Denying VA benefits to veterans is on the rise!

[cynatnite]

WASHINGTON - A special federal court that hears veterans' disability appeals is facing its highest caseload ever as the government increasingly turns down benefits for war veterans, its chief judge said Tuesday.

Judge William P. Greene Jr., who presides over the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, warned of a strained court that has had to recall five retired judges in recent months to assist with growing backlogs of veterans unhappy with the level of disability benefits assigned to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

snip:

Those numbers continued a sharp increase in appeals filed beginning in fiscal year 2005 as denial of benefits by the VA's Board of Veterans Appeals jumped from 9,299 in 2004 to 13,033 in 2005. Last year, total denials reached 18,107, according to the court.

On Tuesday, Greene said the court is making efforts to reduce delays by regularly recalling retired judges, and working to implement an electronic case filing system to reduce paperwork. It also is considering whether in some clear-cut cases it should make rulings without attaching an explanation.

snip:
Some two-thirds of the VA's initial decisions are typically found to be in error by the court, but rather than overturning the decision and ordering payment of benefits, the court usually sends the appeal back to the VA to take a second look, Lawrence said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_go_ot/veterans_care_court