Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars Challenge New Rules

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2015         

WASHINGTON, DC—On May 6, 2015, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garret & Dunner, LLP filed a pro bono law suit on behalf of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), petitioning the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for review of the new rules implemented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA’s new rules impact the nation’s 22 million veterans, with the main concern being the elimination of the flexible and informal claims process that has been in place for more than fifty years. The newly implemented process requires veterans to use a standardized form, which is a more rigid and unfriendly system for filing benefits claims. The DAV and the VFW joined a number of other veterans service organizations in petitioning the Federal Circuit for review of the VA’s new rules.

“The process of filing claims for benefits should be easy for veterans,” said Finnegan partner Doris Johnson Hines. “The new rules make the process much more difficult and veterans are at risk of losing the benefits to which they are entitled.”

Finnegan is committed to helping veterans obtain the benefits that they deserve. The firm has one of the most extensive veterans pro bono programs in the country, with nearly 150 attorneys and staff serving disabled military veterans. Since the firm’s pro bono Veteran’s Assistance Program commenced in July 2008, Finnegan has handled approximately 715 appeals, reviewing approximately 25 pre-screened Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) decisions each month.

Contacts
Doris Johnson Hines, Partner
dori.hines@finnegan.com              

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