Specialty Veterans’ Treatment at Local Courts

Mental Health, News and Press, PTSD, Veterans Law

by Kristina Derro Cooperative efforts between the VA and several local state courts have allowed for the implementation of a specialty court. These specialty courts around the state of Michigan (with many others in different states as well) give service members from World War II up through the recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts rehabilitation from […]

Jul

09

New PTSD Rules

Medical Issues / Disability, Mental Health, PTSD

It has been reported in the New York Times, VAWatchDog.com and NBC, that VA intends to issue new rules loosening the requirements for PTSD. VA is apparently evaluating essentially eliminating the requirement that veterans document specific events like bomb blasts, firefights or mortar attacks that might have caused PTSD. We know this as proving “a service stressor”. […]

Jun

16

Sleep Apnea on Rise

Mental Health, News and Press, Veterans Law

The number of veterans receiving disability benefits for a sleeping disorder has increased 61% in the past two years and now costs taxpayers more than $500 million per year, according to Veterans Affairs data. Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC has seen an increase in appeals for this disability. At present, there is not a good […]

Apr

29

Right Idea – Wrong Approach

Mental Health

We recently handled a suicide case for a family of a Marine who came home from Iraq broken. The senseless suicide of a veteran demonstrates that the mental health care that is needed is just not readily available. The VA knows this and the military knows this. However, you can not just order that it […]

Oct

30

Insanity For Purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Mental Health

JAMES G. FAUSONE LEGAL HELP FOR VETERANS, PLLC Northville, Michigan The definition of insanity for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently became at issue in a VA compensation benefits case. Henry Gardner v Shinseki, US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (March 13, 2009). In that case, the VA used the wrong […]

May

16

Maximizing Psychiatric Disability Claims

Mental Health

The most recent estimate is that one-third of all U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq need mental health treatment. Many will seek VA disability benefits upon their return and join the thousands of veterans from other conflicts that have mental health claims already pending before VA. Obtaining service-connection from VA for a mental health disability is […]