Veteran Health Care

September 24, 2021

Acid Reflux and VA Disability Rating

Acid reflux, more formally known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a common condition in which the muscle at the top of the stomach does not operate properly, allowing stomach acids and partially-digested food to enter the esophagus.

The stomach has a thick lining designed to withstand the acids used to break down foods, but the esophagus, which is the tube that takes your food from your mouth to your stomach, has no such lining. If you have acid reflux, you are probably experiencing some or all of the following symptoms:

Burning in the chest or throat (heartburn)

August 13, 2021

VA Benefits and Back Problems

by Bob Goss

If you are experiencing back pain due to your military service, you can receive VA benefits, as long as you fulfill the necessary requirements. In order to receive any kind of benefits, you must demonstrate that you are a former member of the U.S. military with an honorable discharge, that you have a current medical condition caused by your military service, and that you have medical evidence connecting your condition to the in-service event, injury, or illness.

Back pain and its causes

Back pain presents itself in many ways. You could be experiencing dull, aching pain or shooting pain; burning or stabbing pain; cramps or spasms; or numbness and weakness. The pain may even extend down your limbs. In addition, you may experience flare-ups that increase the severity for a time.

August 11, 2021

Cancer and VA Benefits

by Bob Goss

Cancer can strike at any time, but it usually does not become active for years after the cause. Many veterans do not automatically make the connection between their time of service and their cancer diagnosis. But there are many exposures during military service that are presumed to cause cancer and others that can be proven to be either a direct cause or a secondary cause of cancer. If your service to our country caused cancer, you deserve compensation while you fight to defeat this enemy.

Proving Service Connection for Cancer

As with all disability claims, you must be able to demonstrate that you are a veteran of the U.S. military, that you have an honorable discharge, and that there is a connection to military service: a direct connection, an aggravation of an existing condition, a secondary connection, or a presumptive connection.

August 4, 2021

Common Eye Problems Related to Military Service

by Bob Goss

Eye problems are a common result of military service. As of 2018, over 250,000 veterans were receiving some degree of disability compensation. Eye conditions could be caused by injuries, exposure of some kind, illnesses, diseases, or complications from medication for service-related medical conditions. Many eye problems are secondary conditions or are related to injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI). In fact, 75% of veterans with TBI experience visual problems and may not know they are connected to their service-related injury.

The VA offers veterans more than just compensation for eye problems. Eligible veterans may also receive eyeglasses, eye care, and necessary medical interventions.

Conditions that May Cause Eye Problems

April 14, 2021

Depression and Veterans

by Bob Goss

Depression occurs in veterans at a much higher rate than in the general population. It’s estimated that up to 14% of service members experience depression after deployment. However, many veterans have a problem proving a service connection to their depression.

Symptoms of depression include:

Fatigue or lack of energy

March 31, 2021

Common Disabilities for Veterans

by Bob Goss

If you were disabled due to your military service, it can be hard to receive the compensation you deserve from the Veterans Administration. The U.S. Census reports that in 2014, 19% of all veterans had a service-connected disability. Considering that many veterans are often wrongly denied disability payments by the Veterans Administration (VA), this number is likely to be higher in reality. Here at the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, Veterans’ Attorney, we help veterans build their cases to get the compensation they deserve from the VA.

Most Common Disabilities of Veterans

Some of the most common disabilities that veterans have may go unnoticed if symptoms are mild or if the vet does not make the connection to military service. Mild disabilities may not get very high ratings; however, if you have multiple disabilities, your combined rating will be higher, so it’s worth addressing these issues with your doctor. Some of these common medical conditions include:

February 5, 2021

Tying your Injury, Condition, or Disability to Your Military Service

by Bob Goss

How do you file a disability claim with the VA and tie it to your military service? There are four categories of disability claims that veterans can file:

Direct service connection
Service connection through the aggravation of an existing condition

January 12, 2016

The One Simple Step All Active-Duty Military Personnel Should Take

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” often evolves from a mantra to a way of life. This means that injuries and ailments are pushed aside and visiting the doctor is even viewed as a deplorable sign of weakness.

Even the most fit person should take preventive health measures. And there is one simple step all active-duty military personnel should take before leaving service. Failure to take this step can have traumatic results for you and your family. 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: get a pre-discharge physical. Continue reading

December 19, 2015

Bob Goss Recognized By Avvo With The “Avvo 2015 Clients’ Choice Award”!

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

We at the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C. are delighted to announce that our principal and founder, Bob Goss, has been recognized by Avvo, the well-known attorney rating and review site, with Avvo’s “Clients’ Choice 2015.”

Avvo’s attorney rating system identifies rankings of 10.0 – 9.0 as “Superb.” Based on Avvo’s mathematical model, which includes input from hundreds of attorneys, thousands of consumers, and legal professionals who understand the work attorneys perform, Bob received a perfect Avvo “10.0” score.

This is the second year in a row that Bob (pictured at right) has been recognized by Avvo as a “Clients’ Choice” attorney. Continue reading

December 18, 2015

Christmas for VA Bigwigs But Not For You

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. On October 16, 2015, VA Under Secretary for Benefits, Allison Hickey resigned in the wake of a pay fraud scandal involving senior bureaucrats Diana Rubens (pictured left) and Kim Graves (pictured right). 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