Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Expands Protections for Veterans with Missing Paperwork...

Early last month I blogged about the VA's "mishandling" of documents submitted by veterans seeking disability compensation and today I come to you with better news from the VA. In an attempt at redemption, the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented special procedures for processing claims for veterans that submitted documentation to the VA anytime between April 14, 2007 and October 14, 2008. These procedures were written to cover missing records submitted by veterans during that 18-month period when officials uncovered that documents were being wrongly placed into a bin to be shredded.

Here's is an outline of the VA's special procedures taken directly from their website: 

• The VA will process any missing applications or evidence resubmitted under these special procedures as if the document had been originally submitted on the date identified by the claimant.
• Veterans and other applicants will have one year, or until November 17, 2009, to file previously submitted documents under these special procedures.
• Veterans not covered by these special rules who believe relevant material is missing from their files can submit additional documentation at any time.
  • An award of benefitsearlier than April 14, 2007, may be established if there is credible corroborating evidence supporting an earlier date of document submission.
    
    

Since "shredder-gate", every regional office's shredding equipment and operations are now under the strict control of the facility records management officer.  Every employee has been given a separate receptacle for papers appropriate for shredding.  These receptacles are subject to review by supervisors and other officials. Before any claims document can be shredded now, it must now be reviewed by two people and the facility records management officer.