium niches and 1,130 cremains sites, as well as the administrative building, maintenance complex, a committal service shelter, and a public assembly area. The water distribution system, landscaping, roads, signage, site furnishings, and utilities will also be completed.

The Port Hudson cemetery will be closed to most new burials starting in July, leaving its gates open only to casketed interments of those with previously buried family members. Interment in the Louisiana National Cemetery will follow general military cemetery guidelines, allowing honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and qualified dependent children to be buried there. It is also open to active duty military personnel who die in the line of duty, and their spouses and eligible dependents.

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.

The first bill, the Veterans ID Card Act, was put before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Subcommittee on Oversight and Legislation in September 2011. It seeks to grant the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the ability to issue a veterans photo ID card to those who submit a request.

The second bill was put forth in November 2011 and is currently under review by the Committee on Armed Services. The Military Service Identification Card bill seeks to authorize the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security to issue a photo ID to all military service members.

Current veterans without a military photo ID have to rely on resources through their local state government to obtain special identifications on their drivers’ license. Proving your military connection can be difficult, but it is a necessary step to gain access to many of the perks for veterans, such as veterans disability benefits. Having a military ID program from the start of active duty could help negate these problems in the future, but for now you may need a veterans’ disability attorney to help you.

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.

In the case of German, her husband, an active-duty Navy soldier, is filing the suit after doctors at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville failed to diagnose a brain hemorrhage. German sought treatment in 2008 but was dismissed with minor treatment for a migraine. A few days later she was experiencing stroke-like symptoms, which brought her to being admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

The couple filed a lawsuit against the naval hospital and is now fighting against the Federal Tort Claims Act, which blocks lawsuits against the government by active-duty military personnel. German passed away in December 2010, but her husband is continuing the suit.

In the case of the Price family, the parents are alleging malpractice during their son Elijah’s birth that caused him to only survive an hour after delivery. The lawsuit alleges that the medical staff at the same naval hospital didn’t take into account Jacqulin’s difficulty with gestational diabetes and also Elijah’s large size prior to birth. The option for a cesarean section wasn’t allowed, ultimately resulting in Elijah death.

In the Price case, it’s again active duty military trying to file a lawsuit for malpractice against government-run hospitals. Lawmakers are arguing over whether VA hospitals and doctors should share the immunity of the FCTA or not.

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.

The first run at Camp Shelby in Mississippi saw the wait time for establishment in the VA health care system drop from 10 days to 3 days by use of the new online VA Form 1010EZ. With the success of this trial, the VA is working on getting the new digital form available at the other demobilization sites within the coming months.

By reducing the time it takes to grant veterans access to the VA health care system it can also potentially speed up the process of applying for veterans’ disability benefits. Once in the system, veterans are eligible for 5 years of cost-free care at any VA facility for conditions related to combat service.

Veterans’ disability benefits are designed to augment this care by providing additional compensation for ongoing treatment and special needs related to service-connected disabilities. The sooner a veteran or disabled veteran can get into the VA health care system, the sooner they can get a disability rating to establish their benefits claim.

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.

Under the current Family and Medical Leave Act, benefits for leave time for a family caregiver of military personnel only apply to active duty service members in the National Guard. The new rule changes, announced in late January, seek to extend these benefits for up to 5 years for caregivers to take care of their wounded and/or disabled veteran who were medically discharged following active duty in any military branch.

Other policy changes include allowing up to 12 weeks of leave for a family member to help prepare for a short-notice deployment of an active duty household member. This will allow for military families to make arrangements for child care, attend military functions, and make financial and legal arrangements.

For injured soldiers or those who become ill during deployment, family members would now be allowed 26 weeks of leave to help care for them upon their return. It also expands the current 5-day allowance to 15 days for family members to rest and recuperate.

Supporting caregivers of disabled veterans is almost as important as supporting disabled veterans themselves. As the importance of family caregivers continues to become more apparent, the VA has been working to implement new benefits and resources to help keep these individuals active in supporting our wounded soldiers.

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.

According to Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House VA Affairs Committee, at least half of the disabled veterans, with claims already filed, wait at least 6 months just to get into the initial processing stage. This may be due to the mixed regulations for disability ratings seen in the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA’s application systems, and also the increased eligibility for Agent Orange cases. Furthermore, of the estimated 2.2 million troops from the Iraq and Aghanistan Wars, nearly 624,000 have filed veterans’ disability benefits claims and more are anticipated.

Current efforts to combat the increasing backlog focus heavily on budget increases and switching to a paperless system for claim processing. The system was recently tested in Utah and Rhode Island and is set for a national launch this summer through 2013. For 2012, the VA’s budget was increased 20% to nearly $2 billion to help fund claim processing efforts.

Considering the disability ratings systems hasn’t been modified since it was created, which was at the end of WWII, one of the biggest challenges faced is the discrepancies between disability ratings from the DoD or the 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.