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VA’s requirement to use standardized forms to start claims and appeals has gone into effect as of March 25, 2015. In addition, the VA’s new “Intent to File a Claim” process replaced the old “informal claims” process. I’ve already discussed the details of the new standardized forms requirement here, as well as the intent to […]

In September 2014, the Federal Circuit decided Beraud v. McDonald, carving out an exception to the general rule that a “subsequent final adjudication of a claim which is identical to a pending claim that has not been finally adjudicated terminates the pending status of the earlier claim.” Now, under Beraud, when a veteran submits evidence to the VA within […]

The 2015 tax filing season is here, and several companies are once again offering free or discounted tax filing assistance to servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Below are a few of the more popular options:

It’s very common for veterans to suffer from tinnitus without accompanying hearing loss. Unfortunately, when a veteran submits a claim for service connection for tinnitus without hearing loss, VA examiners will often render a negative nexus opinion that goes something like this: “Although the veteran served in a high hazardous noise MOS, the veteran has bilaterally normal hearing indicating […]

In my last post, I briefly discussed VA’s new “intent to file a claim” process which replaces the current informal claim process on March 25, 2015. Now I take a closer look at the specifics of the new claims filing process and how it can determine the effective date of a claim.

The VA amended its regulations today introducing a uniform disability claims form that VA says will allow it to better service veterans. The new rule goes into effect beginning March 25, 2014, and includes three major changes: Requirement that all VA benefits claims (pension, compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and monetary burial benefits) be filed on […]

A recent study has confirmed that the concussive blast wave from an explosion can be equally as damaging as an impact injury to the head when it comes to traumatic brain injuries. The study set out to determine whether there was any difference in the level of symptoms suffered by service members “with blast-related vs. non-blast-related concussive […]

After years of pressure from lawmakers in Congress, VA has finally rolled out an open burn pit registry by which veterans can document exposure to airborne hazards, including smoke from burn pits. The potential effects of open air burn pits were first raised in 2008, and since that time, hundreds of veterans have returned home with significant respiratory problems and […]

A new study has concluded that aircrew and maintainers who flew the C-123 Provider during the post-Vietnam era were likely exposed to hazardous levels of dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange. The Air Force used the UC-123 during Vietnam to spray Agent Orange, and the planes were subsequently returned to the United States and used by the Air Force Reserve as […]

Veterans are now able to report schools that fail to follow the VA’s Principles of Excellence. This is an effort to identify schools that are taking advantage of veterans – either purposely, or inadvertently by failing to properly help veterans.