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Posts Tagged ‘VA Benefits’
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues its service to our veterans around the D.C. area with a career fair and expo targeted at connecting veterans to employment opportunities at several federal and private agencies.
The Veteran Career Fair and Expo will be held at the Washington D.C. Convention Center on Wednesday, January 18 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. This event offers veterans with proof of military service the opportunity to meet with recruiters and participate in workshops.
Participating employers include the following:
- The Department of Defense;
- National Cemetery Administration;
- Veterans Benefits Administration;
- Veterans Health Administration; and
- many other federal agencies and private sector employers.
The event is open to all veterans but mainly targets those in the D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia areas, as many of the employers are located in these states. Aside from job recruitment there will be workshops on resume building, interviewing skills, education opportunities, and benefits for veteran health care and education.
The VA offers many programs and resources to support all veterans, especially disabled veterans. Many national and local veterans’ advocacy groups also exist to provide more local resources to those who have served our country and need the proper care to adjust back into civilian life.
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: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Benefits, veterans assistance, Veterans Employment, Veterans' Resources
Posted in General, Vet Groups & Networking, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Events, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Military personnel suffering traumatic damage to their genitals are not given enough money. The rates for what they receive are currently under review by both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) following complaints from Rep. C. W. “Bill” Young (R-Fla.). If everything goes right, the new rates will be made retroactive for all those soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and sustained blast wounds.
Injured soldiers are issued payments from Traumatic Service Members’ Group Life Insurance once they suffer “life-changing injuries or disabilities.” This is a VA benefit and total up to $100,000, depend on the injury. Soldiers however, are currently given more benefits for losing a finger than they are for losing a penis, according to Young’s testimony at a congressional hearing. Young went as far as to call groin injuries the new signature wounds of the wars.
Soldiers are paid $50,000 if they lose a thumb, but if a soldier loses a reproductive organ, they are only given $25,000. There is a caveat to that $25,000 payment, however. The soldier who lost their reproductive organ must also spend 15 consecutive days hospitalized, or spend 30 days unable to perform a minimum 2 of 6 daily activities:
- Bathing;
- Remaining continent;
- Dressing him or herself;
- Eating;
- Going to the bathroom; and
- Getting into and out of either a bed or chair.
The VA and the DoD are reviewing whether revising payments for genital injuries is necessary. It may be possible those revised payments will be issued within the next couple of months.
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 Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Disability Compensation Payments, Disabled Veterans, Genital Injuries, VA Benefits, Veterans disability
Posted in General | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
Every passing week seems to bring another story of someone attempting to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sometimes it is the veterans and sometimes it is people who never served a day in their life. Edwin Francis Lamken, 59, of Quartzite, AZ is the newest story of VA focused fraud. Lamken not only stole veterans’ benefits from the VA, he used his brother’s identity to make it happen.
Lamken served in the military and was discharged on February 12, 1971. He was court-martialed for Theft of Government Property and was discharged “under conditions other than honorable.” Last week U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton sentenced Lamken to an 18-month prison term and ordered him to pay restitution of $173,862. This sentence followed Lamken’s April 2010 guilty plea to Wire Fraud.
Edwin Lamken originally applied for veterans benefits in April, 1971 and was subsequently denied because of his discharge. He then applied for veterans benefits again in 1996; but this time around, he applied under the name of his brother, Charles Lamken. Charles Lamken was also a military veteran but unlike his brother, was entitled to benefits. Charles Lamken died in 2006 without ever having applied for VA health benefits or his VA pension. Between Edwin Lamken’s 1996 application date under his brother’s name and his brother’s death in 2006, Edwin was able to obtain VA medical care as well as $169,214 in pension pay outs.
Edwin Lamken used his brother’s identity for more than just defrauding the VA, however. He also opened a series of bank accounts, bought a home, and was even married. When Edwin Lamken was arrested, he had a driver’s license, a social security card, two bank cards, and 12 other forms of identification bearing his brother’s name.
