>>>>The VA will make him jump through hoops to get the monthly disability payments, but if you’re a taxpayer you would want it that way.<<<<
My husband, a Vietnam Combat Vet, went though the process of filing a disability claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He discovered that the VA is an unwieldy bureaucracy that uses a complex combination of federal statutes, regulations, and internal policies when deciding claims for VA benefits.
As a result, the VA makes many mistakes when reviewing claims and those oversights often result in Veterans being denied compensation that is rightfully owed to them.
These VA missteps are not only frustrating, stressful and time-consuming for Vets, but can result in potentially devastating financial consequences. Unfortunately, the odds are often stacked against individuals attempting to navigate their way through the complicated VA system without legal assistance.
It takes years, even decades, for a Veteran to receive the compensation they deserve because the VA will deny and delay hoping they’ll give up or die.
He eventually hired an attorney, but passed away due to Agent Orange poisoning before the VA rendered it’s final determination which ironically turned out to be in his favor.
“It takes years, even decades, for a Veteran to receive the compensation they deserve because the VA will deny and delay hoping they’ll give up or die.”
A member of my congregation that served in WWII had a head injury with shrapnel. The process to correctly receive medical attention is indeed an unwieldy bureaucracy!
I would guess the lawyer was on top of this, but if a veteran dies after or maybe during the process, the survivor does get some money.
The process is complex. A lawyer option is only available after you have a claim refused. Prior to first filing, there are guys called VSOs, veteran service officers, who are paid by the VA but are usually affiliated with orgs like American Legion or Disabled American Vets.
Really serious injuries can turn into 100% disabled declaration and that is about $50K/year tax free. So obviously the VA has to follow precise procedures.
Interesting item. When the VA sends out people to do briefings, it will be to a gathering of veterans. You will often hear things like . . . Yeah I was jump trained and I messed up my knee on a jump and they would not let me jump again. Yeah, I hobble but I can walk so I don’t apply for disability *** because there are other guys who need it more ***.
The reply is always interesting. Something like: “You go file a claim. I have worked for the VA almost 20 years and I have never, ever seen a veteran denied a claim because too many others filed and we ran out of money. That never happens.”
My experience is that some GS-5 at The Veterans Benefit Agency (VBA) will determine disability based on whether they think you are receiving too much money.
There is nothing more stupid and more discriminating than the Disability Percentage Calculator.
If you receive 50% disability for one thing and then you are given 40% disability for another thing, those numbers don’t add up to 90%.
They run it through their magic calculator and suddenly, it’s a lot less.
Ask them the purpose of their magic disability calculator.
They get red faced and start stammering and then scream at you that they’ll call for their armed guard.
Social Security Disability adds the percentages without a magic calculator.
They just discriminate against Veterans so they have more money for employee bonuses.