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VA OIG Investigation Finds Errors With 28% of VA Disability Claims at 16 VA Offices

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently audited the VA's Disability Compensation System. The inspection covered 16 different VA regional offices and produced fairly disturbing results. The OIG auditors inspected 45,000 processed claims and found 28% of them had been processed incorrectly. According to other estimates, that percentage could very well be higher.

The OIG's audit had their inspectors looking at how specific claims were handled. They assessed the processes used throughout the evaluations, which ranged from how the mail was handled to the disability percentage award being issued.

The audit focused on those claims given 100% disability ratings, which included:

 

·      post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);

·      traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);

·      herbicide exposure; and

·      Haas ("blue water" Vietnam veterans with Agent Orange exposure).

 

The Baltimore and Anchorage regional offices had the lowest compliance scores. Each office met only 1 of the VA's 15 process requirements. Every regional office deemed to be performing poorly did have one factor in common, which was extended management vacancies. Extended lack of management equated to oversight failures, which meant proper procedures were either underdeveloped or not developed at all.

Haas claims suffered more errors than any other claim. The errors went both ways, i.e., there were many given 100% disability ratings that should not have been, and many not given disability ratings that should have been.

The audit found VA claims processors failed to follow VA policy on Haas claims at 83% of the regional offices. Veterans receiving lower-than-expected disability compensation, or those who have had their claims rejected may want to revisit filing those claims.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.