Veteran Affairs

November 17, 2015

VA Disability Compensation for “Presumptive” Diseases

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Many people assume new illnesses, aches, and pains are “normal.” Just part of aging. Simply bad luck. Or even genetics. Veterans should not be lulled into passive acceptance of this so-called common wisdom. Diet and exercise can only get you so far with the many health problems – some tremendously serious – which may be the result of your military service. In addition, some health issues, such as birth defects, may be results of military service that affect not only you but your entire family. Continue reading

November 12, 2015

Tips For Filing A Successful Notice of Disagreement (NOD) with VA

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

If the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) denies your request for benefits, don’t be shocked. If VA gives you a lower disability rating than you merit, don’t be shocked. Since 2014, in an effort to reduce its backlog of disability benefits claims, word is that VA is simply shoveling responses out the door. Many are complete denials. Some are just sloppy, giving you “something” (a low disability rating) in the hope you will be happy and go away.

When VA denies your request or offers a deceptively low rating, don’t be shocked: be smart! Seek legal advice and promptly file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). Continue reading

November 11, 2015

Every Day Should Be Veterans’ Day

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Until Veterans are treated like full U.S. citizens with the right to representation by an attorney, we can only celebrate Veterans Day once a year. Here’s why.

Only under limited circumstances are Veterans are allowed to use an attorney to represent them on appeals from denial of benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In fact, prior to 2006, Veterans weren’t allowed to use an attorney at all when dealing with VA. Continue reading

November 9, 2015

Protection for VA Benefits – Know Your Rights!

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

With the extremely long delay in obtaining benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), many Veterans face tremendous and crippling medical bills. These bills impact ability to pay for necessities, including rent, utilities, transportation, and even food.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: VA BENEFITS ARE PROTECTED!

Threats and constant calls from creditors and even advice from attorneys not familiar with Veterans benefits matters may push Veterans to make unwise decisions regarding their VA benefits. It’s very simple: VA benefits are protected from creditors, taxation, and other legal processes. No one is entitled to just take your benefits away to pay off debts. Continue reading

November 4, 2015

Why You Need an Attorney to Deal with VA

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Then-Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Eric Shinseki, resigned in May 2014 after a shocking season of revelations regarding Veteran deaths at the hands of VA. Last month, on October 16, 2015, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, Allison Hickey (pictured), resigned in the wake of a pay fraud scandal involving senior bureaucrats Diana Rubens and Kim Graves.

Rubens and Graves – ironically – were put in place by Hickey in 2014 to clean up following the international news coverage of Veteran deaths and VA’s back-log of benefits claims. World-wide exposure of VA’s actions highlighted the shameful treatment U.S. Veterans suffer at the hands of the very agency that supposedly is dedicated to Veterans’ well-being. Continue reading

November 3, 2015

What to do if VA says a fire destroyed your military records

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Archive photo of the 1973 NPRC Fire

The National Archives tells the story. On July 12, 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF).

To its credit, the National Archives views the 1973 fire as an “unparalleled disaster” and a “loss to the cultural heritage of our nation.” Acknowledging the tragedy, the National Archives has gone to extensive lengths to reconstruct the destroyed service files. In the years since the fire, the NPRC has collected numerous series of records (referred to as Auxiliary Records) that are used to reconstruct basic service information in lieu of an OMPF. Continue reading

October 31, 2015

Veterans, We’ve Been Heard! Your Right to See a Private Physician Under the “Choice Act”

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Bob Goss, founder of the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.

Back in September, we posted a blog about VA’s handling of the “Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014,” P.L. 113-146 (“Choice Act”). The “Choice Act” was intended to improve Veterans’ access to medical services – especially private-physician-services – provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

We informed you that Congress passed the Choice Act to allow Veterans access to private physicians when VA is unable to schedule an appointment at a VA medical facility within specified wait-time limits, or when the Veteran lives more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility or meets other eligibility criteria for using a private physician. We also alerted you to the fact that, more than a year after Congress passed the Choice Act, VA’s handling of referrals to private physicians created more confusion and difficulties for Veterans without providing better care.

Well – on October 29, 2015 – VA published a notice titled “Expanded Access to Non-VA Care Through the Veterans Choice Program.” What does this mean? It means we’ve been heard! VA’s “expanded access” isn’t a huge victory, but some of the improvements are those we called for and discussed in our September blog.

October 28, 2015

“It’s Not the Years, It’s the Mileage.” Why All Active-Duty Military Personnel Need A Physical.

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Mission focus is why we justly admire our active-duty and Veteran military personnel. Unfortunately for our service members and Veterans, “Playing with pain” can quickly evolve from a mantra to a way of life. This means that injuries and ailments are pushed aside, even if non-prescription painkillers are required. To protect yourself and your loved ones, before leaving service, all active-duty military personnel should make it their mission to take this one crucial step, preferably in the year before they separate. Here’s the step: a pre-discharge physical. Continue reading

October 26, 2015

What to do when VA deliberately late mails you a notice

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Picture this scenario. Today is Monday, October 19, 2015. You open your mail. Surprise! You have a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You read the letter. It’s dated August 17, 2015. The letter explains that you have 60-days from the date on the letter in which to respond…or else VA will reduce your benefits. “Wait a second,” you think. “Have I gone crazy? Today is October 19, 2015. Sixty days from August 17 is…(you count)…October 16^th!” The deadline has already passed! You then scramble through the trash to find the discarded envelope. You find the envelope. Isn’t that something? The letter is postmarked October 15, 2015! What happens next? Continue reading

October 23, 2015

Meet Our Team! An Interview with Dee Doutel, Senior Paralegal

by Eleanor K. Meltzer for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss

Bob Goss, founder of the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C., has built his law practice around the concept of family and friends who have a passion to protect our troops. As part of a series of conversations with our law office family and friends, it is a pleasure to introduce Ms. Dee Doutel, Senior Paralegal with the firm.

Eleanor Meltzer: Dee, it is great to talk with you today! Could you tell us how you met Bob (Goss) and started working for the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.?

Dee Doutel: I met Bob through a mutual friend of ours. Two years ago, my eldest brother died suddenly and unexpectedly. As a result, I was the lone surviving Officer and Director of the Corporation he co-founded and was forced to spend all of my time working on keeping the Corporation going while trying to find a buyer for its assets. Continue reading