Selection Of A Lawyer

[rthomass]

I feel compelled to warn all my fellow Veterans to be very selective in who they have represent them before the Department of Veteran Affairs.

I have as some of you know been envolved in an Agent Orange case for over 41 months now, for the bean counters it works out to 14, 600 days or 350,400 hours!

Once the lawyer I selected got my case remanded from the CAVC to the BVA and had me sign a paper in order for her to further represent me. I had precious few contacts with her to the point she seldom took my calls or acknowledged my paperwork. I was basicaly on my own. I developed my own case, did my own research, and pleaded my case without benefit of effective counsel.

I finally dismissed this lawyer and her firm and I am fervently getting another Lawyer up to speed as the local Regional Office refuses to render a final decision and insists on issuing an SSOC and returning the remanded claim back to the BVA for a decision; even though the local RO was given the option by the BVA to render a decision.

I tell you this as my brothers and sisters, we have only our selfs and each other....no one ...not he VA, Not the BVA...or even the CAVC is going to help you. It is your claim, you must be your own advocate, you must be agreesive, ruthless, cunning and even wallow in the gutter with the Veterans Administration.

A lawyer is a resource, a tool......but ultimately as President Truman said "The Buck Stops Here".

That firm I am talking about is Liberman & Mark, PLLC of Washington D.C. I absolutely do not recommend them. I am not trying to slander these lawyers but to warn you there are lawyers out there that are not looking out for your best interest. After the rmmand they have the Veteran sign a 20% agreement to futher represent the Vetrean at The RO level and hope they luck out by sheer number of Veterans Claims they have...for a few to bingo with them exerting as little effort as possible on the claims........a nice racket if I do say so.

Randall

Edited April 3, 2008 by rthomass

[rthomass]

Jim I really wish you would start a new thread and not hijack mine.

Randall

[Berta]

rthomass- I just got an immediate clarification of the attorney fee- they are only handling my CUE claims-I am sure glad I didnt sign the agreement as it stood-

and I think maybe it was jst a generic fee aggreement- it pays to make sure what you sign-this is very good law firm I am dealing with -but down the line- it can become too late to change this stuff

[rthomass]

Berta I have forwarded everything I have on my remanded claim plus my C file to Mr. Karl Kazmierczak of Oakland, NJ. I believe you mentioned him in one of your posts. Hope he can get up to speed before the RO sends my remanded claim back to the BVA. I have refuted their denial of Agent Orange at Nakhon Phanom Thailand via unclassified Checo reports; personal e-mails and buddy letters with the pejury statement. I have proof that Ranch Hand UC123-K aircraft were stationed at NKP. Have proof that an attack on NKP occurred at the base by communist sympathizers. I almost feel like I live in the NAZI Germany era where a lie became the truth if the lie was repeated until all believed it was the truth. Since my receipt of my SSOC on 14 March 2008 I have sent new and material evicence countering every negative statement in the local RO's SSOC.

Is there a way I can formally request a re-consideration to receive a ruling by the RO prior return of remanded claim to the BVA. The BVA gave the RO this option. Seems like Thailand an Agent Orange is a hot potato.

Sorry Jim if I sounded cranky but this is very important to me...hope you will forgive me.

Perhaps by an extraordinary relief request? Of course I will counsel with Mr. Kazmierczak before such a move.

Regards Randall

[Berta]

forget whose on first here-

Jim go to

http://www.stardustent.com/

click on the SVR show on the left- check out one of my past shows in their Archives- to see if your media player works-this is how to hear the past shows and the live shows

Jan 16th Bob Walsh attorney for Veterans

Feb20 Professor Costello- UDM -attorney for veterans

March 12 Rich Cohen Exec Director NOVA attorney for vets-

(April 9th- next week Jim Strickland VA Watchdog)

Every Wednesday SVR show in Archives is great I just heard they posted some of mine in Archives and havent checked there yet- the archive tab is a bottom left of the SVR screen

Call ins are toll free 1-877-213-4329 and anyone can join the online chat while the show is on the air.

RThomas- yes Karls wife is handling my 2 SMC CUE claims-

I have a lot of faith in this family-

great lawyers-

Have you talked to Kurt Priessman (AO vet Thailand)about your claim?

If so has he seen any tie in with what Blue Water Navy is attempting to do?

"Perhaps by an extraordinary relief request? Of course I will counsel with Mr. Kazmierczak before such a move"

Yeah this is what JR (Blue WAter Navy), me and Kurt are working on-

JR also is in touch with a CAVC lawyer on it-

If I were you I would check with Kurt Priessman- he is member here and I am sure his email addy is open-also his public comments at the Fed Reister site are great! and abput this issue-I am sure I posted them here to at hadit available under search-

I tentatively prepared some of the Mandamus writ we are considering-I made the point in the writ that with proof of exposure to dioxin -regardless of where and with a documented disability on the AO presumptive list-these veterans in that criteria should have their claims filed due to satisfying the Hickson elements regardless of the Haas decision.Thus the court should take these vets out of the stay proceedings and order the VA to immediately start to adjudicate those claims-

the Writ is a work in progress- a lot of work to a writ of Mandamus-

check in with Kurt and Blue Water Navy site for anything there that might help you-you might be part of the veterans in the writ we are preparing- or whatever the action will eventually be-

we have to do something for ALL AO vets-regardless of where they were exposed.

meantime I will try to get in touch with JR-

unless you have already at Bluewaternavy.org

Edited April 4, 2008 by Berta

[vaf]

We also fired Kathy Lieberman for not responding to phone calls or e-mails prior to a Board hearing. She made sure to get the contractual paperwork to us on time, etc., but once that was completed, she was not available for any discussion, ever. The couple of times we connected were through e-mail, and brief at that.

She blamed her administrative assistant for not getting her many phone messages that we left, then she told us she'd send us a written release from the contract, which never arrived. We ended up sending copies of the e-mail she sent referring to the release that never came to the VARO when we notified the VA that she was no longer representing my husband.

She has no business being on the Board of NOVA.

Edited April 4, 2008 by vaf

[vmo]

Is any one out yonder familiar with or possibly used a law firm out of Akron, Ohio, with representation against VARO at the BVA or Court level?

Law firm:

Sternberg,Newman,Shifrin, Inc.

Attorneys at Law

Akron, Ohio

Attorney for firm assisting vets: Attorney Christopher N. Godios

*Any feedback concerning Yay/Nay or run, would be sincerely appreciated.