Noteboom The Law Firm

New Bill Protects Veterans’ Pensions

May 18, 2010 - For many veterans their pension is their only source of income. Even then, many veterans are kept at poverty level. So, when a veteran is wronged and cannot collect a monetary judgment without threatening the money he collects every month, something must be done.

Senator Jon Tester has done something about that situation. He introduced legislation to protect those veterans' pensions who have been compensated for being medically wronged. As it stands, if a veteran were awarded a settlement or insurance claim, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses that settlement money in determining the veterans' pension eligibility. This makes it very easy for veterans to lose their pensions as the settlement would put their income over the availability cap.    

The only veterans eligible for pensions are those in extreme poverty. The Veterans Pension Protection Act seeks to change the rules surrounding the income eligibility rules. Veterans should not have to worry about losing their pensions because they became victims by some other person's actions.

No veteran should ever have to make the decision this situation forces. Every veteran has earned the pension the VA gives them. It is unconscionable to force a veteran choose between his only income in life and recovering for being a victim.