By Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban | Published July 4, 2016 | Posted in Veterans Injuries | Tagged Tags: fireworks as cause of PTSD symptoms, Fourth of July risks for vets, PTSD | Leave a comment
For patriotic Americans across the country, Independence Day is a time to celebrate our nation’s birth with a variety of activities and observances. But while we leave solemn observations to Memorial Day, July 4th is generally punctuated with the “rockets’ red glare” and “bombs bursting in air.” For decades, fireworks and firecrackers have entertained families, Read More
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In 2010, Congress designated June 27 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. In 2014, June became National PTSD Awareness Month. This year, the National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD), an agency of the Veterans Administration, invites people from all over the country to mark the day and honor vets whose wounds are real but unseen Read More
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Legislative Hearing on H.R. 3216, H.R. 4150, H.R. 4764, H.R. 5047, H.R. 5083, H.R. 5162, H.R. 5166, H.R. 5392, H.R. 5407, H.R. 5416, H.R.5420, and H.R. 5428 The House of Representatives: Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing today on multiple bills proposed to be passed through the committee.[1] H.R. 5083, the VA Appeals Modernization Act Read More
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In March, our blog helped spread the good news that “Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald has decided to propose presumptions of service connection for certain conditions associated with chemical solvents that contaminated the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from 1953 to 1987.” The presumptions would speed claims for suffering veterans who would Read More
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On February 1, 2016, Military Times reported that federal administrative judges had overturned a decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to demote two senior officials who had gamed the VA’s hiring system to pad their salaries and rake in exorbitant sums as reimbursement for alleged relocation costs. The Military Times article states that Kimberly Read More
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If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to show your support for local veterans in need, the VA Vigilante PaddleFit Challenge is for you. The event, scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2016, in Wrightsville Beach, was founded to raise funds for homeless and disabled veterans in North Carolina. All proceeds go directly to agencies Read More
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By: Ryan Spencer, Veterans Disability Benefits Attorney VA Compensation Service addressed an “application defect” that affected uploading of documents on both the eBenefits and SEP portals. Specific details include the following: The defect resulted in users being incorrectly informed that documents were successfully uploaded, when in fact the documents may have been rejected. These errors occurred Read More
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By: Ryan Spencer, Veterans Disability Benefits Attorney In a press conference in April, SVAC announced the “Veterans First Act,” an omnibus provision focused primarily on VA accountability for employees and whistleblower protection. The nearly 400-page bill also contains numerous other provisions addressing caregiver benefits, prompt payment under the Choice program, enhanced education benefits, prescription of Read More
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In 1999, Congress passed legislation sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, and Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-CA, declaring May as National Military Appreciation Month. Each year, the president issues a proclamation to remind Americans of the vital role the U.S. Armed Forces has played in our country’s history. There are numerous opportunities during the month of May Read More
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In January 2016, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation released a findings report entitled Veteran Appeals Experience: Listening to the Voices of Veterans and their Journey in the Appeals System. The stated goal of the study was “to better understand how veterans experience the appeals process and how the process fits into Read More
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