Canton Could Save $10 Million with Joint Water Venture

Jim Fausone, managing partner of Fausone Bohn and the Chair of the Board of Water Commissioners for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), helped arrange the latest round of talks that could result in a savings of almost $10 million for Canton, Michigan.

The savings could be realized if Canton held off on a proposal to build its own water-storage facility and instead opted to lease or buy a portion of a DWSD station on the township’s north end. Rather than spending as much as $10 million to build a water tower or ground-level storage facility, Supervisor Phil LaJoy said Canton may spend as little as $1 million through the proposed joint venture.  

Fausone says that in addition to Canton trimming its costs, DWSD could offset operational costs under a long term lease.

The talks of a Canton-DWSD joint venture come on the heels of an announcement of a new regional water authority, which holds promise to address the problems that have long plagued DWSD. Under Fausone’s leadership the past several years, DWSD has already made great strides in its internal operations.

The soon-to-be Great Lakes Water Authority will build upon the progress, providing suburban customers with greater control and stability in their water rates. Though many suburban officials have long eyed DWSD with suspicion, Fausone implored local leaders to judge the department by what is happening now rather than focusing on past mistakes.

If you have environmental, municipal or water related issues, you can contact Jim Fausone at (248) 380-1818.

To read more on this story, check out the Canton Observer’s Report:

http://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/canton/2014/09/17/canton-water-storage-rates/15771693/

Drone Operators’ Mental Illness

By Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

After hearing from thousands of veterans, I know that the stress of military life and war impact every veteran.

Over the next decade, I can only imagine the disability claims that will be submitted by drone operators. It is probably predictable that the VA will deny these claims because the service members were not in combat. However, the DOD's own research acknowledges the stress placed on the men and women who operate drones. About one in three airmen who operate cameras on high-altitude, remotely controlled spy planes and 30% of those who fly attack drones used to kill terrorists have emotional exhaustion. An Air Force psychologist conducted a six-month study of drone operators from 2010 to 2011. Researchers found clinical distress and mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression. Sixty-five percent to 70% of those with mental illness signs are not seeking treatment for it, researchers found. Nearly 900 Air Force personnel were surveyed. Seventeen percent are women and 60% married. When they were first asked broadly about burnout, nearly half admitted it.

Let’s hope VA does not forget the impact the war has on these men and women.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2011-12-18/study-drone-operators-exhaustion/52053016/1


To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Transition Back to Civilian Life

By Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

We are hearing more about and are coming to understand, the transition from military life back to civilian life for soldiers that have been deployed. There are things you get use to things in the service like routine, respect, order, and chain of command among other things. Yet when soldiers integrate back into the civilian world it’s about chaos, noise, bills, unemployment, disrespect, just to name a few.

Almost 44% of the troops find returning home to be difficult. A recent survey provides some surprising insights. According to the Pew Research Center study, being married during deployment is one of the variables that can make the transition back more difficult. But attending religious services regularly made the transition easier. The Pew Research Center looked at a total of 18 variables and found that race, age at the time of discharge, having children under 18 while serving, length of service and number of deployments did not affect a veteran’s transition. This research may help Department of Defense (DOD) target and understand the troops that may need additional help while in the transition. Furthermore the general public should also be made more aware of these results so that they too can provide the necessary support that is needed during the transition.

http://www.stripes.com/news/study-transition-to-civilian-life-harder-for-married-troops-1.162892