The VA attempted to reduce Edwin Lamken’s pension benefits as they thought the real Charles Lamken was under-reporting his income. Edwin Lamken not only contacted the VA, he also contacted the Social Security Administration and his local Sheriff and reported he was a victim of identity theft claiming someone was trading on his name.
Defrauding the VA and taking money out of the pockets of deserving veterans is not an offense the VA takes lightly. To do so under the name of a veteran who served his country honorably is even worse. In the end, Edwin Lamken’s actions caught up with him.
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: Edwin Lamken, Identity Fraud, VA Benefits, VA Fraud, Veterans Pension, Veterans' Benefits
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Two years ago the military changed the way they discharged troops suffering from combat stress under pressure from Congress. If soldiers suffering had a pre-existing personality disorder, they are given an administrative discharge as opposed to a medical discharge. Because of that change, soldiers were left without any benefits, including medical care.
These types of discharges have now been focused on “adjustment disorder.” Under fear soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are being thrown through a loop hole and not given the correct medical discharge, Sen. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) is asking the military for more information on how many soldiers have been discharged because of adjustment disorders. If soldiers suffering from PTSD and/or TBI are given administrative discharges, which includes adjustment disorders, they will be sent into the civilian world with no medical coverage.
Adjustment disorder refers to how a person handles a traumatic event. The military’s policy is that if these symptoms last longer than 6 months, the person’s diagnosis is changed to PTSD. If a soldier is discharged with PTSD, that soldier is honorably medically retired with a disability rating of 50% at the least and medical care. The symptoms of adjustment disorder are very similar to those of PTSD:
- Flashbacks;
- Nightmares;
- Sleeplessness;
- Irritability;
- Anger; and
- Avoidance.
According to a former JAG officer, switching a diagnosis from PTSD to adjustment disorder is both common and illegal. When a soldier has an adjustment disorder because they’re adjusting to combat-that is called PTSD and that is how the discharge should be given. There is no reason for what probably amounts to hundreds of soldiers being discharged with PTSD and not receiving benefits.
Learn more about soldiers being discharged for adjustment disorder instead of PTSD and not being given medical benefits.
If you are a veteran and suffering from PTSD and fighting the VA to get disability compensation, contact LaVan & Neidenberg, a veterans law firm located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We represent more than 5000 disability claimants. Our disability attorneys have experience with cross examining agency-appointed medical and vocational experts and take time when speaking with you about your disability claim. Call us today at 1-888-234-5758 for a FREE legal consultation. There is NO OBLIGATION to hire our firm and there are NO FEES unless one of our trained disability lawyers wins your case.
Tags: Adjustment Disorder, Disabled Veterans, Medical Discharge, PTSD, TBI, VA Benefits, VA Health Care System, veterans disability claims, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) grants military veterans priority status when applying for government jobs. The Office of Compliance on the State of the Congressional Workplace recently released a report, which concludes Congress refuses to follow their own law.
Veterans applying to the following agencies are not given their mandated priority, in violation of the law:
- Architect of the Capitol;
- U.S. Capitol Police;
- Congressional Budget Office; and
- Various support offices in the House and Senate.
Congress has been applying VEOA to government jobs for years. Congress, however, continues to reject the notion the legislative branch should submit to the veterans’ employment regulations. Congress applied the VEOA to itself in 1998 but tempered the application of the law to the legislative branch by requiring specific steps be taken in order to apply to the congressional workplace. It has been several years, however, since Congress voted to pass those regulations.
The law’s focus is to offset any financial or economic loss veterans experience should they choose to leave their jobs to serve in the military. The law does not guarantee jobs to veterans, though. Without Congressional approval for these regulations, veterans will not receive their intended benefits. The idea that Congress is not following its own law is outrageous. That their refusal to do so is preventing veterans from gaining good employment makes the situation even more offensive.
There is no reason why veterans should not be able to exercise the benefits to which they are entitled through a job in the legislative branch of the federal government. According to Congress, they will not approve the regulations because of an “antiquated provision in the statute.” Congress, it seems, has failed to grasp the intention of the original law, however, The 1995 law was designed to prevent the legislative branch from exempting themselves from the laws.
