This Is The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Veterans Disability Attorney
Veterans Disability Lawsuits - Why You Need a Lawyer Who is Accredited to Handle Veterans Disability Lawsuits
Attorneys who profit from disabled veterans to earn money often use their benefits. This is why you need an attorney that is certified to manage VA claims.
A Connecticut veteran who suffered from schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health disorders linked to a deadly aircraft carrier collision has won a major victory. However, it comes with a significant price tag.
Class Action Settlement
The Department of Veterans Affairs has repeatedly discriminated against Black veterans by denying disability compensation claims at a significantly higher rate than white veterans, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. Conley Monk is a 74-year-old Marine Corps veteran from the Vietnam War who filed the lawsuit. Monk claims VA has denied his disability claims at a more frequent rate than white veterans in the last three decades, according to agency records obtained by Monk and the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic.
Monk, a former psychiatric nurse, claims that discrimination at the hands of VA has led him, and other black vets to suffer in a manner that has affected their health, their home lives, employment, and education. He demands that the agency compensate him for benefits he has been deprived of and to amend its policies on race discharge status, discharge status and denial rates.
In the past year, Monk and the Veterans Legal Services Clinic obtained 20 years of VA disability compensation claim data through Freedom of Information Act requests which they submitted on behalf of the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress and the Black Veterans Project. These data showed that Black Veterans were statistically less prone to be granted the right to claim disability benefits than white veterans from 2001 to 2020. Additionally, the average denial rate was 6.3% higher for black veterans than it was for white veterans.
Discrimination is based on PTSD
The Veterans Affairs Department systematically denies disability benefits to Black veterans, as per a lawsuit filed on Monday. The lawsuit is brought by an ex- Marine Corps vet who was denied housing or education, as well as other benefits despite having a diagnosis of PTSD. The suit cites evidence to show that VA officials have historically disproportionately denied claims submitted by Black veterans.
Conley Monk volunteered to serve in the Marines during the Vietnam War, driving a bullet-riddled transport vehicle and assisting in the transportation of troops and equipment to combat zones. He was later involved in two fights with fellow Marines who he blamed for his PTSD, and received a discharge from the military that was not honorable in 1971. This "bad paper" prevented him from receiving loans for homes as well as tuition aid and other benefits.
He filed a lawsuit against the military to stop the discharge, and was awarded a wide range of benefits in 2015 and 2020. But, he claims that the VA still has to pay him for the denials he received in the past of disability compensation. He also suffered a lot of emotional harm as he relived some of his most painful memories in each application and re-application to receive benefits, the suit claims.
The lawsuit seeks damages in the form of money and seeks the court to order the VA to review its systemic PTSD discrimination. The lawsuit is the latest effort by groups like the ACLU and Service Women's Action Network, to pressure the VA into addressing the discrimination it has suffered for years against survivors of sexual assault.
Alimony Discrimination
People who have served in the military or accompanied those who served in the military, need to know the truth about the benefits for veterans with disabilities and their impact on divorce money issues. One of the biggest misconceptions is that veterans can have their VA compensation garnished to pay child support or alimony orders in state courts. It is not true. Congress carefully crafted Title 38 of the U.S. Code to shield the payment of veterans from claims brought by creditors and family members, except for alimony and child support.
Conley Monk, a volunteer for his country, logged two years in Vietnam driving bulletproof transport vehicles and moving equipment and troops out of combat zones. He was awarded numerous medals, however his discharge was less than honorable due to the fact that he had two fights caused by undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder. It was a long, lengthy process to convince the VA to accept disability compensation.
He was denied at a rate significantly higher than white people. According to the lawsuit filed on his behalf by the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress at Yale Law School and the Veterans Legal Services Clinic, this racial discrimination was systemic and widespread. It claims that the VA was aware of but did not deal with decades-long discrimination against Black veterans disability attorney. It seeks justice for Monk and similar veterans.
Appeal
The VA's Board of Veterans Appeals reviews claims for benefits when a claimant is not satisfied with a decision that the agency has made. If you're thinking of appealing an appeal, it's important to appeal as soon as you can. A lawyer who is experienced in appeals for veterans disability can help ensure that your appeal meets all the requirements and it is heard in a fair manner.
A competent lawyer will review the evidence used to prove your claim, and if needed, provide additional and more convincing evidence. The lawyer will also be aware of the challenges of dealing with the VA and can increase the level of empathy for your circumstance. This can be a valuable asset in your appeals.
A claim for disability from a veteran is usually rejected because the agency could not accurately describe their condition. A skilled lawyer can make sure that your condition is properly classified and rated appropriately, giving you to receive the benefits that you deserve. A qualified attorney will also be able to work with medical experts to provide additional proof of your situation. For instance, a medical expert could be able to prove that the pain you experience is related to your service-connected injury and Veterans Disability Lawsuits is disabling. They may also be able assist you in getting the medical records required to prove your claim.