The news reports documenting the waiting time (“backlog”) for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to adjudicate disability compensation and pension claims are now published on an almost daily basis. That information is obviously of paramount concern, but I’ve made a command decision to balance out that information with something veteran-related that is positive.
The linked CBS News Article documents how the Las Vegas Sands is treating forty wounded veterans and their families to a three-day vacation. In addition the Sands’ CEO, Sheldon Adelson, is loaning his private plane to fly the veterans from the Walter Reed Medical Center to Las Vegas. Good luck to those veterans.
Now for the negative. The linked NBC News Article documents the increase in the VA backlog of cases waiting to be adjudicated. The article discusses the rationale for why the backlog has continued to increase over the years despite congressional scrutiny and oversight. More importantly, the article describes the VA’s efforts reduce the “backlog” by transitioning all disability claims to a paperless process (i.e. electronic files) by the end of 2013. The below link created by the Center for Investigative Reporting provides an interactive map of the “backlog” at the various VA Regional Offices and can be accessed at Waiting For Help.
If you have a VA claim for disability compensation or pension pending, please do not hesitate to contact me for a free consultation at sdirector@FRE-L.com or (732) 382-6070.