While each VA disability claim is different, there are some common reasons a veteran may be denied. Veterans have three options to appeal a denied claim.
VA claim evaluators can decide to deny a disability benefits claim if they do not see enough evidence to prove an injury or condition occurred from a veteran's military service. There are many common reasons VA claims are denied. To appeal a claim denied after Feb. 19, 2019, veterans can request a Higher Level Review, submit a Supplemental Claim, or request an appeal with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals by filing a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). Decisions dated before
Feb. 19, 2019, that are still in the appeals process may still be in the legacy system.
Biden signs burn pit exposure health bill into law
Millions of veterans are now eligible for expanded health care access and disability benefits related to burn pits and other toxic exposures after President Biden signed the PACT Act into law last week. Biden called the legislation one of the most important changes to veteran policies in decades and said it will provide needed relief to veterans who are still suffering from the wounds of war years after leaving the
battlefield.
Military sexual assault survivors should be able to sue for damages, judges rule
An ongoing lawsuit against the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff caught a big break when a panel of judges ruled that the general's former aide, who has accused him of sexual assault during her time working with him, does have the right to sue him for damages. This ruling may end up setting a precedent, allowing military sexual assault survivors to sue not only their assailants but the Defense Department
as well. The effects of the ruling could be seen locally at first, in the 9th Circuit, as a new precedent.
The upcoming one-year anniversary of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan could serve as a trigger for troops and veterans suffering from what is known as moral injury. Moral injury refers to the distress that people feel after committing an act that violates their sense of right and wrong or being forced to experience immoral actions by someone else. Moral injury shares some similarities with PTSD, such as nightmares, unwanted recall of the experience, avoidance of thoughts or feelings related to the experience, and reduced interest in things the person once enjoyed.
Did you live or work at Camp Lejeune before 1987 and now have a health condition? You may be eligible to take legal action and seek a financial settlement from the U.S. government.
