Only a fraction of wounded veterans apply for benefits

Report: Some vets miss out on better benefits

By Kevin Maurer - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 2, 2010 16:53:13 EDT

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Only a fraction of wounded veterans who could get better benefits have applied in the two years since Congress, acting on concerns the military was cutting costs by downplaying injuries, ordered the Pentagon to review disputed claims.

As of mid-March, only 921 vets have applied out of the 77,000 the Pentagon estimates are eligible, according to numbers provided to The Associated Press by the Physical Disability Board of Review. The panel was created in 2008 but started taking cases in January 2009.

More than 230 cases have been decided, about 60 percent in favor of improving the veteran’s benefits, while 119 cases were dismissed as ineligible.

Advocates and even the board members themselves want the review panel to do a better job of getting the word out.

“Quite frankly, I would like to see more opportunities for us to reach out to these people,” said Michael LoGrande, president of the three-member board that has a staff of 10. “But we are doing the best we can with the limited people and resources we have.”
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Some vets miss out on better benefits