The process of procuring veterans disability benefits can be long and arduous, as The Christian Science Monitor reports that there are more than 500,000 people who have claims in the backlog. While Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki promises this backlog will end by 2015, veterans will still need help to receive their benefits in many cases.
However, the Monitor said VA does appear to be having some modicum of success. By digitizing records and getting rid of paper files, the department hopes to cut down on the half-million who have been waiting for more than 1250 days and the 800,000 petitions that are awaiting any kind of answer.
“Veterans submitting claims today claim many more medical conditions,” says VA spokesman Randy Noller told the monitor. “Largely because of multiple deployments and the fact they are 10 times as likely to survive today’s wars – but with multiple medical issues for a lifetime.”
Many readers wrote into The New York Times and said they were turned down for benefits even though they believed they were qualified. Unfortunately, procuring veterans benefits may mean help is needed from a representative so the veterans can get the money and services they are owed.
Veteran law and procedure is complicated. Those applying have a better chance of receiving a full rating and the financial benefits they are entitled to if they are represented by counsel. The Law Offices of Harold W. Conick and Associates are well able to assist veterans in securing their benefits.
