VA Form 21-686c is the Declaration of Status of Dependents Form. Unlike many of the forms I write about, VA Form 21-686c is used for aid and attendance pension benefits and compensation benefits. The 686c is an important form. Veterans receive more money from the Department of Veterans Affairs if they have dependents. The more […]
Blue Water Veterans
Blue Water Veterans is a phrase commonly used to describe Vietnam veterans that served on open sea ships off the shore of Vietnam. The Department of Veterans Affairs treats Blue Water Veterans differently than Brown Water Veterans in disability compensation claims. Brown Water Navy Veterans served on the inland waterways in the Republic of Vietnam. […]
Marginal Employment And TDIU
A fundamental tenet of TDIU is the unemployability of the claimant. To receive a greater monthly benefit than the scheduler rating dictates, the VA says that the claimant must demonstrate, through medical records and other evidence, an inability to work. Unemployability and the inability to work, however, are not categorical or clear-cut. I’ve already written […]
Consulting the BVA: A Series
Subject: TDIU Consulting the BVA will be an on-going series. I will read BVA opinions and share what I learn. I like to read through BVA opinions to glean insight into the best ways to overturn VA denial letters. While Board of Veterans Appeals decisions are not binding, they often provide valuable clues for how […]
Consulting the BVA: A Series
Consulting the BVA will be an on-going series. I will read BVA opinions and share what I learn. I like to read through BVA opinions to glean insight into the best ways to overturn VA denial letters. While Board of Veterans Appeals decisions are not binding, they often provide valuable clues for how to craft […]
BVA OR DRO APPEAL?
The Department of Veterans Affairs makes many mistakes when deciding benefits claims. The numbers are staggering. And while the VA asserts that errors are in decline, a claimant should always be prepared to receive a denial letter. Denial letters are, unfortunately, part and parcel of dealing with the VA. Given that a claimant stands a […]
VA Form 21-2680
What is VA Form 21-2680? VA Form 21-2680 is the Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance. This form must be signed by a M.D. or D.O. If the form is signed by a nurse or physician’s assistant, the Department of Veterans Affairs will demand you submit a form signed […]
SMC-L
What is SMC-L SMC-L is a specific kind of benefit within the spectrum of Special Monthly Compensation. Special Monthly Compensation benefits are additional benefits above the regular scheduler compensation ratings. SMC is not awarded to compensate for economic loss. SMC is awarded to compensate for personal inconvenience and the overall severity of the disability. The […]
What Is A Fully Developed Claim?
Submitting a claim through the Fully Developed Claim program is the ideal way to submit an application for Aid and Attendance. A Fully Developed Claim will place your application on the fast track to a Department of Veterans Affairs decision. What Is A Fully Developed Claim? A Fully Developed Claim means the applicant has submitted […]
Who Can You Trust At The VA?
No, I’m not speaking to the most recent black mark on the VA’s collective resume. The events surrounding General Shinseki’s resignation are low hanging fruit. And anyway, that’s not my area of expertise. What I want to know is this: when you call the VA’s 800 or 877 number, who can you trust? My experience […]