Veteran's disability benefits claim delayed by VA again
Doctor finds against former Marine for second time
ClickOrlando
Author: Tara Evans, Producer
Published
On: Jun 16 2015
ORLANDO, Fla. -
A Camp Lejeune veteran said his disability benefits claim has been denied by a Department of Veterans Affairs doctor for a second time.
He said he has just weeks to live.
"No veteran deserves to go through this kind of garbage, they just don't," said Donald Burpee, 59.
Burpee is a former Marine battling kidney cancer. He is one of thousands who were exposed to toxic drinking water at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987.
Burpee has been battling for his benefits for more than a year and a half. He was initially denied, so he filed an appeal. Then he was diagnosed as terminal.
He said at this point, his kidney cancer has spread to his brain and liver after hitting a ureter, an adrenal gland and his lungs.
"Finally, I had heard enough, and so I got on the phone and called the high-ups," said Sen. Bill Nelson, how has been involved in Burpee's case for some time, as well as Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Alan Grayson. "So they assure me they are expediting that."
Burpee is hoping a final decision in his favor comes soon, because he said he's afraid he will die, never knowing if his family will be taken care of.
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Doesn't the govt know that we all see what they are doing, just like the Agent Orange claims? If they deny it long enough they think those affected will just die off! Shame on each and every one of 'our' representatives if they aren't fighting like Hell for these soldiers! It is time that the leaders in our country stop sending our money out of this country and start taking care of the Veterans who fought to keep this country free. When the next war comes, and it will, and no one wants to stand to fight because they know from the experiences of all those before them that their country will use them then discard them, instead of stepping up. Shame on the leaders who make so much for doing NOTHING for the citizens of this country! Never should you make more than our Senior Citizens, who have done more for this country than anyone sitting in those seats in DC. They don't deserve the wages, or the Pensions they receive. Things have got to change in this country. Greed has infected our Congress and House of Representatives. The jobs you do there were never intended to make you millionaires at the expense of the citizens you screw!
ReplyDeleteYou pretty much nailed it! The thing that keeps getting missed is this has all gone on for decades. Just think about the simple fact the House Veterans Affairs Committee has been seated since 1946 and was supposed to be making sure our veterans were properly taken care of. Too bad they decided to sit on that obligation until they were up for re-election and needed the votes of veterans. Nice little trick but both sides pretend to care when it matters to them and not when veterans need them to do the right thing.
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