Cutting some stupid and intolerable red tape.
For a veteran to appeal a disability claims decision, he or she must fill out an Appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals form, known as a VA Form 9, and the department must review the case to ensure it contains all the necessary documentation. If the claims appeal is complete, VA then certifies it to the Board of Veterans Appeals.
But for at least 2,700 veterans, VA has taken no action, letting their appeals sit, unopened, for more than two years.
One of the plaintiffs in the recent case, Pamela Whitfield, has waited more than six years.
The court found this and the VA's inaction "intolerable."
Veterans seeking more information and who have a Form 9 but have not been certified, can contact NVLSP at [email protected].
More @ Court Decision Paves Way to Faster Appeal Decisions for Some Vets
