Veterans of the armed services who served between 1993 and 2010 might recall the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Enacted by then-President Bill Clinton, the policy was an attempt to reduce discrimination in the services directed toward closeted homosexual or bisexual soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. The policy did nothing to prevent openly homosexual…
A legal term that has been thrown around recently with some regularity thanks to national news stories is the term “standing.” In the world of court cases and lawsuits, an injured party must have standing if they want to file a case and seek damages against another party. If the plaintiff does not have standing,…
Suppose your claim for VA disability benefits is denied. As your attorney would explain to you, you have three options for appealing the decision, including appealing to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. If you choose this option, you have the ability to request a hearing with a veterans law judge either remotely or in person….
If you leave the service with a disabling illness or injury, a VA disability claim provides you with monetary benefits that address your decreased earning potential. You can also avail yourself of VA hospitals and clinics, such as the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, and obtain treatment to help you manage your condition. The VA’s facilities…
A recent CBS news article told the story of a veteran who dreaded filing for VA disability benefits because of the paperwork involved and the perceived bureaucratic nightmare. To make the process more manageable, the veteran enlisted the services of a company recommended to them by a friend and fellow veteran. Unfortunately for the veteran,…
Veterans’ disability benefits are part of the government’s contractual obligation to service members who are injured or who develop illnesses connected with their service. But they do not represent the only contractual benefits a veteran or separating service member may receive. Some of these contractual benefits include those set forth in the Montgomery GI Bill….
Your VA disability claim is supposed to be decided on the objective facts of your case. Your service record, your condition or ailment, and the connection between the two should be the deciding factors in whether your claim is approved. Your claim should not depend on your sex, your religion of choice, or on your…
VA disability benefits are not limited only to those veterans who suffer physical injuries and illnesses connected to their military service. Veterans who develop one or more mental health conditions due to their military service are also eligible to file claims for VA disability benefits. The process for filing and obtaining these benefits is the…
Even though you may conceptually know that the VA can deny your claim for disability benefits for a variety of reasons, you may still not understand how the VA will communicate that denial to you. If you are not sure what you should be looking for after submitting a claim for disability benefits, you may…
If you have served in this nation’s armed forces, then you received a discharge at the conclusion of your military service. The discharge you receive does more than simply characterize the service you rendered to the United States while in uniform. Your discharge plays a determinative role in whether you qualify for VA benefits, including…