Investigates: Thousands of area vets stuck in disability limbo with VA

Investigates: Thousands of area vets stuck in disability limbo with VA
KMOV.com
by Chris Nagus
News 4 Investigates
Posted on November 19, 2013

(KMOV) – Lee Kedge is one of the 700,000 veterans stuck in disability limbo with the Veterans Administration.

There’s a place they sent my appeal off to called the black hole, it's ridiculous,” said James Carver.

Ashley Buska, suffered a stroke while serving at Fort Bliss in Texas when she was 21.

“I got a letter saying it's taking a long time because it's taking a long backlog,” said Buska. “Before I joined the military, I was perfectly healthy, nothing wrong.”

She tried filing what’s called a Quick Start Claim through the VA but there’s been nothing quick about it. Nearly four years, a bunch of clerical errors and no answers later, she’s still waiting to find out about her claim.

The problem is no secret to lawmakers. In August, a bunch of U.S. Senators including Senator Blunt and McCaskill, sent letters to President Obama asking to improve the claims process. That process averages 474 days for St. Louis area vets, almost a year and a half and for some, much longer.
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