1. VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 02-25-2007 #6 -- BATTLE WORN -- After he was injured in Iraq, Richard Twohig found himself fighting an unexpected foe: the U.S. Army.nf022507-6.htm
... manage the $570 rent on the disability checks that the Department of Veterans Affairs ... Twohig has been grappling with a complicated disability system that determines whether he merits military ... get it, which has made the disability system the object of confusion, apprehension ..., she knew the outlines of the disability system, and she assumed he would ... -- the point at which a disability is considered to be severe enough to .... Those with 30 percent or higher disability ratings can retire with benefits that include ... from Veterans Affairs, which also rates disabilities and provides monthly checks but doesn' ... Congress mandated the development of ratings for disabilities in 1917; the Career Compensation Act... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfFEB07/nf022507-6.htm
... current challenge. The challenge is broader than just those with severe injuries found unfit for service. We must be proactive for those who need support from the VA in readjustment to and reintegrating in civilian life. We must anticipate and prepare for the fact that some of these Veterans who initially did not recognize or claim a disability will have legitimate claims that require timely and accurate adjudication Mental Health / Traumatic Brain Injury: Understanding, appreciating, and intervening appropriately for those with mental health issues, particularly PTSD: and understanding the relation of the spectrum of Traumatic Brain Injuries and levels of associated impairment will be both a short and long term issue... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf121307-1.htm
.... Printer-Friendly Version SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASES LAST LONGER AS BACKLOG RISES - ... delays in the resolution of Social Security disability claims have left hundreds of thousands of ... mystified when their son Mark's disability claim was rejected. 'We had ...------- Disability Cases Last Longer as Backlog Rises By ... delays in the resolution of Social Security disability claims have left hundreds of thousands of ... the Social Security Administration, which administers disability benefits for those judged unable to work ...m getting really depressed.' The disability process is complex, and the standard ... prove that because of physical or mental disabilities they are unable to do 'any... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf121107-5.htm
..... Printer-Friendly Version VA DISABILITY PAYMENTS VARY GREATLY FOR NEW VETERANS WITH ... debilitating mental ailments are discovering that their disability payments from the government vary widely depending ... debilitating mental ailments are discovering that their disability payments from the government vary widely depending ...s analysis is based on 3 million disability compensation-claims records obtained under the ... and their advocates, the issue of disability compensation is hugely important. Disability checks are now worth up to $ ...,000 recent veterans are on the disability compensation rolls for a range of mental ... have produced more than 180,000 disability cases, in which veterans are found... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf122107-1.htm
... GAO REPORT ON THE VA'S DISABILITY RE-EVALUATION PROCESS -- GAO ... management data would enhance VBA's disability re-evaluation process. For more ... Management Data Would Enhance VBA's Disability Reevaluation Process Why GAO Did This Study ... ensure that veterans are properly compensated for disabilities, VA is required to perform disability reevaluations for specific disabilities. VA also performs reevaluations whenever it ... management data would enhance VBA's disability re-evaluation process. VA,Veteran,Veterans,Disability,Injury,Compensation,Attorney,... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf122207-4.htm
...-researched report by the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) has been ...ph p?q=veterans+disability+benefits+commission&op= ...-Shalala Commission and the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission. NOVA was invited to ...Shalala Commission) and the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission Reports. NOVA is a ... based on severity of service-connected disability without regard to the circumstances of the disability... .' and that ... ratings justify this change. VETERANS' DISABILITY BENEFITS COMMISSION REPORT In October 2007, the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) issued a... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf122307-3.htm
7. VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 04-09-2007 #8 -- INSULT TO INJURY: CHEATING OUR VETS - HOW THE PENTAGON IS SHORTCHANGING WOUNDED SOLDIERS -- The U.S. military appears to have dispensed low disability ratings to wounded service members with serious injuries and thus avoided paying them full military disabled retirement benefits.nf040907-8.htm
.... military appears to have dispensed low disability ratings to wounded service members with serious .... military appears to have dispensed low disability ratings to wounded service members with serious ... reveal an alarming trend: Vets' disabilities are being downgraded By Linda Robinson In ... not disabled enough to receive full permanent disability retirement benefits and discharged him. Ball .... military appears to have dispensed low disability ratings to wounded service members with serious ... grievous problem is an arbitrary and dysfunctional disability ratings process that is short-changing ..." Upon appeal to the Army Physical Disability Agency, the entity that oversees that service's disability evaluation process, the rating was raised... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfAPR07/nf040907-8.htm
8. VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 02-12-2007 #2 -- VETERANS MAY SLIP IN DISABILITY BATTLE -- Despite VA claims, DISABILITY problems continue to mount.nf021207-2.htm
...2 -- VETERANS MAY SLIP IN DISABILITY BATTLE -- Despite VA claims, disability problems continue to mount. The Nation ... Printer Friendly Page VETERANS MAY SLIP IN DISABILITY BATTLE -- Despite VA claims, disability problems continue to mount. Story here ...--- Despite VA Claims, Disability Problems Continue to Mount By Cory Reiss ... in the first Gulf War eventually filed disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs ...2 --VETERANS MAY SLIP IN DISABILITY BATTLE --Despite VA claims,disability problems continue to mount.... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfFEB07/nf021207-2.htm
9. VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 04-20-2007 #7 -- POLICY SHIFT CUT MILITARY DISABILITY RETIREMENTS -- Today's DISABILITY retirement squeeze began with 1985 memo.nf042007-7.htm
...7 -- POLICY SHIFT CUT MILITARY DISABILITY RETIREMENTS -- Today's disability retirement squeeze began with 1985 memo. ... Printer Friendly Page POLICY SHIFT CUT MILITARY DISABILITY RETIREMENTS -- Today's disability retirement squeeze began with 1985 memo. ...---- Policy Shift Cut Disability Retirements Tom Philpott Today's Disability Retirement Squeeze Began Years Ago Wary of rising disability retirement costs, the Department of Defense ... an alarm. The advantages of receiving disability retirement, which requires a 30-... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfAPR07/nf042007-7.htm
10. VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 08-25-2007 #4 -- PROPOSED HIGHER PAY FOR COMBAT-RELATED DISABILITIES RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS -- Some could end up with lower payments in the long-run and veterans' advocates don't like two categories of disabled veterans.nf082507-4.htm
... PROPOSED HIGHER PAY FOR COMBAT-RELATED DISABILITIES RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS -- Some could ...- Better Pay for Combat-Related Disabilities? Tom Philpott Bush Backs Separate Combat-Related Disability System The Bush administration is preparing a ... conflict with a principle of the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission, which will complete its two-year comprehensive study of disability benefits in October. That commission already has voted not to treat disability benefits differently based on whether an injury ... and a 30-percent rated a disability that leaves him unfit for duty would get service disability retirement today of $546.07... http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfAUG07/nf082507-4.htm