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Purple Heart Earned

By Jim Fausone
Veteran Disability Lawyer

We get asked about how to obtain a Purple Heart by veterans on a regular basis. This issue has even infiltrated pop cultures. The CBS show "Harry's Law" about a quirky law firm recently had a story line about an Iraq veteran who suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), but did not get a Purple Heart. Since this is the military, it starts with filling out a form. DD Form 149 is a request to correct military records. The veteran is asking the Department of Defense (DOD) to adjust its military records to reflect that a combat injury was received, sufficient to require medical treatment, and that a Purple Heart was earned. You must explain, document, and prove the nature of the injury. As you start the process you should obtain a copy of your discharge papers, otherwise known as a DD214, and see if it reflects wounded in combat. If not you will have to gather service or medical records to prove the combat injury. A recommendation for the citation from your unit commander will go a long way or a buddy statement about the conditions under which the injury was received. It is a long process but worth it to prove ones status and obtain the recognition and benefits that go with the Purple Heart. Once the forms and evidence are sent into your service branch for review and the waiting will begin. A veteran service organization (VSO), or other veterans advocate, should be contacted to help you. The link to DD149 is below.

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/dd0149.pdf

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Ancestry.com Helps Veterans

By Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

As a national firm helping veterans with disability claims, we use a lot of different tools to fill in the facts on fuzzy memories. Often the veterans need buddy statements from guys they simply recall by first name "Bruce" or nickname "Curly", "Lefty" or "Hoosier". We check unit records and other service records and help the veteran jog their memory so than can find that long-lost friend or that unlucky soul that died in the attack. It is with that experience in mind that an article about Ancestry.com caught our attention. You know Ancestry as the web based company that helps people doing genealogy.

The Provo, Utah, based website has been adding historical records to its site for the past 15 years, accumulating more than 7 billion records. It normally charges a monthly fee to its users but until December 7, 2011 it is free. Of particular interest for those searching veterans' records are the World War II Navy Muster Rolls, which include 33 million quarterly reports filed from 1939-49, detailing the location, rank and other information about nearly all enlisted personnel who served aboard ships during those years. Previously unreleased draft cards, cemetery records, photos, and information about various ships are also available.

You can read more at http://www.stripes.com/news/us/website-makes-wwii-records-available-for-free-through-dec-7-1.162316

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Mental Health Service Insufficient

By Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

When the Wounded Warrior Project speaks, people listen - even Congress. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should take immediate action to solve systemic gaps in mental health care for veterans according to WWP. During Congressional testimony, WWP discussed its findings of a survey of over 935 respondents and emphasized the major changes the VA must implement swiftly in order to enact improvements to its responsiveness and effectiveness.

The WWP survey found that 62 percent of respondents requested mental health care through the VA. As reported, 40 percent had difficulty in receiving the mental health care necessary or did not receive treatment needed. The survey found some common and recurring issues:

Lack of available mental health providers;
Not seeing the same therapist twice;
Difficulty in obtaining appointments with flexible scheduling surrounding work/personal commitments;
Distance to available VA clinics or hospitals.

VA and this Country can and must do better. Read more about WWP and this survey at:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wounded-warrior-projecttm-testifies-before-us-senate-urges-immediate-va-action-to-improve-access-and-effectiveness-of-mental-health-care-for-veterans-2011-11-30


To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

PTSD Controlled by a Shot?

By Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Attorney

The number of troops that return with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), can range as high as 30% of the force in combat. Some veterans suffer mild PTSD and with counseling and support can get past it. Many others are debilitated by the effects of war and post-traumatic stress. A Chicago based anesthesiologist has proposed that a shot of a local anesthetic in the neck, a stellate ganglion block, can and will provide relief.

Dr. Lipov explains there is a group of nerves in the neck called a stellate ganglion that is a part of the sympathetic nerve system; which among other things sends pain messages to the brain and controls stress, including the fight-or-flight response. When someone experiences trauma, the stellate ganglion produces an increased amount of nerve growth factor, which causes excess nerves to sprout in the brain, according to Lipov. This leads to overactive stress response and anxiety, Dr. Lipov hypothesizes. By injecting the stellate ganglion with anesthetic, the nerve growth factor returns to normal levels, the excess nerves die off and the symptoms subside. The shot settles down the sympathetic nervous system, resetting the brain to where it was before the trauma. Dr. Lipov has tried this on 12 PTSD patients with success while an Army doctor, Lt. Col. Sean Mulvaney, replicated those same results with 15 PTSD patients at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

