Legal Help for Veterans blog.
Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Kristina L. Derro, Esq. Over the last several years a rare type of eye cancer has been showing up in Vietnam veterans at an undeniably concerning rate. Choroidal Melanoma is a rare cancer among the general population, but it’s being diagnosed at a rate that’s proportionally much higher among veterans. This rare cancer can spread […]
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Claims Processing, Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Kristina L. Derro, Esq. Veterans have struggled for years to efficiently navigate through the VA appeals process. Appealing disability benefits claims could take, on average, three to five years to complete. Many of these benefits are critical to thousands of veterans worldwide, and they can’t afford to be kept waiting years for the process to […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Kristina L. Derro, Esq. After complaints from Congress and special counsel, a government audit found that 140 veterans who were seeking specialized service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Memphis were wrongly booted from wait lists. Some of these veterans had already been waiting months. The complaints asserted that the VA was attempting […]
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Medical Issues / Disability
Veterans are promised care in return for their service to our nation. However, many former service members struggle for years to get the financial support and benefits they deserve. The recent suicide of a 63-year-old Navy veteran is yet another tragic reminder that a lot more needs to be done. Police from the Durham VA […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Kristina Derro, Esq. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers is a program used to provide stipends for family caregivers who are forced to stay at home to take care of their veteran family member. Since these veterans have suffered serious injuries, the program is a great way to give […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Jim Fausone Veteran Advocate In an online essay, institute Director of Health Policy Studies at Cato Institute Michael Cannon offered a radical idea to transform the Department of Veteran Affairs. Cannon suggests that free health care not be provided for veterans and instead provide better pay and vouchers for veterans to buy their own coverage. […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Hospital Compare is a website that provides information on how well hospitals provide recommended care to their patients. It is used to help consumers make informed decisions about where they choose to receive health care based on performance measures related to certain conditions. Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Open-air burning has long been a mainstay of waste disposal during times of war, but new factors, such as electronics and plastic bottles, challenge the safety of these fires. In a report released in September, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) credited the Department of Defense (DOD) with improving practices to mitigate the risks of exposure […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) faces uncertainty as it assesses the best way in which to meet long-term needs for its electronic health record system (EHR). One option is developing a shared system of military health records with the Department of Defense (DOD) in order to allow faster access to veterans’ records. However, efforts […]
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Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press
Sleep is an essential part of a person’s wellbeing. However, many veterans are not getting the sleep they need. Recent research shows sleep disorders have increased six-fold among former service members over the past decade. The largest rise in sleep problems has been linked with patients who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), combat experience or […]
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