C&P Exams, New Year’s Health Goals, USCG Cutter Jarvis, and Arthur W. Wermuth
January 01, 2021
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from your Veterans Attorneys at Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC! Our team is very excited for a new year and a new opportunity to help our nation’s veterans service-connect their disabilities or injuries related to service with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In this week’s episode of 4 Minutes with LHFV: 1/5/2021, we’re diving into Compensation and Pension Exams or C&P Exams, New Year’s Health Goals, a Veterans Radio Podcast on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis, and Arthur Wermuth’s Medal of Honor from Home of Heroes.
Compensation and Pension Exams
Compensation and Pension examinations are the number one factor deciding whether or not you are eligible for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you have never been to a C&P Exam, most operate the same way.
You meet with a doctor that is contracted by the VA to evaluate your claim of disability or injury. They give you a check-up and assess the proclaimed injury-area or disability, ask a few questions, and then send their recommendations to Veterans Affairs.
Most of our clients, before going to their C&P Exam, receive a conversation from our Veterans Attorney team offering pointers of what to do and what not to do at your examination. Most often we see claims run into trouble when a veteran offers information that will ultimately hurt them.
For example, Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC had a client attend their Compensation and Pension Exam for their hip problem. Their claim was already in pretty good shape considering the individual already had their medical diagnosis in hand. But what they told us was, “I’m not sure exactly when I hurt my hip, it could be from service, but it could also be from my career as a SWAT officer often busting down doors.”
In this situation, relaying that possibility to the C&P Examiner will ultimately hurt their claim for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. So, if you go to your Compensation and Pension Exam, you must be certain of the facts before disclosing anything to the examiner.
New Year’s Health Goals
As we’re rolling into 2021, Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC wants to encourage everyone to look at this new chapter as the year of health care. Let’s try to take better care of ourselves and make sure we have the care we need – whether it’s mental health, counseling, masking up or vaccinating.
Because what we experienced in 2020 will change our way of life forever, so let us make a conscious decision and say, “this is the year I will take better care of myself.”
Veterans Radio Podcasts – Capt. Steven Craig and USCG Cutter Jarvis
As you may already know, Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC is a large contributor and sponsor of Veterans Radio. We host the Veterans Radio Podcasts, with new episodes streaming every Tuesday at 10 A.M.
Not too long ago, we released an episode with an interview of Captain Steven Craig, an author and retired Navy Captain that wrote a book on the grounding of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis in Alaska.
This is a fascinating story of what the Coast Guard does, some of the dangers they face at sea and some of the costs – both material and crew members – that the USCG Cutter Jarvis faced. If you haven’t read a lot of material on the Coast Guard, we highly recommend listening to this story and reading Captain Craig’s book!
Click here to stream this episode with Captain Steven Craig and the USCG Cutter Jarvis
Arthur W. Wermuth’s Medal of Honor
This featured “Heroes Stories” from Home of Heroes takes place during World War II, our hero? Arthur W. Wermuth.
Also known as the “Ghost of Bataan”, Major Wermuth was labeled as a Prisoner of War up until early 1945, when the U.S. Army changed his status to Killed in Action. For three years, Arthur Wermuth was held as a Prisoner in Japanese POW camps.
Excerpt:
“Five days after the Japanese surrendered, an American officer stood before a large group of sick, starving, and often still-wounded but now free prisoners. Slowly, the names of soldiers long missing in action, or known to have been prisoners of war, were called out. Occasionally, a feeble voice would answer.. “here!” Far more often, there was no response at all.
“Major Arthur Wermuth,” an officer called out loudly, experience having already prepared him for only silence.
“Here!” came a weak voice among the throng of prisoners. Arthur Wermuth, the Ghost of Bataan, stepped slowly forward. His 103-pound body was thin, emaciated, and scarred by four combat wounds, as well as the emotional scars that could not be seen or understood by more than a few who had, like him, endured so much. But Arthur Wermuth was still very much alive.”
Reference: Home of Heroes – Heroes Stories – World War II – Arthur W. Wermuth
Click here to read Arthur W. Wermuth’s Heroes Story
Medical Issues / Disability, Mental Health, News and Press, Veterans Law