Attorney Fees And Adminsitrative Offset After Astrue V. Ratliff

[autumn]

http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/alr/vol63/iss3/5/

A bit of educational research for those interested.

i thought it interesting and the last sentence grabbed me.

[last sentence from the article]

"This policy has troubling consequences: by protecting only the fee agreements of veterans not in debt to the government beyond their claims’ values, VA in fact ensures that some of the neediest veterans cannot retain legal representation."

[cooter]

Here's a simple solution to this. The VA will pay for the lawyer's 20% fee if the Vet is short of, or no retro at all. This way the Vet can be sure to have representation no matter what.

Coot

[autumn]

Here's a simple solution to this. The VA will pay for the lawyer's 20% fee if the Vet is short of, or no retro at all. This way the Vet can be sure to have representation no matter what.

Coot

hmm, maybe a veteran petition to congress to get this changed is in order?

having attorney's for veterans VA claims that only write a few letters to VA that the veteran could write just as well ... doesn't make sense to me they get the auto percentage. the legal folks in congressional seats set this up this way. again, congressional laws made that have too many loop holes. if the attorneys actually "fight" for the veteran then i see the auto payment to them as a good thing. i just don't see where they actually fight and earn that guaranteed percentage in many instances. IMHO

[Chuck75]

And you expected something different from the VA. Remember that they have a history of interpreting the laws in ways that tend to not be veteran "frendly". At various times, Congress has "clarified" the laws by trying to modify some of the more onerous VA practices. Usually just enough to reduce the complaints to a level that allows them to fall off the news media's radar.

Currently, things are a lot different, thanks to large numbers of newer veterans that are more internet savvy, better educated, and more likely to take on dealing with the VA.

Unfortunately, those veterans in the most need and least able to deal with the VA still have many road blocks to surmount.

[autumn]

>>And you expected something different from the VA.

no not at all, its just another research bit that supports why so many veterans have complaints at the VA system. i only posted it for that reason

>>Remember that they have a history of interpreting the laws in ways that tend to not be veteran "frendly". At various times, Congress has "clarified" the laws by trying to modify some of the more onerous VA practices. Usually just enough to reduce the complaints to a level that allows them to fall off the news media's radar.

exactly, and that just adds more credence to why veterans should "go on strike" or whatever they call it these days because nothing changes there and its only getting worse. sure they build some new buildings, etc. but the internal core of VA practice is rotten to the core. i see no other way to bring it to light in this country but to "occupy ?" or go on some strike example.

if anyone can show me some action other than those that has truly gotten positive changes made for the veteran just so me

>>Currently, things are a lot different, thanks to large numbers of newer veterans that are more internet savvy, better educated, and more likely to take on dealing with the VA.

i'm one of them that would still be wallowing in my own ms symptoms thinking (I) had done something wrong or there was some mental problem with me. this site and the internet helped me greatly to see what was happening. that and 4-5 years worth of going through old mil and va records.

>>Unfortunately, those veterans in the most need and least able to deal with the VA still have many road blocks to surmount.

another reason i posted this the link. we can point a veteran in the right direction when we are put in a position of chance meetings with people and they are in need