The Department of Veterans Affairs is experimenting with a new pilot program that would help disabled United States veterans get the medical exams they need in order to qualify for benefits – even if they have settled down outside of the U.S.
Currently, there are an estimated 2,000 veterans with combat-related health issues who are awaiting VA medical exams to confirm that they do indeed need VA disability benefits. Why the backlog? The VA explains that they often have to work with local doctors to complete the sometimes complex exams, and that local doctors often are not familiar with the VA medical exam process and often are hindered by the language barrier.
The VA’s new plan to examine disabled vets is to send off small parties to places with high concentrations of disabled vets and to do a marathon of medical examinations over a series of days. The first of these trips consisted of sending a doctor, a nurse, and a support person to Okinawa, Japan, where hundreds of veterans have come to live after their service.
In the future, the VA plans to send similar groups to Tokyo, Germany, and South Korea, where large collections of injured vets reside.
Are you having difficultly navigating the VA’s disability benefits program, or has your application for veterans’ disability benefits been denied? Speak to a Texas disability attorney today for immediate assistance.
by Paul B. Burkhalter Managing Partner of Morgan Weisbrod , Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.