BONUS: Has the VA denied a medical claim, issued you a lower rating than you deserve, or are you battling to have your case seen or heard?
Announcing a new inititiative
Wedged between the wings of a bloated bureaucracy that cannot seem to fix itself no matter how much money is thrown at it, it is agonizing to see so many who served this country repeatedly failed by a fractured system and claim denials without due diligence.
According to a report released last September by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) dismissed the claims of thousands of Vietnam veterans suffering from chronic conditions as a result of exposure to Agent Orange.
That same month, VA’s leading watchdog asserted – following an investigation – that the majority (at least sixty-eight percent) of claims processors in the Department did not appropriately follow procedures on disability claims that involved requesting medical opinions or disability exams. For veterans, this could have resulted in debilitating delays and denials. Further, the inspector-general found that processors failed to include crucial information in thirty-eight percent of requests. And in nineteen percent of cases, they did not include pertinent information that examiners rely on to make recommendations that ultimately determine whether one receives the benefits they deserve.
“These failings can lead to inaccurate medical opinions, incorrect decisions on veterans’ claims, delayed decisions for veterans, and wasted resources (for example, if the medical opinion is returned for staff to rework,” wrote the OIG’s Office of Audits and Evaluations stated in the report.
Moreover, a recently exposed internal Veterans Affairs report dating back to 2017 highlights that Black veteran’s claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were rejected more than their white counterparts – denied 57 percent compared to 43 percent – prompting a lawsuit filed by an advocacy group for Black veterans against the VA.
Indeed, murky swirl around claim denials is one of infuriation, hence the creation of a new initiative called “Mission No Surrender,” I co-founded with a former Army Ranger-turned-physician to try and do what we can, however small, to help.
What do we do?
“Mission No Surrender” (MNS) is operated by a small team of medical, legal and advocacy professionals dedicated to helping the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces and left struggling to receive the Veterans Administration (VA) support they deserve.
If the VA has denied a medical claim, issued you a lower rating than you deserve, or you are battling to have your case seen or heard, take a deep breath. We are here to help develop your supplemental claim, including a medical review, and guide you through a frustrating and daunting process.
Got questions or need support with your case? Please contact us through the website. We are here to help.
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