VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS LAW

The U.S. defense policy bill contains several provisions aimed at addressing the Pentagon’s ongoing use of open-air burn pits for waste disposal in combat zones and documenting locations where they operated. The National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House on Wednesday, December 11,...

Defense Department officials may soon offer payouts to the victims of military medical malpractice cases under a provision inserted into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a $738 billion defense spending bill, agreed to by House and Senate conferees on Monday, December 9, 2019. However,...

Access to commissary, military exchange, and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) retail privileges on U.S. military installations is being expanded by the Department of Defense.  Beginning January 1, 2020, discounted, on-post stores will be expanded to include Purple Heart recipients, veterans...

Richard J. Hindt appealed a decision made by The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) denying his entitlement to benefits for chronic bronchitis and epididymitis. Mr. Hindt filed his original claim in 2014. On appeal, Mr. Hindt argued the Board should have ensured the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA)...

On November 13, 2019, Rachel Romani, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) chief of research development, announced the VA will launch a major research initiative in 2021 on military environmental exposures and their connection to diseases in veterans and their offspring.

Democratic Senators Jon Tester of Montana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut introduced legislation this week that would ensure all service members with at least 10-years of service are eligible to transfer their benefits to dependents at any time, either while being on...

Since September 11, 2001, countless numbers of veterans have suffered serious physical or psychological injuries in service to the United States. Now, they must rely on support and assistance from caregivers, who are often family members. The assistance that family caregivers provide help veterans...

On September 9, 2019, in a class action lawsuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) ruled that the VA’s 2018 reimbursement regulation violates the Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2010 (ECFA), which requires the VA to reimburse veterans for the emergency medical expenses they incur...

U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation can be a tricky thing. Nearly all veterans are aware that they may qualify for compensation for injuries suffered or aggravated by their service. But many veterans are unaware that they may qualify to be paid at a 100% disability rate (the...