Announcement of a lawsuit filed by two groups representing thousands of veterans, against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).The suit filed by the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and Veterans of Modern Warfare (VMW) seeks 90-day decisions on initial claims for disability benefits, and a 180-day period to resolve appeals.  If the VA cannot meet these standards, the VVA and VMW are asking for further equitable relief in the form of monetary payments, which will provide veterans with a lifeline of support when it is most needed to allow reintegration into society.

The VA by its own admission takes an average of at least 6 months to reach an initial decision on an average benefit claim and the actual delay is believed to be much longer, probably closer to a year. Appeals of these initial decisions, which are reversed approximately 50% of the time, on average take more than 4 years, with some stretching 10 years or more.

John Rowan, National President, Vietnam Veterans of America
Donald Overton, Executive Director, Veterans of Modern Warfare
Robert Cattanach, Partner, Dorsey & Whitney
Dr. Charles R. Figley, PTSD expert and author, Professor Tulane University Graduate School of Social Work
Veterans speaking out about their arduous battle with the VA to receive the benefits they are entitled

Monday, November 10, 2008 10 AM

National Press Club
Lisagor Room
529 14^th Street, NW (14^th and F Street), 13^th Floor, Washington, DC

• The VA takes an average of 6 months to deliver initial benefits decisions, and on average, appeals take more than 4 years.
• The VA has a backlog of more than 600,000 benefit claims. This number will increase as the 1.6 million troops that served in Iraq and Afghanistan become eligible for benefits.
• A soldier’s transition to civilian life is challenging. Delayed disability benefit awards create an additional and, in many cases, unmanageable stress for veterans. According to the VA, the suicide rate among individuals in the VA’s care may be as high as 7.5 times the national average. 
• Delays of benefits result in lost homes, lost jobs, broken families and destroyed lives. 
• Every night more than 150,000 American veterans are homeless.