The 12 Worst Types Veterans Disability Attorney Tweets You Follow

Veterans Disability Lawsuits - Why You Need a Lawyer Who is Accredited to Handle Veterans Disability Lawsuits

Attorneys who exploit disabled veterans to make profits often make use of their benefits. You need an attorney that is licensed to deal with VA claims.

A Connecticut veteran who was suffering from schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions linked to a fatal aircraft carrier crash has clinched a major victory. However, it comes with a significant cost.

Class Action Settlement

The Department of Veterans Affairs has repeatedly discriminated against Black veterans by refusing disability compensation claims at a higher rate than white veterans, according to a lawsuit filed on Monday. Conley Monk is a 74 year old Marine Corps veteran from the Vietnam War who filed the lawsuit. He claims that VA has denied his disability claims at a more frequent rate than white veterans over the past three decades, according to documents obtained by Monk and the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic.

Monk, a retired psychiatrist, says that discrimination from VA has led him, and other black vets, to suffer in a way that has affected their health, their home lives as well as their employment and education. He would like the VA to compensate him for the benefits that it has denied him and to change their policies on race and discharge status as well as 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 that they made on behalf of the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress and the Black Veterans Project. The data revealed that Black Veterans were statistically less prone to be granted the right to claim disability benefits than white veterans from 2001 until 2020. Additionally, the average denial rate was 6.3 percent higher for black veterans than it was for white veterans.

Discrimination based on PTSD

According to a lawsuit filed Monday that the Veterans Affairs Department denies disability benefits to Black veterans. The suit is filed by an ex- Marine Corps vet who was denied housing or education, as well as other benefits despite being suffering from undiagnosed PTSD. The suit provides evidence that VA officials have historically disproportionately denied claims made by Black veterans.

Conley Monk decided to join in the Marines during the Vietnam War, driving a shot-scarred transport vehicle and helping to transport troops and equipment to combat zones. He ended up in two fights with fellow Marines who he blamed for his PTSD and was awarded an unhonorable military discharge in 1971. This "bad paper" prevented him from receiving home loans as well as tuition aid and other benefits.

He filed a lawsuit against the military to reverse the discharge and was awarded a range of benefits in 2015 and 2020. However, he asserts that the VA still owes him money for the denials he received in the past of disability compensation. The suit claims that he suffered emotional trauma by reliving his most painful experiences on each application for benefits.

The lawsuit seeks financial damages and wants the court order the VA to look into systemic PTSD bias. The lawsuit is the latest effort by groups like the ACLU and Service Women's Action Network, to force the VA into addressing long-standing discrimination against survivors of sexual assault.

Alimony Discrimination

The veterans who have served our nation in uniform, or who accompany them require honest answers regarding the veterans disability compensation and its impact on financial issues in divorce. One of the most common myths is that veterans may have their VA compensation garnished to pay child support or alimony orders in state courts. This is not the case. Congress carefully crafted Title 38 of the U.S. Code to protect the veterans' compensation against claims from creditors and family members including child support and alimony.

Conley Monk volunteered to serve his country. He spent two years in Vietnam driving bullet-riddled transport vehicles, moving equipment and troops from combat zones. He was awarded several medals for his service, but was later acquitted of a less honorable discharge when he got into two fights that were not diagnosed as being caused by PTSD. It was a long, difficult road to get the VA to accept disability compensation.

He was denied access at the rate of significantly more than his white peers. According to the lawsuit brought in 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. The lawsuit asserts that the VA was aware of but did not address decades-long discrimination against Black Veterans. It seeks redress for Monk and other veterans who are like him.

Appeal

The VA Board of veterans disability lawyer Appeals examines claims for benefits in the event that the applicant is not satisfied with a decision made by the agency. If you are considering appealing an agency decision, it's important to appeal as soon as possible. A veteran disability lawyer can ensure that your appeal is in compliance with all requirements and gets an appropriate hearing.

A lawyer with experience can look over the evidence used to support your claim, and when necessary, submit additional and more convincing evidence. A lawyer who understands the VA's issues can be more understanding of your circumstances. This can be a valuable benefit to your appeals.

A claim for disability from a veteran is usually rejected because the agency was not able to accurately describe their condition. A lawyer who is experienced can ensure that your condition is properly classified and rated correctly, allowing you to receive the benefits that you deserve. A reputable lawyer will also be able of working with medical professionals to provide additional proof of your condition. A medical expert for instance, might be able to demonstrate that your pain is a result of your service-related injury, and is debilitating. They could be able to assist you in getting the medical records required to prove your claim.