A new private study is showing that certain exercises, such as meditation and stretching, may help ease symptoms in veterans suffering from PTSD. These exercises are called “mindfulness treatment” and, in a pilot study, have been shown to be far more effective at easing PTSD symptoms such as avoidance and numbness than regular treatment. In […]
Archives for April 2013
How to Apply for Veterans Disability Compensation
Our website includes a lot of information on the VA claims and appeals process. But it’s one thing to know how to apply for veterans disability compensation. It’s another to understand the complicated process that may follow. Here we lay out what you can expect when you apply for veterans disability compensation. What VA Does […]
VA Issuing Provisional Rating Decisions
As of last month, the VA System had 873,680 pending veterans disability claims, with 584,308 on file more than 125 days. Of the 873, 680, approximately 42,000 claims were two years or older. The VA has processed 22,000 of these claims with less than half left for processing. Secretary Shinseki set a goal of eliminating […]
Marine’s Breast Cancer from Camp Lejeune Contamination is Service Related
A former U.S. Marine fighting breast cancer from Camp Lejeune Contamination will now be eligible for the compensation and medical benefits afforded to all veterans harmed in the line of duty. The Sarasota Herald Tribune reports 76-year-old Tom Gervasi received a letter from the Department of Veteran Affairs on Friday acknowledging that the cancer now […]
VA PTSD Disability Ratings Discussed by “Supreme Court” for Veterans Claims
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which for all practical purposes is the “supreme court” for veterans claims denied by VA, has issued a new decision extensively discussing the disability rating schedule that applies to veterans who are service-connected for PTSD. See Genaro Vazquez-Claudio v. Shinseki, No. 2012-7114, 2013 WL 1395804 (Fed. […]
Proposed Federal Budget Increases VA Budget by $153 Billion
Continuing the transformation of the Department of Veterans Affairs into a 21st century organization, the President has proposed a $152.7 billion budget, a 10.2 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2013, that will support VA’s goals to expand access to health care and other benefits, eliminate the disability claims backlog, and end homelessness among Veterans. The […]