But a full scale clinical trial costs money and the DOD (Department of Defense) has not agreed to fund his research. An extensive report on this idea was recently discussed in the attached article. This country owes our veterans to give this research a try and not wait decades as veterans suffer the effects of PTSD.

http://www.stripes.com/doctor-ptsd-injection-can-work-miracles-but-dod-won-t-fund-it-1.156866#

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Bad Employees Have to Go

by Jim Fausone

Here at Fausone-Bohn, LLP, we represent a lot of small business owners. As a group they are thoughtful, compassionate and dedicated. Often they cannot understand why a particular employee is not also dedicated to the job. There are plenty of studies that a bad apple ruins the barrel. In referring to employees a recent Wall Street Journal article was titled “How a Few Bad Apples Ruin Everything.” It is suggested by the academics that “having just one slacker or jerk in a group can bring down performance by 30% to 40%.” To stop bad behavior it is not enough to talk about or model good behavior. It is necessary to “censure bad behavior” according to Wharton operations and information management professor Maurice E. Schweitzer.

In the WSJ article Robert Sutton, a professor at Stanford University, states that bad apples are “remarkably contagious,” and that leaders who ignore the fact that certain employees are rude, lazy or incompetent “are setting the stage for even their most skilled people to fail.” As business lawyers we are often asked to give advice on employment problems. It may seem harsh, but discipline and termination of the bad apple is often the best advice. Owners, and even lawyers, have compassion for their employees and their families. But feeling bad about having to discipline or terminate a bad apple is detrimental to the company. By reading the Wharton article or the WSJ article you may feel more comfortable that you are doing the right thing for you, your company, and its employees.

http://knowledgetoday.wharton.upenn.edu/2011/11/the-bad-apple-syndrome

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203499704576622550325233260.html?KEYWORDS=a+few+bad+apples

Water and Sewerage Board Changes

Water & Sewerage Board Changes

One of the firm's founding partners, Jim Fausone, was appointed to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Board of Water Commissioners earlier this year. DWSD supplies water and sewer services to almost 4,000,000 residents in southeast Michigan. The BOWC oversees policy, sets rates, approves contracts and hires the director of DWSD. BOWC sets the department’s $600,000,000 annual budget and its billion dollar capital improvement plan. A chronic problem for DWSD has been staying in compliance with its water discharge permits. DWSD is one of the largest sewer plants in the world and has been under court supervision for over 30 years.

Federal Judge Sean Cox has made it a goal of changing the policies and culture of DWSD to accomplish long term permit compliance. He recently ordered substantial structural changes to the department. Judge Cox also ordered that Jim Fausone become the Chair of BOWC to implement the Court's order, drive improvements and achieve compliance. The faith placed in Jim by the court and BOWC is humbling. We know Jim, an experienced environmental, municipal and business lawyer, is up to the challenge and the firm is fully supportive of this civic assignment. His classmates from University of Michigan College of Engineering must be hoping he paid attention in fluid dynamics class. You can read more about Judge Cox's order in the Detroit Free Press article below.

http://www.freep.com/article/20111105/NEWS01/111050440/Water-system-overhaul-grants-director-broad-powers

Country Fails Texas Veteran

by Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer


We hear from over 400 veterans a month seeking our help; not knowing where to turn. Often it is on disability matters that we can help with – such as obtaining VA disability benefits. Some of the email requests are simply matters we do not work on – such as educational or home loan matters. We also hear tragic stories where the system has failed our veterans. Here is an email request we just received:

“I'm not sure I am at the right place, but I will tell you my story and let you decide. My nephew John Saxon served 4 years in the US Army spending 1 tour in Iraq for 18 months. He was honorably discharged after his 4 year commitment was finished. After 3 years of inactive duty he was recalled to spend another 1 year tour in Iraq. John has battled PTSD since his return over a year ago. He was seen by a VA doctor in Dallas approx. a month ago and was advised to see a psychiatrist and was put on psyche meds. This morning John snapped and killed his mother by shooting her and setting her house on fire. John now sits in the Grayson County (TX) jail on murder charges. My question is what if anything can your organization do and if nothing can you suggest any places I can contact for further help.”

