Berta Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 email from Colonel Dan Cedusky: http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...2/NRSTAFF/81438 8311. contact: attorney firm at http://www.wcsr.com/ contact: Veterans@wcsr.com Need a veteran's attorney In Michigan.. contact: rpwalsh@sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------- ---- Article published Jan 22, 2008 Vets get free legal advice for filing claims A local law firm hopes to continue pairing attorneys with veterans during workshops. By Jennifer Fernandez Staff Writer WINSTON-SALEM - James Gaither says he spent four years in the Air Force in Vietnam, running covert missions out of nearby countries. Forty years later, he says he's struggling with the effects of Agent Orange. The chemical was used to clear brush that enemy forces used for cover. It has been blamed for various medical issues in Vietnam veterans. Gaither, 62, was among about 40 veterans, some from as far away as Virginia, who sought help last week with filing disability claims at Winston-Salem's Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. The law firm, in collaboration with the Young Lawyers Division of the N.C. Bar Association, provided free legal advice as part of its new "When Duty Calls" program. Clinics were first held last year in Raleigh and Washington. Veterans each spent about an hour with an attorney and legal assistants, said Tim McClain, an attorney with Womble Carlyle and former general counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "More of these clinics need to happen," he said. "Because there is a real need there to assist veterans." Veterans Affairs will receive more than 800,000 claims this year, McClain said. According to the agency, 2.8 million veterans were receiving disability compensation as of September 2007. In 2006, Veterans Affairs spent more than $2.3 billion in North Carolina to care for more than 756,000 veterans here. That same year, 138,379 N.C. veterans and survivors received disability benefits, pension payments or some type of compensation, the agency reported. Veterans can file claims on their own, but it is a complicated process, McClain said. Gaither said he recently has been denied a pension and has been trying for seven or eight years to increase his disability payments. He said he needs the help because he is now on several medications, which he blames on his exposure to Agent Orange. Womble welcomed him and everyone was very nice, Gaither said. About 30 of Womble's employees volunteered their time for the workshop. Help also came from about 25 local law students and 10 attorneys from other area firms. "I got the feeling that they're really going to help me," Gaither said. The law firm plans to offer workshops in Atlanta and Charlotte later this year. And other law firms are replicating the program in their areas, said Tripp Greason, director of the firm's free legal programs. "We're trying to expand this," McClain said. "We'd love for this sort of thing to go nationwide." Greason hopes the law firm will build the reputation and expertise so that veterans know to "just come to us." Law Office contacts: Atlanta Galvin Devore (404) 872-7000 Baltimore Dede Fowler (410) 545-5800 Charlotte Charlie Allison (704) 331-4946 Greensboro Melissa Weaver (336) 574-8033 Greenville Barbara Fountain (864) 239-5997 Raleigh John Turlington (919) 755-2117 Research Triangle Park Mia Pizzagalli (919) 484-2302 Tysons Corner Cheri Edwards (703) 790-4688 Washington, DC Deborah Kowal (202) 857-4414 Wilmington Marie Swyka (302) 252-4350 Winston-Salem Keith Tedrow (336) 721-3594" (PS Bob walsh ,veteran's attorney from Michigan ,is presently teaching veteran's advocates at Detroit Law School-his email is at top of this. and the archive of his show with me at SVR -Jan 16th-should be up at Stardust anyday now) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder Pete53 Posted January 23, 2008 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted January 23, 2008 Good Post thanks Berta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68mustang Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I contacted a local university, which has a law program, to see if they could provide help to veterans. I asked them to please help veterans on interpreting legal terms. I knew that they could not provide representation on VA claims. They told me that they could not provide the help. I was disappointed because the university has a program that provides free help on immigration issues for undocumented immigrants. 68mustang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder john999 Posted January 23, 2008 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted January 23, 2008 I think when all the hubbub is over we vets will be back to representing ourselves in most cases except for the few that are easy pickings for lawyers to make a fast buck. The ones I have talked to so far are either skeptical or unhelpful. It seems if it is not a slam/dunk they don't want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 email from Colonel Dan Cedusky: http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...2/NRSTAFF/81438 8311. contact: attorney firm at http://www.wcsr.com/ contact: Veterans@wcsr.com Need a veteran's attorney In Michigan.. contact: rpwalsh@sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------- ---- Article published Jan 22, 2008 Vets get free legal advice for filing claims A local law firm hopes to continue pairing attorneys with veterans during workshops. By Jennifer Fernandez Staff Writer WINSTON-SALEM - James Gaither says he spent four years in the Air Force in Vietnam, running covert missions out of nearby countries. Forty years later, he says he's struggling with the effects of Agent Orange. The chemical was used to clear brush that enemy forces used for cover. It has been blamed for various medical issues in Vietnam veterans. Gaither, 62, was among about 40 veterans, some from as far away as Virginia, who sought help last week with filing disability claims at Winston-Salem's Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. The law firm, in collaboration with the Young Lawyers Division of the N.C. Bar Association, provided free legal advice as part of its new "When Duty Calls" program. Clinics were first held last year in Raleigh and Washington. Veterans each spent about an hour with an attorney and legal assistants, said Tim McClain, an attorney with Womble Carlyle and former general counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "More of these clinics need to happen," he said. "Because there is a real need there to assist veterans." Veterans Affairs will receive more than 800,000 claims this year, McClain said. According to the agency, 2.8 million veterans were receiving disability compensation as of September 2007. In 2006, Veterans Affairs spent more than $2.3 billion in North Carolina to care for more than 756,000 veterans here. That same year, 138,379 N.C. veterans and survivors received disability benefits, pension payments or some type of compensation, the agency reported. Veterans can file claims on their own, but it is a complicated process, McClain said. Gaither said he recently has been denied a pension and has been trying for seven or eight years to increase his disability payments. He said he needs the help because he is now on several medications, which he blames on his exposure to Agent Orange. Womble welcomed him and everyone was very nice, Gaither said. About 30 of Womble's employees volunteered their time for the workshop. Help also came from about 25 local law students and 10 attorneys from other area firms. "I got the feeling that they're really going to help me," Gaither said. The law firm plans to offer workshops in Atlanta and Charlotte later this year. And other law firms are replicating the program in their areas, said Tripp Greason, director of the firm's free legal programs. "We're trying to expand this," McClain said. "We'd love for this sort of thing to go nationwide." Greason hopes the law firm will build the reputation and expertise so that veterans know to "just come to us." Law Office contacts: Atlanta Galvin Devore (404) 872-7000 Baltimore Dede Fowler (410) 545-5800 Charlotte Charlie Allison (704) 331-4946 Greensboro Melissa Weaver (336) 574-8033 Greenville Barbara Fountain (864) 239-5997 Raleigh John Turlington (919) 755-2117 Research Triangle Park Mia Pizzagalli (919) 484-2302 Tysons Corner Cheri Edwards (703) 790-4688 Washington, DC Deborah Kowal (202) 857-4414 Wilmington Marie Swyka (302) 252-4350 Winston-Salem Keith Tedrow (336) 721-3594" (PS Bob walsh ,veteran's attorney from Michigan ,is presently teaching veteran's advocates at Detroit Law School-his email is at top of this. and the archive of his show with me at SVR -Jan 16th-should be up at Stardust anyday now) Thanks Berta, this is great info. I have a Vietnam buddy in NH, when we drive up to see him we drive across NY, upper part of NY is beautiful country, I was pleasantly surprised. wapiti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Question
Berta
email from Colonel Dan Cedusky:
http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...2/NRSTAFF/81438
8311.
contact: attorney firm at http://www.wcsr.com/ contact:
Veterans@wcsr.com
Need a veteran's attorney In Michigan.. contact: rpwalsh@sbcglobal.net
----------------------------------------------------------
----
Article published Jan 22, 2008
Vets get free legal advice for filing claims
A local law firm hopes to continue pairing attorneys with veterans during
workshops.
By Jennifer Fernandez
Staff Writer
WINSTON-SALEM - James Gaither says he spent four years in the Air Force in
Vietnam, running covert missions out of nearby countries.
Forty years later, he says he's struggling with the effects of Agent Orange.
The chemical was used to clear brush that enemy forces used for cover. It
has been blamed for various medical issues in Vietnam veterans.
Gaither, 62, was among about 40 veterans, some from as far away as Virginia,
who sought help last week with filing disability claims at Winston-Salem's
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. The law firm, in collaboration with the
Young Lawyers Division of the N.C. Bar Association, provided free legal
advice as part of its new "When Duty Calls" program. Clinics were first held
last year in Raleigh and Washington.
Veterans each spent about an hour with an attorney and legal assistants,
said Tim McClain, an attorney with Womble Carlyle and former general counsel
for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"More of these clinics need to happen," he said. "Because there is a real
need there to assist veterans."
Veterans Affairs will receive more than 800,000 claims this year, McClain
said.
According to the agency, 2.8 million veterans were receiving disability
compensation as of September 2007.
In 2006, Veterans Affairs spent more than $2.3 billion in North Carolina to
care for more than 756,000 veterans here.
That same year, 138,379 N.C. veterans and survivors received disability
benefits, pension payments or some type of compensation, the agency
reported.
Veterans can file claims on their own, but it is a complicated process,
McClain said.
Gaither said he recently has been denied a pension and has been trying for
seven or eight years to increase his disability payments. He said he needs
the help because he is now on several medications, which he blames on his
exposure to Agent Orange.
Womble welcomed him and everyone was very nice, Gaither said.
About 30 of Womble's employees volunteered their time for the workshop.
Help also came from about 25 local law students and 10 attorneys from other
area firms.
"I got the feeling that they're really going to help me," Gaither said.
The law firm plans to offer workshops in Atlanta and Charlotte later this
year. And other law firms are replicating the program in their areas, said
Tripp Greason, director of the firm's free legal programs.
"We're trying to expand this," McClain said. "We'd love for this sort of
thing to go nationwide."
Greason hopes the law firm will build the reputation and expertise so that
veterans know to "just come to us."
Law Office contacts:
Atlanta
Galvin Devore (404) 872-7000
Baltimore
Dede Fowler (410) 545-5800
Charlotte
Charlie Allison (704) 331-4946
Greensboro
Melissa Weaver (336) 574-8033
Greenville
Barbara Fountain (864) 239-5997
Raleigh
John Turlington (919) 755-2117
Research Triangle Park
Mia Pizzagalli (919) 484-2302
Tysons Corner
Cheri Edwards (703) 790-4688
Washington, DC
Deborah Kowal (202) 857-4414
Wilmington
Marie Swyka (302) 252-4350
Winston-Salem
Keith Tedrow (336) 721-3594"
(PS Bob walsh ,veteran's attorney from Michigan ,is presently teaching veteran's advocates at Detroit Law School-his email is at top of this.
and the archive of his show with me at SVR -Jan 16th-should be up at Stardust anyday now)
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