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Secretary McDonald Does Not Favor Shifting VA Healthcare to the Private Sector

October 30th 2014 – Eric Gang

I recently read Secretary Robert A. McDonald’s Op Ed piece in the October 24, 2014 Baltimore Sun. I commend Secretary McDonald for his proactive approach to tackling the significant problems in the VA. As a veterans disability lawyer I keep a close watch on the important statements coming...

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In-Service Metabolic Syndrone as a Basis for Later Diagnosed Diabetes and Heart Disease

October 24th 2014 – Eric Gang

I recently received a favorable decision from the Board of Veterans Appeals in a service-connection for the cause of death case. My client was the surviving spouse of the veteran and she had a DIC claim. My client’s husband died of a heart attack at a young age with the death certificate...

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Service Organization Versus Lawyer Representation: Who do you choose to represent you?

October 10th 2014 – Eric Gang

One of my paralegals had an interesting experience recently that highlighted an apparent tension between veterans disability lawyers and veterans service officers. I say “apparent” because when you analyze the issue carefully there really is no conflict. Here’s what happened. My...

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Paying for the High Cost of Medical Experts to Win a VA Appeal

September 26th 2014 – Eric Gang

If you have followed my articles in the past you know that I believe in developing a client’s case to the optimum with good private medical experts. Indeed, the top practitioners in the veterans bar understand this. That is why some firms spend anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 per year in...

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The Wide-Ranging Effects of Metabolic Syndrome and How It May Be Able to Serve as a Basis for Service-Connection for a Multitude of Disabilities

September 12th 2014 – Eric Gang

I recently conducted some research for a client’s case wherein I was trying to establish service-connection for sleep apnea and a number of other problems. The doctors for the VA rejected the association between service and the sleep apnea on the grounds that the Veteran’s sleep apnea...

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How to Obtain Your Claims File

August 29th 2014 – Eric Gang

Your claims file contains all communications and documents that refer to your VA claims. Also included in the claims file are your military records if you are claiming a disability, all compensation and pension exam reports, letters from VA, VA decision documents such as rating decisions,...

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Refuting VA Exams Part V

August 15th 2014 – Eric Gang

This is Part 5 in a series of articles dealing with strategies a veteran can use to refute VA medical exams. In Part 4, I addressed situations where the VA examiner fails to consider your statements about what happened in service. Today, I want to discuss with you what happens when VA denies your...

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Refuting VA Exams Part IV

August 1st 2014 – Eric Gang

This is Part IV in a series of articles dealing with strategies a veteran can use to refute VA medical exams. As I have noted in prior articles as a veterans disability lawyer representing disabled veterans nationwide, I have had ample opportunity to review literally thousands of C&P exam...

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Refuting VA Exams Part III

July 18th 2014 – Eric Gang

In Parts I and II of this series on how to refute VA exams or VA medical opinions, we discussed situations where the VA examiner relied on inaccurate facts or failed to provide adequate reasons for his conclusion. In today’s installment I am going to focus on the VA’s failure to follow...

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Refuting VA Exams Part II

July 4th 2014 – Eric Gang

In Part I of this series on how to refute VA exams or VA medical opinions, we discussed the importance of examining the factual assumptions upon which the VA examiner relied in reaching his conclusion against service connection. To reiterate, if the VA examiner assumed inaccurate facts, then his...

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