Vietnam veteran gets justice after claim approved for half a million!

Vet's denied claim granted 10 years later — for $500,000
Stars and Stripes
By Leo Shane III
Published: August 28, 2013

WASHINGTON — The first time the Vietnam veteran filed his disability claim, he got nothing.

The second time, he got nearly $500,000.

“It was certainly a surprise,” said the veteran, who asked to remain anonymous because of his recent windfall. “I went ahead and paid off a bunch of overdue bills. I feel like I won’t have to worry about money from now on.”

The 66-year-old’s story is unusual but not unheard of, according to veterans advocates. And it speaks to the overwhelming nature of the veterans benefits system, which has come under increased scrutiny in recent months.

“I don’t think that the (Department of Veterans Affairs) is out of control,” said Gerald Manar, deputy director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ claims assistance programs. “But a lot of it is complex and complicated. It’s hard to navigate it alone.”
read more here