It's about time some one did this. What bothers me, is that these two groups had to do it.
Why didn't the DAV, American Legion or the V.F.W do this a long time ago.
Vets Groups Suing VA for Claims Delays
November 12, 2008
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
SEATTLE - Two powerful veterans groups, the Vietnam Veterans of America and the more recent Veterans of Modern Warfare, announced Monday that they are suing the Department of Veterans Affairs over "unacceptable delays" in veterans' claims.
The lawsuit demands that the VA provide an initial decision on every veteran's claim for disability benefits within 90 days and resolve appeals within 180 days, and it seeks a lifeline of interim benefits if the VA delays last beyond the limit.
In Seattle on Nov. 11, VMW president Julie Mock, of Woodinville, said, "We're hoping for a lot of success with this lawsuit," which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mock, a 1991 Gulf War veteran who developed service-connected multiple sclerosis, said: "We have many, many Gulf War veterans who still have not been service-connected for their illnesses. They have been waiting all this time and fighting the system for 16 years for illnesses that are clearly Gulf War-related."
According to a VMA news statement, "The VA acknowledges that it takes an average of at least six months to reach an initial decision on an average benefits claim; the actual delay is closer to a year.
"Appeals of these initial decisions, which are reversed more than 50 percent of the time, take, on average, more than four years, with some stretching 10 years or more. In contrast, private health care plans -- which process more than 30 billion claims a year -- process claims and related appeals in less than three months," the statement said.
VA officials could not be reached for comment because of the Veterans Day federal holiday.
Robert Cattanach, a partner in the Dorsey and Whitney law firm, which filed the suit, said it will benefit all veterans.
Although many other veterans groups have fought similar battles regarding delays, the two groups are taking the issue to court seeking immediate relief.
"The intervention of VVA and VMW is necessary because under federal law individual veterans are not allowed to access the judicial system," Cattanach said. The VVA, whose motto is "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another," adopted the VMW as their legacy group. VMW focuses on helping veterans who have served since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, including Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
"The failure to expedite veterans' compensation claims creates, at best, the impression that the nation does not respect its veterans," John Rowan, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America, said in a news statement.
Rowan said the VA's "failure to fulfill its responsibilities brings dishonor to our nation and can only make the call of military service more challenging."
On another issue, Mock said she also hopes to persuade the Obama administration to name a female veteran to head the Department of Veterans Affairs for the first time, as women have served in increasing numbers.
In keeping with the VVA motto, Mock said the growing needs of women veterans cannot be abandoned.
In addition to ailments among veterans, those of her generation who served are seeing physical and psychological issues in their children reminiscent of those experienced by children of Vietnam veterans affected by Agent Orange, a defoliant used in Vietnam that is also a neurotoxin, she said.
© Copyright 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. This material may not
Why didn't the DAV, American Legion or the V.F.W do this a long time ago.
Vets Groups Suing VA for Claims Delays
November 12, 2008
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
SEATTLE - Two powerful veterans groups, the Vietnam Veterans of America and the more recent Veterans of Modern Warfare, announced Monday that they are suing the Department of Veterans Affairs over "unacceptable delays" in veterans' claims.
The lawsuit demands that the VA provide an initial decision on every veteran's claim for disability benefits within 90 days and resolve appeals within 180 days, and it seeks a lifeline of interim benefits if the VA delays last beyond the limit.
In Seattle on Nov. 11, VMW president Julie Mock, of Woodinville, said, "We're hoping for a lot of success with this lawsuit," which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mock, a 1991 Gulf War veteran who developed service-connected multiple sclerosis, said: "We have many, many Gulf War veterans who still have not been service-connected for their illnesses. They have been waiting all this time and fighting the system for 16 years for illnesses that are clearly Gulf War-related."
According to a VMA news statement, "The VA acknowledges that it takes an average of at least six months to reach an initial decision on an average benefits claim; the actual delay is closer to a year.
"Appeals of these initial decisions, which are reversed more than 50 percent of the time, take, on average, more than four years, with some stretching 10 years or more. In contrast, private health care plans -- which process more than 30 billion claims a year -- process claims and related appeals in less than three months," the statement said.
VA officials could not be reached for comment because of the Veterans Day federal holiday.
Robert Cattanach, a partner in the Dorsey and Whitney law firm, which filed the suit, said it will benefit all veterans.
Although many other veterans groups have fought similar battles regarding delays, the two groups are taking the issue to court seeking immediate relief.
"The intervention of VVA and VMW is necessary because under federal law individual veterans are not allowed to access the judicial system," Cattanach said. The VVA, whose motto is "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another," adopted the VMW as their legacy group. VMW focuses on helping veterans who have served since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, including Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
"The failure to expedite veterans' compensation claims creates, at best, the impression that the nation does not respect its veterans," John Rowan, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America, said in a news statement.
Rowan said the VA's "failure to fulfill its responsibilities brings dishonor to our nation and can only make the call of military service more challenging."
On another issue, Mock said she also hopes to persuade the Obama administration to name a female veteran to head the Department of Veterans Affairs for the first time, as women have served in increasing numbers.
In keeping with the VVA motto, Mock said the growing needs of women veterans cannot be abandoned.
In addition to ailments among veterans, those of her generation who served are seeing physical and psychological issues in their children reminiscent of those experienced by children of Vietnam veterans affected by Agent Orange, a defoliant used in Vietnam that is also a neurotoxin, she said.
© Copyright 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. This material may not
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