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VA Disability Claims: 5 Game-Changing Precedential Decisions You Need to Know
Tbird posted a record in VA Claims and Benefits Information,
These decisions have made a big impact on how VA disability claims are handled, giving veterans more chances to get benefits and clearing up important issues.
Service Connection
Frost v. Shulkin (2017)
This case established that for secondary service connection claims, the primary service-connected disability does not need to be service-connected or diagnosed at the time the secondary condition is incurred 1. This allows veterans to potentially receive secondary service connection for conditions that developed before their primary condition was officially service-connected.
Saunders v. Wilkie (2018)
The Federal Circuit ruled that pain alone, without an accompanying diagnosed condition, can constitute a disability for VA compensation purposes if it results in functional impairment 1. This overturned previous precedent that required an underlying pathology for pain to be considered a disability.
Effective Dates
Martinez v. McDonough (2023)
This case dealt with the denial of an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) 2. It addressed issues around the validity of appeal withdrawals and the consideration of cognitive impairment in such decisions.
Rating Issues
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Tbird, -
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Are all military medical records on file at the VA?
RichardZ posted a topic in How to's on filing a Claim,
I met with a VSO today at my VA Hospital who was very knowledgeable and very helpful. We decided I should submit a few new claims which we did. He told me that he didn't need copies of my military records that showed my sick call notations related to any of the claims. He said that the VA now has entire military medical record on file and would find the record(s) in their own file. It seemed odd to me as my service dates back to 1981 and spans 34 years through my retirement in 2015. It sure seemed to make more sense for me to give him copies of my military medical record pages that document the injuries as I'd already had them with me. He didn't want my copies. Anyone have any information on this. Much thanks in advance.-
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RichardZ, -
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Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
Tbird posted a record in VA Claims and Benefits Information,
Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL
This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:
Current Diagnosis. (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)
In-Service Event or Aggravation.
Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”-
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Tbird, -
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Post in ICD Codes and SCT CODES?WHAT THEY MEAN?
Timothy cawthorn posted an answer to a question,
Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability ratingPicked By
yellowrose, -
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Post in Chevron Deference overruled by Supreme Court
broncovet posted a post in a topic,
VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.
They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.
This is not true,
Proof:
About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because when they cant work, they can not keep their home. I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason: "Its been too long since military service". This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA. And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time, mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends.
Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly. The VA is broken.
A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals. I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision. All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did.
I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt". Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day? Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.Picked By
Lemuel, -
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Question
rogus
I have recently finished emailing every democrat senator with the following letter. If we as veterans want our day in a real court we need to do something about it. This is a start. If anyone would care to help me send copies of this letter(or one like it) to members of the house I woud appreciate all the help I can get.
Thank you.
(Mad as hell and not going to take it ANYMORE!)
To the Honorable ,
I am writing to you because I believe that you truly care about United States veterans and their struggles with the Department of the Veterans Affairs.
As you are probably aware according to a Knight Ridder news service story 17% of veterans die prior to having their benefit claims resolved. As veterans we have become second class citizens due to the 1933 Economy Act (H.R. 2820 – now Title 38 USC 211) which legally bars veterans from meaningful judicial review and closes all judicial branch, Article III, and U.S. District Courts to veterans.
38 USC 211
"All decisions rendered by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs under the provisions of this title, or the regulations issued pursuant thereto, shall be final and conclusive on all questions of law and fact, and NO OTHER OFFICIAL or COURT OF THE UNITED STATES shall have jurisdiction to review by mandamus or otherwise any such decision."
Although there is a “Special” Court of Veterans Appeals read the words of former Chief Judge Frank Q. Nebeker (1994, State of the Court) :
“…the Court’s operation has demonstrated that that there is a vast gap between the theory and practice of judicial review and it is that gap which appears to be frustrating the original intent behind enactment of VJRA and the implementation of the goals of meaningful judicial review”
“Neither the Court, through the Board, the Board, nor the General Counsel has direct and meaningful control over the Agencies of Original Jurisdiction (VA Regional Offices).”
“Too many of the Court's precedent opinions must focus on law clearly stated in statutes or regulations but ignored below. Indeed, the rate of adjudication error is far too high for a healthy system. Most importantly, though, those opinions should serve to guide future adjudications of similar cases. Why permit the initial adjudicators to ignore those decisions simply because their operational head ignores them and doesn't issue directives and provide training to follow them?”
“Many ROs appear to do what they think they must when they get around to it. In fact, recent examples show that attorneys on the General Counsel's staff, too, have little leverage to require cooperation when they attempt to obtain information concerning cases, so they can meet their obligations as the Secretary's attorneys to report the status of a particular case to the Court. The attitude in at least some of the RO’s seems to be "I don't care what the Court says the law is; I care only what my boss says it is."
In fact ABC – 20/20 News (Fighting For Justice, June 2, 2000) reported Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) members actually destroyed veterans’ files and records to deny veterans appeals in the hopes of substantial cash bonuses from the VA. And that at the time of the report the Court of Veterans Appeals had only ruled in favor of the veteran 18 times out of 14,000 cases.
Such actions continue to this day, however even if a veteran were able to have his case heard in court the scales are still weighted against him/her due to the following court case:
"Pensions, COMPENSATION ALLOWANCES, HOSPITAL, and other privileges . . . are GRATUITIES. They involve no agreement of parties; and the grant of them creates no vested right. The benefits conferred by gratuities may be redistributed or withdrawn at any time in the discretion of Congress." (See Lynch V. United States, 292 U.S. 571, 577 (1934)
It is also interesting to note that during 1934, the Supreme Court had perceived the rights of America's battle-injured defenders, in a different light, and accordingly determined that it was the INTENT of the United States Congress, that VA medical care treating war injuries, VA disability compensation concerning war injuries, and all other veterans' non-contractual "benefits", have the legal significance of nothing more than GRATUITIES (GIFTS).
As such, veterans have no recourse when we must sell our possessions and homes while awaiting a decision from a governmental agency that operates under complete autonomy and separation from true judicial review of its actions. We lack even the basic rights that are constitutionally guaranteed criminals.
Therefore I am requesting your help for all veterans throughout America to repeal or amend 38 USC 211 and to congressionally redefine veterans’ benefits as being benefits earned through service to our country.
Sincerely,
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