A lot of the National Veterans Foundation’s work is helping Veterans navigate the VA claims process.   We assist them with applying for benefits, understanding the application processing system, and in appealing claims that have been denied. 

One of the big issues around VA claims is that of Vietnam Vets with Agent Orange related claims. Many of these guys are just now developing medical problems tied to Agent Orange exposure.   Their claims processing is taking too long and too many of them are being denied benefits.   Often, these are Vets who are told by Veterans Heath Administration doctors that their health problems are connected to Agent Orange, and the Veteran Benefits Administration is still denying their disability claims. 

Another issue is that young Veterans returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan are submitting claims and are having to wait six months to a year to have those claims processed.  This is a huge problem that is just getting bigger. 

That said, there have been some promising recent steps taken by the VA recently, to help these Vets apply for and receive their benefits.

One of those steps is that the VA announced last week it would automate part of the Agent Orange claim process that has had thousands of Veterans waiting months or years for benefits.

This decision suggests that the VA is beginning to acknowledge being overwhelmed by the number of claims from both Vietnam Veterans, plus those from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Gulf wars.

And the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. 

The backlog of unprocessed disability claims has now surpassed one million.  The VA is now expecting at least 200,000 more by considering claims of Vietnam Vets with certain conditions it is now acknowledging are connected to Agent Orange exposure: Parkinson's disease, hairy cell leukemia and ischemic heart disease. 

This automated claims processing will, hopefully, help reduce the claims backlog, or at least keep if from growing.

Another encouraging step the VA has just taken is to list a number of medical conditions for Iraq and Afghanistan and Gulf War Veterans that will be assumed to be connected to their service.   It’s called a “presumptive status” and will make it easier for them to prove they got sick while deployed in the Gulf. 

To qualify for the streamlined status, these Veterans must have malaria, West Nile Virus or one of seven other diseases.

While it’s currently just a proposed regulation change, if approved, it will make it easier for hundreds, if not thousands of Veterans to qualify for benefits by showing that they served in the recent conflicts, or in the Gulf War, and have a diagnosis of any of these nine diseases.

NVF representatives, all former military service members, are here 365-days a year, to help Veterans with their VA claims, as well as many other issues.   If you are a Veteran in need of assistance, including questions about submitting, following-up on, or appealing a benefit claim, please call the NVF’s Lifeline for Vets™ at 888-777-4443.