Blog: News & Insights

For New Jersey veterans who need a break from their VA claim, storm-related power outages, and gas shortages, I’m happy to share a positive article about local Applebees locations offering a free meal on Veterans Day, November 11th.  Applebees’ requirements for demonstrating proof of military service is less onerous than the Department of Veterans Affairs and can be satified by...

The Veterans’ Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012 will provide a much needed 1.3 percent cost of living adjustment to veterans receiving disability compensation (to include dependency and indemnity compensation).  The bill has been held up in the Senate since September, though the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs had previously cleared it.  Hopefully, the bill will pass the Senate...

Any veteran can search prior decisions by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) at the following: Link to BVA Decisions. The BVAs search engine was inoperable for a good portion of 2012, however, it is now up and running. The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) is an adminstrative tribunal within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) where members of the BVA review claims...

On October 26, 2012, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CVAC) issued an opinion in Jones v. Shinseki.  The CAVC remanded, in part, because the Board of Veterans’ Appeal improperly considered the effect of medication on a veteran’s disability rating for irratable bowel syndrome. While the opinion specifically address the rating criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 4.114, DC 7319...

Countless veterans have encountered unfavorable VA rating decisions because a VA medical examiner issued an opinion that the etiology (cause of the condition or disease) of a claimed disability was not service connected. This is particularly true for claims related to the Camp Lejeune water contamination or conditions related to Agent Orange exposure that are not entitled to the statutory...

In May 1776, General Nathanael Greene wrote to John Adams concerning support for veterans: “If Congress was to fix a certain Support upon every Officer and Soldier that got maim’d in the Service or upon the families of those that were hild it would have happy an influence towards engageing people in the Service and inspire those engaged with as much courage as any measure that can...

Fink Rosner Ershow-Levenberg is open (during our regular business hours) and we want to hear from you, our clients!  If you need to charge up your cell phone, then give us a call or send an email to let us know how you and your loved ones are doing, and if you need an appointment, or need to reschedule.

Big news for those dealing with Medicare rehabilitation stints–and that’s a lot of our clients!!  A class action settlement by the Centers for Medicare Advocacy  will force Medicare to do what it should have been doing all along–give rehabilitation benefits to those who need them in order to maintain their functioning or prevent further deterioration, rather than forcing them...

Different states handle the issue of seniors driving differently.  New Jersey is currently considering legislation to increase the amount of conditions your doctor would report to the MVC if he or she thought it would affect your driving.  In the meantime, check out this terrific website from AAA on being a senior driver.  Tons of resources for driving self-tests, improving driving skills and...

Medicaid is considered a poverty program but it actually provides benefits to many middle class families.  This is in the form of payment for long-term care in institutional and home-based settings.  Medicaid also assists many disabled children, and disabled adults under 65.  The “face” of Medicaid is as diverse as New Jersey itself!! Fink Rosner Ershow-Levenberg LLC can help you navigate the...