Blue Water Veterans Benefits – Will the VA be ready to process these Vietnam Veterans Disability Claims?
The Blue Water Navy Act of 2019, which was signed into law in June, is set to go into effect January 1, 2020. The law states that veterans, who served aboard ships off the coast of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to the toxic defoliant... Read More
Veterans Suffering from PTSD Could be Identified with Revolutionary New Blood Test
Approximately six years ago the Pentagon funded a study, led by a team of researchers from top medical schools, to develop a blood test that could identify active military servicemembers or veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Published in Nature’s journal of Molecular Psychiatry on September 10, 2019, the study tracked blood samples from 165... Read More
Veterans to Receive Reimbursement for Emergency Room Visits per Court Order
Veterans received some welcome news earlier this month from a federal appeals court. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was ordered to reimburse veterans for their expenses associated with emergency care at non-VA medical centers. Prior to the ruling, the VA was informing veterans that they were not entitled to reimbursement. According to the U.S.... Read More
Veterans Could See Repeal of Widow’s Tax and Ban on Military Malpractice Lawsuits in House Defense Bill
Three proposals were added on July 9th to the annual defense authorization bill, while it was on the floor of the House of Representatives. The three provisions: ending the so-called “Widow’s Tax”; repealing the Feres Doctrine, which precluded military service members from suing the government for malpractice; and increasing the number of special visas for... Read More
Agent Orange Linked to 9 Illnesses that Would Expand List of Conditions for Veterans Disability Compensation
The Keeping Our Promises Act is legislation that was introduced by a group of eight lawmakers in April this year for the purpose of adding nine additional diseases to the list of presumptive conditions caused by the chemical herbicide Agent Orange. Advocates of Vietnam veterans are urging that the list of conditions (see below) be... Read More
Military Sexual Trauma Victims – Veterans Have Difficult Burden of Proof
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) defines the term “military sexual trauma” (MST) as a sexual assault or harassment experienced during military service and includes any sexual activity that occurred against your will. Anyone can be a victim of MST, regardless of gender. The VA provides some examples, such as:* Being pressured or coerced into... Read More
Veterans Suffering with Chronic Psychiatric Symptoms Should Seek Screening for Mefloquine Exposure
Originally developed by scientists working in affiliation with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), mefloquine was licensed by the FDA in 1989 and was sold as the branded medication Lariam from 1989 to 2011. Mefloquine is an antimalarial drug associated with the risk of chronic neuropsychiatric adverse effects (AEs). For the treatment of... Read More
Private Health Care Options, Including Urgent Care, Now Available to Veterans with Disability Benefits
On June 6, 2019, the MISSION (Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks) Act went into effect, providing service members with additional health care options and increasing the number of veterans who may qualify for private care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The MISSION Act, which was signed into law one year... Read More
Veterans Disability Benefits Expand to Include 90,000 Blue Water Vietnam Troops as Dept of Justice Drops Appeal
On June 4, 2019, the Department of Justice announced they are dropping their appeal of a court ruling that will presumptively award disability benefits to “Blue Water” Vietnam veterans. Justice Department officials stated Tuesday, in a filing with the Supreme Court, they would not seek to overturn the decision in the case of Procopio v.... Read More
Blue Water Navy Bill Unanimously Passes House, But Some Are Not Pleased With Its Scope
On May 14, 2019, a bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 410 to 0 that allows the extension of benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to military veterans who were assigned to U.S. Navy ships during the Vietnam War. These benefits are for illnesses known to be associated... Read More
