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December 21, 2010 - The Department of Defense (DoD) has an alleged history of discharging soldiers from the military due to the soldiers suffering personality disorders. The DoD denies ever having done this. The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) recently filed a lawsuit against the DoD alleging that the DoD has not fulfilled their legal obligations because they have yet to release requested records regarding soldiers discharged due to personality disorders.
The VVA claims the DoD has wrongly discharged almost 26,000 veterans since 2001. More than that, the lawsuit alleges the reason the DoD used personality disorders as a basis for discharge is so the DoD won't have to pay benefits to those veterans and therefore reduce their own costs. Veterans discharged with personality disorder designations are precluded from collecting disability compensation for service-related injuries as well as general health care.
Personality Disorders are thought to have their origins in a person's youth and at times can show symptoms very similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The DoD, then, sees personality disorders as pre-existing conditions. Therefore, the DoD does not believe these soldiers are entitled to the same benefits as soldiers "genuinely" diagnosed with combat disorders such as PTSD and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
When the Veterans Affairs Committee accused the DoD of fraudulently discharging soldiers in 2007, the amount of soldiers discharged for personality disorders dropped drastically. Yet, the DoD will not admit to any wrongdoing. Regardless if they admit their guilt or not, there are thousands of veterans suffering from PTSD and TBIs in desperate need of health care but denied because of the DoD's alleged actions.
Soldiers can return home with a number of conditions, injuries, and aggravated preexisting conditions. If you believe you have a service-connected physical or psychological injury you may be entitled to Veterans’ Disability Compensation.
At LaVan and Neidenberg, we are determined to secure veterans their rightful disability compensation and disability rating. We wrote this book for you! In it you will find valuable tips on how to navigate the claims process and avoid common pitfalls. Request your FREE copy today!
Or, complete our short contact form or call us directly at 1.888.234.5758 to schedule your FREE case evaluation.
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