The Army failed John when it discharged him without proper care. The VA failed John when it did not get him immediate help but simply said see another doctor. The Country failed John when we asked him to defend our values but we did not defend him from the demons that resulted. Although it may be too late for John & his mom, we did not want to fail this family one more time. We pointed them to a group in Texas that should be able to help. The importance of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and psychiatric care for our veterans cannot be overestimated. John is a statistic of the war and now so is his mother. We have seen veteran suicide, criminal activity and homelessness rise. Many of these problems are rooted in mental illness that needs treatment. As we pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq; the Department of Defense (DOD) assists the VA in taking care of the troops after discharge. So much more needs to be done for our returning veterans.

http://www.heralddemocrat.com/hd/News/-Homicide-MaryLeeSaxon-10-28-11-

John’s sad story is reported in the article above. You will note that they don’t make the connection to his PTSD with his service. Maybe we can ignore it if it’s just a deranged son and his mom in a trailer. We should be outraged and the reporter should tell the real story.

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Widow’s Fight on the Home Front

We are delighted to share a happy ending to a long battle with the Veterans Administration (VA) for one of our clients. We will refer to her as “Cindy” and her husband “Max”.

With the death of her husband Max, an Army veteran of Vietnam, in March of 2001, Cindy began the long process of making a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) benefits. She filed her first claim with the VA for DIC in 2002. After many denials of service connected death she sought out our representation in April of 2006 where our claims developer Peter Worthington began research of information that would be submitted to the Regional Office (RO) with the hopes of a new favorable decision.

Our firm was successful in obtaining a remand from the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (USCAVC). We submitted additional evidence; including a medical opinion in February of 2010 to the RO where the claim was once again denied. The medical opinion noted the veterans heart murmur in service was not related to the veteran’s cause of death. However, it did note the cause of death was due to Ischemic heart disease. We appealed the denial from the RO to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA). Subsequently, Ischemic heart disease was added to the list of disabilities recognized by the VA as being related to Agent Orange Exposure.

The out-come of the review by the BVA constituted a full grant of DIC benefits for the issue on appeal of service connected cause of death. This month, over 10 years after her initial claim to the VA, Cindy received over $130,000.00 in retroactive benefits; effectively changing the course of the rest of her life.

We hope this gives those fighting for their benefits a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel.


To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

City of Wayne, Friends Project

Every year the City of Wayne through its “Friends Project” helps a low income resident by providing necessary home repairs and maintenance. This project is successful through the generous donations from local businesses and community volunteers. Approximately 70 volunteers assisted in providing a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of the home and shed, repairing the gates, as well as miscellaneous yard work to the residence of this year’s recipient. Fausone Bohn, LLP, and Legal Help Veterans, PLLC, were large supporters of this project, and through their efforts this project was a huge success. Plans are already in the works for next year’s event.

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Congressional Impact on VA RO

by Jim Fausone
Veteran Disability Lawyer

We get asked by veterans “should I get my Congressman to write VA about the delay and my claim.?” No is the short answer. It is a rare case that we ask for Congressional assistance. Why? Because VA stops everything it is doing on a case to respond to a Congressional staffer's letter. A good example of this is a response we recently received from VA about the status of a claim:

“Mr. Fausone - We have received communication from the Des Moines Regional Office. They have stated the claim file is currently at the regional office and a review of the file has been made. The Veteran’s appeal is still open and pending a decision. (The Veteran had filed a claim for increase for Individual Unemployability (IU) during the appeal, which needed to be processed. There was also congressional interest-3 letters-which had to be reviewed and responded to in the past few months.) The appeal is currently pending completion of a Supplemental Statement of the Case by the appeals team Rating Veterans Service Representative.

