Many Veterans continue to be frustrated with the medical care they are receiving through the VA health care system. Some of the most common complaints are excessively long wait times for appointments, lack of response to patient needs and overall inadequate health...
Disability solutions for you and your family
Month: January 2023
Avoiding Pitfalls Before a Hearing
I want to discuss some things people need to know before they get to a Social Security hearing. I have worked in Social Security law for almost 20 years now and I can tell you there is a lot of information that is needed before having a hearing date. This blog will...
Veterans In Suicidal Crisis Can Now Go To Any VA or Non-VA Health Facility For Free Emergency Healthcare
As of January 17, 2023, Veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days....
Do mental conditions count as a disability?
The evidence of physical disabilities is often very clear. But there are numerous other disabilities that are not quite as evident and may even be invisible. These are hidden disabilities, such as mental conditions. Because they are harder to identify, people...
What is an Intent to File?
Often overlooked, an intent to file (also known as VA Form 21-0966) is an important step in beginning your claim for VA compensation. The intent to file gives you additional time of up to a year to gather evidence to support your claim before filing. This will help...
The Social Security Disability Process
This blog begins a set of blogs which will detail the process of filing for Social Security disability and what happens if you are denied. The blogs will cover the 4 different stages of the Social Security disability process and what happens at each stage. The 4...
Presumptive Service Connection
In order to receive VA disability compensation, your disabling condition must be service connected. There are generally 5 ways for a Veteran to establish service connection which includes direct service connection, presumptive service connection, secondary service...
Can I Work While I am Filing for Social Security Disability?
Many people filing for Social Security Disability benefits may not have a family member, spouse or friends that can pay their bills or support them while they are out of work. If you are capable of performing substantial gainful work activity, you will not meet the...
Meeting Veterans
As you may know from reading my blogs in the past, I feel that one of the most wonderful perks of my job as a Veterans’ disability attorney is getting to meet Veterans around our community. I am involved in several different organizations, where I am surrounded by...
VA to Receive over $300 Billion for Fiscal Year 2023, the Largest Budget in Agency’s History
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is set to receive its largest budget ever for the upcoming fiscal year. An omnibus appropriations bill before Congress is set to be finalized by the end of the year and would provide VA with $303.8 billion. This allocation is up 10...