Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

Plausible? See Stegman v. Derwinski (1992)

I swear that the words that make their way onto this screen are born of woolgathering while driving. I keep a tablet under my right hand and a pen poised for when the little man in my head presses “Send”. … Continue reading

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CAVC– Ledford v. Derwinski (1992)– Why we can file for HCV

Veterans have asked me over time why we have a path to HCV when we legitimately didn’t have symptoms of it in service. 38 CFR 3.303 is the path most take for diseases or injuries that were documented in service. … Continue reading

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DICK TRACY 101

When filing a claim for benefits, there are certain things that can unduly influence your success. These may seem mundane and of no import, but they will have an impact larger than you can imagine. First time filers fill out … Continue reading

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TEACH A MAN TO FISH

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life. I don’t know who said this. It isn’t germane to my discussion here. The thought is, though. Yesterday, … Continue reading

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VA — TRICK OR TREAT

On October 31st, 1990, the VA instituted the concept of willful misconduct. Prior to this the measurement was nominally Line of Duty (LOD). If you did something stupid like driving drunk and really messing yourself up, that was not LOD. … Continue reading

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LOOKING FOR CUE IN BVA PLACES

Looking For CUE   I have posted examples of CUE (Clear and Unmistakable Error) on several occasions but have never posted decisions where the reader can look for CUE in a BVA decision and discern it. I have chosen my … Continue reading

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BVA–A Well-Reasoned Jet Gun Win

Over the years we have noticed a small coterie of very successful lawyers who take on Hep. cases and win them with seeming ease. Virginia Girard-Brady is one. Here, she demonstrates that even in a pool full of VA law … Continue reading

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DRO– Bait & Switch Ploy

Here is an interesting contretemps. You finally get rated for, let’s say, DM2 and they give you 10%.  What would you think if you applied for PN secondary to the DM2 and they whacked your DM down to 0% and … Continue reading

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Post Office Form 3817

While sending in my Notice of Disagreement with The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment chuckleheads today, I was chatting with the Post Office Mistress, or is that postmasterperson  shoot, postmistressperson,    masterpostperson, (this politically correct thing is hard to get the hang of) about … Continue reading

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Independent Living Program

Dang. I just got turned down by VA for a new computer, a greenhouse and a sewing machine. This is available to those of us who are never going to work again. It’s called the Independent Living Program or ILP … Continue reading

Posted in All about Veterans, Independent Living Program, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized, VR&E | Tagged | 3 Comments