VA is telling us that the claim for IU filed during the claim and the 3 congressional interest letters was slowing down the process at the Regional Office (RO). The 3 letters in the past few months “had to be reviewed and responded to” by the VA staff. This means the RO is not working on the claim. So involve your Congressman selectively and not repeatedly. VA is slow enough without giving them another roadblock to getting the basic work done.

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

VA Lacks Resources

by Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

Since we have over 600 veteran clients fighting to obtain the disability benefits they deserve, we see a lot of vets who have had problems with the VA system. While the VA health care system is one of the best in the country it is a challenge to have the resources in the proper area at the necessary time. Our veteran clients seem to have the most problems with VA in receiving treatment for their mental health and orthopedic disabilities.

A recent survey of VA social workers, nurses and doctors reports that more than 70 percent believe the department lacks the staff and space to meet the needs of growing numbers of veterans seeking mental health care.

The challenge of balancing the demand for services and the available resources is seen by the numbers. Last year, more than 1.2 million veterans were treated by the VA for a mental health problem, including 408,000 with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. By comparison, 934,000 were treated for mental health problems four years earlier.

The VA is responding to this tidal wave of need for mental health services by increasing staff 47%. The Congress is also keeping an eye on this problem. Read more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/va-lacks-resources-to-deal-with-mental-health-survey-finds/2011/10/03/gIQAhpuJJL_story.html


To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Veterans' Benefit Summit

by Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

Last week, Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC hosted the 2nd Annual Veterans’ Summit with the Canton Community Foundation. It takes months of preparation to pull off this Southeast Michigan event that had over 250 participants; 17 speakers; 15 participating organizations; 20 sponsors and served 3 meals. It was a team effort by Chandra, Attorney Kristina Derro, the General, Joann and everyone else that helped out. The speakers included representatives of VA, VFW, DAV, Marine League, Detroit VARO, County Counselors and others.

People came from hundreds of miles away and two states to attend this conference. We were able to help specific individuals throughout the day. For example, DAV assisted someone break a log jam on a claim. The Marine Corps League printed DD 214s for those that needed them. Questions were answered about burial entitlements for widows. For someone who needed emergency financial aid to save their house, the process got started that afternoon.
The success of the program suggests that holding it again in September 2012 would be worthwhile. We will begin gathering ideas for speakers and topics soon. If you want to see some pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page. If you want to read more and get a sense of the attendees views, click on:

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110918/NEWS03/109180397/Veterans-get-benefit-help-second-summit?odyssey=modnewswelltextCantons

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

TBI Rehab in Michigan

by Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

VA has initiated a new program to help veterans with TBI. DOD has proven that cognitive rehab helps servicemen with TBI. VA is now conducting a pilot program pushing that rehab out to recent veterans using the private sector. The program helps veterans with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries who need long-term residential care by placing them in high-quality rehabilitation facilities that are closer to their homes and families. This avoids the cost and trauma of an institutional or hospital setting.

Michigan has great rehab facilities because of its long history of supplying health care to automobile accident victims under its unique no fault insurance programs. Origami Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center, a Mason Michigan facility, was selected by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to take part in a cutting-edge pilot program. Origami is one of 21 facilities in the nation to launch the Assisted Living for Veterans with TBI pilot program.

This is a great idea of using existing resources to medically service our veterans. VA does not have to re-invent the wheel and more people can be helped by the private sector's ability to scale up or down as needed. Read more at:

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2011/09/greater_lansing_facility_treat.html

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

QTC Sold

by Jim Fausone
Veteran Disability Lawyer

Many veterans that have had a C&P exam have run into a private QTC doctor. QTC is the largest provider of outsourced medical evaluation services to the federal government and, in particular, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), processing more than 450,000 evaluations last year. The VA has had a cozy relationship with QTC for years. This includes the movement from QTC to VA and back again. For example, former VA Secretary, Dr. James Peake, was Chief Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer of QTC before becoming the Secretary and former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, was chairman of QTC.

