The word veteran means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Growing up, I never gave much thought to what makes an individual a veteran. As a kid, I simply thought it applied to anyone who spent time in the military. In my mid-twenties I enlisted in the U.S. Army and was […]

When a veteran files a claim with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service connected disability benefits, VA will commonly schedule the veteran for medical examination. These exams, commonly called “C&P Exams”, are intended to permit VA to assess both the existence, etiology, and severity of the veteran’s disability. It may seem obvious,

Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are becoming increasingly concerned that exposure to toxins produced by burn pits during deployments will mirror the experiences of veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. In an effort to help address these concerns, earlier this year Congress passed the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn

On December 7, 2018, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case called Procopio v. Wilke. Although this case has quietly made its way through the courts, it has the potential to dramatically change the manner in which the US Department of Veterans Affairs addresses service-connected disability benefits claims associated

On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, the United States and Vietnam announced that a five-year, $110 million project that decontaminated soil at the Da Nang International Airport was completed. During the Vietnam War, large amounts of Agent Orange were stored and sprayed in and around the Da Nang airport. As a result, the airport and the surrounding areas

If you are denied benefits, or if you are granted benefits, but feel that you should have been assigned a higher evaluation, you may appeal the decision. You can appeal by submitting a Notice of Disagreement to the Regional Office that issued the decision. The decision will then be reviewed at the Regional Office level.

In 2008, a study published by RAND Corp. estimated that 300,000 U.S. troops may have suffered traumatic brain injury (“TBI”), many from exposure to a blast during training or combat operations. According to data published by the Department of Defense, approximately 100,000 troops have been diagnosed with mild TBI since 2003, with numbers increasing as

Complete VA Form 21-526, and submit it to the VA regional office in your state. Follow this link to find the regional office in your state. VA will respond with a letter acknowledging receipt of the claim, and advising you of what information or evidence is still needed. The VA has a duty to assist you in obtaining