Vets Service Officer Sues

[Berta]

http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfFEB07/nf020107-3.htm

Larry posed 6 different links to all this-

I havent read any of this yet-

except this:

"Nebraska's Veterans Administration Regional Office representative, Pat Prieb, told Nebraska veterans service officers at a regional meeting that Nebraska has the highest amount of veterans represented by private attorneys -- more than California, Texas or Florida."

(The VSOs are apparently concerned over this and dont get enough VA claims-

HA! What do they think it will be like after June-

if a vet org cannot validate its existence with a reasonable accounting of sufficient claims they filed and pursued -----

jobs for VSOs and reps will be dismantled.The whole purpose of the Attorneys for Vets idea was that too many vet orgs do not provide the quality of representation we need.It is the fault of their training programs and the fact that while many vet reps are exempliary -they could be working side by side with a dope and a vet extends their POA and often cannot tell-until it is too late-they got the dope and not the good one.)

I say make sure -if your rep is not doing their job to document this with their main office.

Our new Gov is looking into all state departments here in NY-

I am glad I sent in complaints by email and letter-now I wonder if the state POA put them all in the trash can-

along with my IMOs.But I have documentation of them all as well as some bizarre responses indicating a lack of even basic VA 101 knowledge from them.

[Berta]

There is a lot more to all this- the second link at VA Watchdog is:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20newsflashe...6-10-2006-7.htm

In part:

"Hall County Veterans Service Officer Don Shuda is labeled as 100 percent disabled under the veterans compensation plan.

That means he's drawing $2,528 a month, or $30,336 a year, in tax-free veterans benefits.

The benefits are in addition to his full-time $50,000 annual county salary as Hall County veterans service officer, the $3,000 annual salary as Howard County veterans service officer and $1,000 annual salary as Sherman County veterans service officer.

Shuda obtained the benefits after appealing medical claims that were initially denied by the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Lincoln. Shuda's appeal was handled by Antonio Bendezu of the Lincoln-based Veterans Advocacy Group.

Government watchdog group Common Cause is questioning Veterans Advocacy Group for soliciting financial gratuities from veterans who seek help from the firm. Veterans Advocacy Group has admitted to the solicitations.

Common Cause presented Shuda a Freedom of Information Act request last month, seeking records that would show how many veterans served by his office ended up as clients for Veterans Advocacy Group and if tips were solicited or paid or both. Shuda's office was targeted because it has more veterans served by private practice attorneys than any other Nebraska county.

The Hall County records -- some 829 pages representing 329" etc- more at Watchdog-

[JR Reihs]

I see nothing wrong with this, as long as the VSO did not receive a kickback.

I also do not feel that it is anyones biusness what a Vet is rated for or how much they get, and if he is allowed to work on top of that , then more power to him, that is between the VA and the Vet.

I worked with several Vets who were rated 100% and working making 75k a year, I saw nothing wrong with it as they did not get the VA rating for nothing.

It will be interesting in June to see what will realy happen.......I was offered a job with the DAV several times, but when I called one of the DAV heads and explained that I could not make more than 30k per year because of the postal retirement , he said they could not do that......I was not about to give the PO 16 years for nothing, but I was willing to give up the SSDI as it is offset anyhow, but the DAV would not budge in salary reduction.....I was kinda perplexed by that.

[john999]

I see something wrong with the fact that if you have a mental injury or illness you can't work and collect 100%, but if you have a physical injury or illness of 100% you can work and make all you want. Part of the mental illness thing is that you can't work and get a high rating. In a way it makes it worse for people with mental disorders. It creates more isolation and eats at their self esteem. If I was working I would not be able to have been rated 70% and I know it, much less 100%. When I lost it I lost it all. Not many vets with PTSD, for example, could even get rated 50% and be working at a decent job. I was rated 10 and then 30% for 25 years and finally when I could not work any more I got 70% but not IU without a fight.

[Pete53]

I have to face facts about work. First of all I have not worked in a long time so no way could I get a job that pays what I was making when I worked for Mobil Oil. Second it would jeopardize my future benefits and my age is close to 65 retirement age. Last and probably most important is stress is my weakness and job stress would make me have panic attacks and soon I would back to a very bad state. As it is now I have to have someone or my dog with me when I leave the house. I can't ride on elevators or take escalators. I don't like being in confined spaces or around a lot of people.