From Col. Dan

[Berta]

(From email from Col Dan Cedusky)

I strongly disagree with the DAV and other Vet orgs on this matter. I urge

you to please SUPPORT H.R. 4914, AND S. 2694. Veteran's ought to have the

option of hiring an Attorney.

The process is NOT open, informal, and helpful to veterans. The system is

full of government "red tape" and lengthy litigation. Claims go on for

years. Many VSO's are not responsive to veterans, many VSO's are not

trained properly. Many are just the middle man, passing veterans's forms,

letters, files on to the VA, and not telling the veteran what is needed.

The last unhelpful conversation I had with my DAV VSO, I got so angered by

his lack of knowledge, his unsympathetic tone of voice, his argumentative

superiority, I had to hang up.

I urge veterans to tell their Senators and congressmen to pass legislation

that at least gives veterans the choice to hire an attorney, early in the

claims process. There are many good Veteran service officer's out there,

but there are many that are not, and don't know the law, and don't fight for

the veteran. Many just fight for adding membership. Look at all the Vet

orgs leading recruiters.. many are service officer's.

Why are veteran's the only group locked out of the legal system, and

prevented from hiring attorneys.

My letter to congress is:

As a disabled veteran who has experience with the disability compensation

process, and as your constituent, I am concerned that veterans are locked

out of the process, and often need better legal advice. Allow attorneys

into the process, IT IS ALREADY adversarial and legalistic. I urge you to

please SUPPORT H.R. 4914, AND S. 2694.

I am concerned that the current claims process does not work properly. I

believe Congress should focus on correcting the process, and give veterans a

seat at the table of this adversarial and legalistic process.

I encourage, NO I DEMAND that Congress look at ways to ensure that the

disability claims process performs in the manner for which it was designed,

with the Department of Veterans Affairs being obligated to provide all

benefits REQUIRED, not just allowed under the law. Currently the VA does

pretty much what it wants, ignores congress, ignores the law, looses

documents, and patiently waits for the claimant to die, so they can close

the case.

Please let me know your position on this important issue.

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL

_____

From: Lisa Bogle, Disabled American Veterans [mailto:lbogle@davmail.org]

Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 7:48 AM

To: Dan Cedusky

Subject: Attorneys in VA Claims Process

Attorneys in Claims Process

<http://capwiz.com/dav/utr/1/LAGNFZDEAA/CINNFZDEGX/752118386>

Take <http://capwiz.com/dav/utr/1/LAGNFZDEAA/CINNFZDEGX/752118386> Action!

Edited June 6, 2006 by Berta