Veterans Disability Info Blog

Clients often inform us that they have applied for or are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but have no idea that they may also be eligible for a 100 percent VA disability rating based on total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU). Other times, […]

Tuesday afternoon’s Washington D.C. hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, titled “Feres Doctrine – A Policy in Need of Reform”, addressed an issue long overdue for change. For 69 years, the Feres Doctrine has banned active duty armed forces members from using the Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) to […]

Problems with negligent care are also a very real threat for veterans who reside in VA nursing homes. The stories are frightening. A recent investigation into 99 VA nursing homes across the U.S. found that, between April and December 2018, nearly 53% of the facilities were cited for deficiencies that […]

Over the last year, 19 veterans have committed suicide on a VA campus – a clear plea for much-needed improvements to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ mental health treatment facilities. Our heroic veterans and their families are begging the VA for help. But despite repeated promises of overhauls, we aren’t […]

Marking an enormous, long-overdue victory for Vietnam veterans, the Federal Circuit set precedent Tuesday in a decision that finally extends Agent Orange presumption to “blue water” Navy veterans. For over a decade, the VA has excluded these up to 90,000 Vietnam veterans from receiving disability benefits for Agent Orange exposure […]

Without VA benefits to cover proper therapy and treatment, veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are facing a future of personal and professional hardships. But just because the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has denied your PTSD claim doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. As a veterans’ disability lawyer, I’ve […]

Not every veteran who is exposed to traumatic events develops PTSD.  Certain situations are more likely to cause PTSD than other situations. This is particularly true for soldiers who are asked to kill during service. It is unlikely that the readers of my blog have heard about the science of […]

In past scandals, we learned how VA employees manipulated data to suppress evidence of long wait times at VA hospitals and to ensure bonuses for themselves. In National Public Radio’s (NPR) latest report, we see VA officials acting to ensure that the status quo of low performance is maintained – […]

Throughout my lengthy career as a veterans’ disability benefits attorney, I have seen the VA deny many veterans service connection for chronic pain – simply because a doctor can’t identify the source of the pain. Even though these individuals were clearly suffering from pain, if doctors couldn’t establish a current […]

A recent investigation confirmed that Washington DC VA Medical Center officials knew about issues affecting patient health for years, yet did nothing. On Wednesday, the US Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released a report detailing the DC VA facilities appalling conditions, citing a dangerous lack of supplies, wasted funds and […]