Legal Help for Veterans blog.
Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press, Veterans Law
Recently, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released a new diagnostic code that will help promote the care and treatment of veterans who have experienced blast injuries to the brain. This new code is the result of a collaboration between the VA, the Department of Defense, and the Military Health system, and is the first […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, Veterans Law
As a veteran, you may have to go through an audiology examination at a VA clinic when filing for hearing loss. This may be required to determine your eligibility for benefits, or to assess your hearing needs. It’s important to understand what to expect and prepare accordingly so that your experience is as successful and […]
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Medical Issues / Disability
The usual definition of a traumatic brain injury is laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is defined as the brain experiencing a disruption to its normal function. It is typically caused by a jolt, blow, bump to the head, or a penetrating head injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), although […]
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Claims Processing, Medical Issues / Disability, Uncategorized
Veterans experiencing the effects of inflation are likely to see some relief next year with a potential record increase in 2023 VA Disability Pay Rates. According to recent projections by The Senior Citizens League (the nation’s largest nonpartisan senior citizen group), the 2023 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will likely be around 8.7%. What Is the Cost-of-Living […]
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Medical Issues / Disability
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have always been a part of military life, particularly in combat zones. However, it wasn’t until 2003 that awareness of TBIs began to increase. TBIs can be sustained in the wake of an IED, a roadside bomb. In the last twenty years, military personnel have obtained approximately 454,000 TBIs. Most TBI […]
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Medical Issues / Disability
According to the VA Office of Inspector General (“OIG”), sleep apnea is the most common service-connected disability of all the respiratory conditions for which veterans secure benefits. Reports by the OIG indicate that approximately 1.3 million veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (“VHA”) have a sleep apnea diagnosis. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, Uncategorized
This year, we’ve heard from many clients that their monthly VA disability benefits do not reflect their spouse or additional dependents. Now, this could be due to the COVID-19 pandemic having many veterans restricted to their houses over the last two years. But, if you are rated at or above a certain percentage by the […]
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Medical Issues / Disability
Recent research suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be a risk factor for various forms of neurodegenerative diseases, including Lewy body dementia, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that 110,000 Veterans have PD. PD causes various muscular symptoms, including rigidity, delayed movement, poor balance, and tremors. Other symptoms may include cognitive […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
On March 1, 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced their intention of adding nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to burn pits. At the time this was just a proposal, but fast forward to April 26 and VA announced they have added these nine cancers to the […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, Veterans Law
Even though many states in the U.S. have legalized the use of marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, veterans should know that federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. Meaning it is illegal in the eyes of the Federal government and Veterans Affairs. The Department of Veterans Affairs is required to […]
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