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: government jobs for veterans, VA Benefits, VEOA, Veterans Employment Opportunities Act
Posted in VA News | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Rep. Joseph Aresimowicz (D-Berlin/Southington) introduced the Concerning Prescription Drug Benefits For Veterans In Nursing Home Facilities Act, which the Governor of Connecticut recently signed into law. The bill provides specific medical benefits for those veterans living in nursing home facilities.
Under this new law, nursing homes are not allowed to limit veterans’ access to those prescription drug benefits made available through their state Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The current law applies to veterans who live in skilled nursing homes, which are those homes providing higher levels of care than standard nursing homes.
Because of current rules concerning how drugs are packaged, veterans living in skilled nursing homes are not allowed to receive their drugs directly from the state VA. Different nursing homes require different packaging, e.g., pills packaged in bubble packs as opposed to being supplied in a bottle.
Nursing homes say preferring bubble packages is due to quality control. VA distributed drugs do not exist in bubble packs so veterans eligible to receive VA drugs would not be able to access those drugs at the VA cost. Therefore, once the veterans enrolled in the nursing facilities they could no longer access their drugs at VA costs.
State VAs can not pay for medications the way they can pay for veterans’ room and board. This puts veterans in the position of having to pay out-of-pocket or apply for state medical assistance, which will likely cost hundreds of dollars more than their costs when paying through the VA.
Under this new law, nursing homes are allowed to provide unpackaged drugs, which are provided by the VA, to all qualifying veterans. This law helps both veterans and the state. Veteran-patients in nursing homes can utilize lower drug costs as private payers, and the state will save money as they will not have to pay for veteran-Medicaid patients.
The savings to the veterans are significant. Qualifying veterans receiving VA supplied drugs spend $8 a month irrespective of their income. That same veteran paying for the same medication while living in a nursing home would pay $130-$150 per prescription. Additionally, that veteran would not be covered by the VA.
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: VA Benefits, VA health care, VA Prescription Drugs, VA skilled nursing homes
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
Veterans returning from deployments face obstacles on many levels. While substance abuse, mental health issues, and medical conditions top the list, many veterans are also struggling with simply finding a job. Fighting against unemployment, veterans are enrolling in college to give them an additional weapon in their personal arsenal.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (HECB) statistics show a significant increase in veterans having enrolled in college since the beginning of the recession. Coupling the sparse availability of civilian jobs with the general inapplicability of military skills to the private sector, enrolling in college seems to be the best way for veteran-soldiers to become more marketable to employers.
Enrolling in college helps veterans, the institutions in which those veterans enroll, and the states’ economies. In the State of Washington in fiscal 2009, Washington veteran-students used $119.5 million in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) money on educational and vocational training. The VA’s statistics report this as being a 25% increase over the previous year in federal education benefits being put into Washington.
Because of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, more veterans are enrolling in college to increase their skill levels and become more employable. Many skilled jobs in such fields as construction have declined. Because of this decline, fewer veterans are enrolling in skills-oriented training such as:
- Apprenticeship programs; and
- On-the-job training programs.
While more veterans enrolling in college is generally considered a good thing, their presence resulted in both public colleges and universities being over-enrolled to the tune of almost 11%. Over-enrolled schools result in:
- Crowded classrooms;
- Greater difficulty registering for classes;
- Fewer teaching assistants; and
- Less lab time available for students.
While there may be some drawbacks to a mass amount of veterans all enrolling in school at once, it’s wonderful that these veterans are able to enroll in college and train for their future.
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-9/11 GI Bill, VA Benefits, VA educational benefits, veteran-students, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources
Posted in General, Veterans' Benefits | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Veteran legislation is at an apparent all time high. It seems every couple of weeks sees the introduction of some new legislation intended to somehow extend benefits to veterans and their families or forge some new benefit.
