Vet files petition with the Supremes

[Berta]

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/us-veteran-living-cambodia-sues-va-alleges-systemic-fraud

"Long-time Cambodian resident and US veteran Robert G Thornton has filed a lawsuit with the US Supreme Court against the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), alleging systemic fraud by the VA in its disability benefits programme, according to a VA Watch press release sent to The Post.

“Robert G Thornton, a long-time resident of Cambodia, filed a petition asking the US Supreme Court to hear his case against the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

“While the Court has literally thousands of requests yearly and only accepts approximately 180 cases, Thornton, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, is hopeful the court will select his case since it raises novel issues such as that the VA and the courts have violated his First Amendment rights to meaningful access to the VA administrative agency and the courts because of what he alleges is the VA’s clandestine pattern of fraud in the handling of his case,” the press release said.

Thornton has been waiting for more than 10 years for his case to be heard by the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).

He alleges that the VA used fraud and deception to prevent his case from reaching the BVA, including the

creation of counterfeit documents, and has completely expunged his appeal for decades of retrospective back-pay, according to VA Watch’s press release.

 

“The Supreme Court will take up his case in the near future and decide whether or not it will hear his case.

“What is unique about Thornton’s case is that it documents, with hard evidence, the VA’s pattern of fraud which he alleges he has well documented.

“Thornton’s only interest is in exposing alleged corruption in the VA’s disability compensation system, particularly with cases such as his that regard retrospective payments going back decades.

“Most of the claimants are Vietnam veterans,” the press release continued.

US Embassy spokesman Arend Zwartjes declined to comment on Sunday."

I hope I can get more info from Phnom Penh Post.

 

[broncovet]

If the Vet needs "more evidence" for the Supreme Court, I filed, in 2008, a "Request for special handling due to mishandled claims evidence", along with shredded evidence, from my VARO.  

My request "was noted in VA documentation", however, my Special Handling Request was shredded from my file ALSO.  

A VA employee commented, "we dont think this is a valid shred claim"....and then they shredded my request for special handling.  

Further, I complained to the VAOIG (about the shredding).  In a letter from the VAOIG, they told me to "tell my VARO I was shredded".  I have that letter.  

VA has denied I ever sent the documents in question and continues to proceed "as if" the shredded documents were never there, in spite of VAOIG and VARO evidence to the contrary.