The Veterans Benefits Administration published the final rule in the Federal Register providing a presumptive service connection for diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on January 13, 2017. The regulation, 38 C.F.R. §3.307 and §3.309(f), will become effective on March 14, 2017. Under the new rule veterans with a minimum of 30 days of service at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987 will be presumed to have … [Read more...]
The Veterans Choice Program
What is Veterans Choice Program? If you are currently eligible to receive medical care from the Veterans Health Administration, the Veteran’s Choice Program may allow you to receive medical care from within your own community. If you choose to use this program it will not impact your existing health care, or any other benefits that you may receive. The Veterans Choice Program has recently been implemented as a result of a pilot project, ARCH (Access Received Closer to Home). The ARCH project … [Read more...]
VA Contract Examinations
The Veterans Administration (VA), recently signed contracts that allow for the scheduling of Compensation and Pension Examinations (C&P Exams) with private physicians outside of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), see the news release at VA Makes Contract Awards Totaling up to $6.8 Billion Dollars for Medical Disability Examinations. We hope this will create significant improvements in fighting the ever increasing VA backlog of appeals. Almost every veteran who files a claim for … [Read more...]
Jet Gun Injectors: Hepatitis C
Many Vietnam Veterans suffer from Hepatitis C and have been treated by the Veterans Health Administration, however a large majority of these veterans have been denied benefits from the Veterans Benefits Administration. National Public Radio aired a story discussing how these veterans were exposed to Get Gun injections that exposed them to this deadly disease. The NPR story, Veterans Groups Fight Stigma Associated With Hepatitis C, highlights the struggle these veterans fight. If you know a … [Read more...]
Why hire an attorney for your VA claim?
In June of 2007 veterans gained the right to hire an attorney to represent them at the Regional Office and the Board of Veteran’s Appeals. The attorney will provide assistance in the filing of the appeal and provide representation at Decision Review Officer hearings or Board of Veterans Appeals hearings. If need be, an attorney can appeal a BVA decision to the Court of Appeals for Veteran’s Claims and the Federal Circuit. Choosing which attorney to represent you before the VA is important … [Read more...]