Legal Help for Veterans blog.
News and Press, Veterans Law
A new report from Disabled American Veterans has found that female veterans face additional challenges when transitioning to civilian life. According to the report, female veterans are more likely to be unemployed than male veterans or non-veteran women. They are more likely to be homeless than non-veteran women. In addition, fewer resources are available to […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
In early December, the Clay Hunt SAV Act was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is designed to mobilize resources to address the current crisis in veteran suicides. But less than a week later, a sole U.S. senator, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, placed a hold on the bill, stopping further progress […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and veterans disability recipients will see their benefits increase by 1.7 percent in 2015. The increase represents the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is automatically applied to Social Security benefits. Although benefits will increase slightly, the cost of living is also projected to increase. In particular, the USDA projects that […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
Many veterans have service-connected disabilities that render them unable to work, even if the veterans’ disabilities have not caused them to be rated 100 percent disabled by the Veterans Administration (VA). At VA, this status is known as Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), also referred to as individual unemployability. With this status, a […]
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Claims Processing, News and Press, Veterans Law
In August, President Obama signed the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act. The act seeks to provide a number of remedies to problems uncovered earlier this year within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including wait times for and inadequate access to health care. The cornerstone of the act is the requirement that VA facilities […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
Last month, the Obama administration announced that the number of homeless veterans in the United States has dropped 33 percent from 2010 figures. According to the Huffington Post, the White House has committed to ending homelessness among veterans by 2015. The key principle behind the push is “Housing First” — the notion that veterans need […]
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Employment, Veterans Law
This fall, Michigan veterans looking for educational opportunities have more options than ever before. In early August, the federal government passed legislation that qualifies veterans for in-state tuition at any public university, regardless of where the veteran legally resides. Veterans can finally dispense with the complexities of Yellow Ribbon tuition programs, which promised tuition coverage […]
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Claims Processing, PTSD, Veterans Law
Veterans may not realize that they do not need new evidence in order to resubmit a previously denied claim for PTSD benefits related to military sexual trauma (MST), according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report also claims evidence that an overwhelming number of veterans who are aware of […]
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Mental Health, News and Press, PTSD, Veterans Law
The American Journal of Public Health reports that more veterans are now seeking treatment for mental health issues. According to the July 2014 report, veteran use of mental health services has increased by 94 percent over the last decade. Unfortunately, treatment does not ensure that veterans are feeling any better. A new study, commissioned by […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
Earlier this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing rising unemployment among the youngest U.S. military veterans. The combined effects of the military drawdown and a struggling economy has left veterans aged 18 to 24 unemployed and frustrated, according to Call of Duty, a national nonprofit for veteran employment. On a recent trip […]
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