Last Wednesday saw the passage of three bills by the House Veterans Affairs Committee. All the bills were bipartisan-backed and whipped through the panel through a voice vote. Most likely they will end up on the House’s suspension calendar. The three bills included:
- One for therapeutic companion dogs;
- One for chiropractic care; and
- One for increasing money going to VA doctors and nurses.
The first bill authorizes a 5-year pilot program. This program will take place in multiple Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers across the nation. The program will use trained dogs to calm and hopefully treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in veterans.
The second bill, if signed into law, would supply chiropractic services to veterans. The bill provides these services must be available in 75 VA hospitals by the end of next year and must be available at all VA hospitals by the end of 2013. The services included in this bill are aimed at improving the onslaught of muscular-skeletal injuries overwhelming Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
The final bill would raise the amount of money used to fund continuing professional education for VA doctors and nurses. The money would also allow other health care workers to be able to participate in the training and would increase the amount of workers able to receive the assistance. This increase could total $42 million over the next 5 years.
Coupling these three bills with the other veteran legislation that has passed or is in position to pass this year is impressive. If things continue at this pace, veterans will be in for a very promising year.
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, PTSD treatment, VA Benefits, VA health care, veterans legislation
Posted in General, US Military Legislation, VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
Out of the 23 million veterans in the United States, only approximately 8 million take advantage of their owed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. While not every military veteran needs VA services or benefits, many more than 8 million do need them. One big issue in getting help for veterans is making sure veterans know the services are available in the first place.
The last two decades have seen Congressional expanded veteran benefits while at the same time lowering the standards for eligibility. This is crucial. For those veterans enduring undiagnosed service-connected illnesses, it means the difference between continued suffering and treatment. For others it may mean the difference between a level of financial security and a life of wanting.
There are 8 fundamental benefit programs of which every veteran should be aware. While not every veteran will need or qualify for every program, those veterans in need will probably be able to find a program to help them. These 8 programs are:
- Disability compensation;
- War veteran pensions;
- VA Health care;
- In-home care;
- Assisted living;
- Prescription drug plans;
- Nursing Home Care; and
- VA-guaranteed mortgages.
This country has an obligation to take care of our veterans. The VA offers many programs to help veterans in many aspects of their lives. In order to take advantage of these programs, however, veterans must know the programs exist in the first place.
Learn more about 8 essential programs of which every veteran should be aware.
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, mental health treatment, VA Benefits, VA healthcare, veteran programs, Veterans' Resources
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is not known for its speedy adjudication of disability claims, especially once the claim is denied and appealed. Should a veteran proceed through the normal process of filing a claim, that veteran is almost unlimited in the amount of disability hearings that could be requested over the life of his or her claim.
Certainly then, The VA’s Expedited Claims Adjudication (ECA) initiative is an attractive offer to rush the settlement of a disability claim. By signing the ECA agreement and waiver, however, the veteran is limiting the possible number of disability hearings that can happen over the life of his or her claim.
Currently, veterans have the right to a hearing at any time on any issue involved a claim presently pending in front of a participating VA regional office (RO). Once that veteran becomes an ECA participant, those appellate rights are severely curtailed. Under the ECA initiative, if a veteran decides to request a hearing, that veteran will:
- Have only one hearing on his or her claim(s) before the participating RO;
- That hearing will be conducted by a VA Decision Review Officer (DRO); and
- That hearing will only happen once an RO makes a decision on the claim.
So, instead of having one hearing at every stage of a claim’s life, the ECA initiative allows for one hearing over the entire life of the claim prior to the decision being made. Because of these types of limitations that can potentially cripple a veteran’s right to a disability claim, you must be represented by an attorney or the Veterans Service Organization (VSO) in order to participate in the ECA.
If you are a veteran who has been denied disability compensation by the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. We can appeal your rating decision and fight for your rights. You are entitled to certain programs and benefits based upon your VA rating decision so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: ECA agreement, VA Benefits, VA disability compensation, veterans disability claims
Posted in Disabled Veterans | No Comments »
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