Now the plot thickens. A large defense contractor, Lockhead Martin, has purchased QTC. It certainly raises the possibility that the DOD and VA interests will be placed above that of veterans at future exams. Should veteran advocates be concerned, it seems that "independent medical" exams by QTC may be an oxymoron.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/22/3853954/lockheed-martin-agrees-to-acquire.html

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

PTSD Drug Fraud

by Jim Fausone
Veteran Disability Lawyer

VA seems to try all kinds of quack medicine to "fix" veterans with PTSD. Another situation has arisen that an anti-psychotic drug used to treat PTSD has no more effect than a sugar pill. VA spent $717 million for this ineffective drug over the last decade.

Risperidone is the generic name for Risperdal, a drug developed by the Janssen Pharmaceuticals division of Johnson & Johnson to treat severe mental conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. VA researchers published Aug. 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded, "treatment with risperidone compared with placebo did not reduce PTSD symptoms."

If you or a veteran you care for was given this drug, you should evaluate if your disability rating is correct. If VA reduced your rating because you were being effectively treated - that turns out not to be true. You may want to read the article below and contact a lawyer.

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110822_6423.php?oref=topstory

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

Attack on AO Expansion

Attack on AO Expansion
by Jim Fausone
Veteran Disability Lawyer

Most veterans know that the expansion of the Agent Orange (AO) presumptions last year were long over due. But some in Congress question that decision and its costs. Certain Senators argue the Agent Orange Act of 1991 is flawed, providing too much authority to the VA secretary and allowing compensation awards based on a mere "association" between a disease and herbicide exposure rather than evidence that exposure "caused" the ailments. This debate is about how much authority should the Secretary of the VA have to create new presumptions.

As an attorney who practices in this field, I know that without presumptions most veterans would not be able to prove the medical case for obtaining compensation. They do not have the money to pay for medical opinions or the testing and research that would be necessary. Keep an eye on the Senate as this issue is debated.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20110814/NEWS02/108140325/New-Agent-Orange-claims-surpass-84-000

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com

TSGLI Rule Changes

by Jim Fausone
Veterans Disability Lawyer

This information is from VA’s press release. In an attempt to help get the word out, I am republishing a good chunk of that release:

“As of October 1, 2011, the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection benefit, also known as TSGLI, will be payable for all qualifying injuries incurred during the period October 7, 2001 to November 30, 2005, regardless of where they occurred, and regardless of whether the member had SGLI coverage at the time of the injury. The Veterans’ Benefit Act of 2010 removes the requirement that injuries during this period be incurred in Operations Enduring or Iraqi Freedom.

This is welcome news for the many servicemen and women who suffered serious traumatic injuries while serving stateside or in other areas outside of OEF or OIF during this time period, but until now have not been eligible for TSGLI. TSGLI provides a payment ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to Servicemembers sustaining certain severe traumatic injuries resulting in a range of losses, including amputations, limb salvage, paralysis, burns, loss of sight, hearing or speech, facial reconstruction, 15-day continuous hospitalization, coma, and loss of activities of daily living due to traumatic brain injury or other traumatic injuries.

Former Reservists and National Guard members who were injured during the retroactive period and suffered a qualifying loss are eligible for a TSGLI payment even if the cause was not related to service, such as a “civilian “ automobile accident or severe injury which occurred while working around their home. The law regarding these payments covers these individuals 24/7. Additionally, survivors of Servicemembers who died more than seven days after their injuries are also eligible to receive a TSGLI payment if the member had a covered loss.

Although applications are currently being accepted by Branch of Service TSGLI Offices, benefits will not be paid until October 1, 2011, the effective date of the law. For more information or to apply for a TSGLI payment, Servicemembers and Veterans should go to http://www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/TSGLI/TSGLI.htm. They can also contact their branch of service TSGLI Office”

To learn more or to contact a Veterans disability lawyer, Veterans disability attorney, Veterans lawyer, or Veterans attorney call 1.800.693.4800 or visit Legalhelpforveterans.com